Solomon’s Marriages and Idolatry
Even though King Solomon was known for his great wisdom, he made choices that eventually led him away from God. One of those choices was marrying many women from foreign nations—women from places like Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and among the Hittites. These marriages were not just about love; they were also political alliances meant to strengthen his kingdom. However, the women he married followed different religions and worshiped other gods.
Over time, Solomon began to allow their influence into his own life. To please his foreign wives, he built special worship places, called “high places,” where they could honor and make sacrifices to their gods—gods like Chemosh, the god of the Moabites, and Molek, the god of the Ammonites. Solomon didn’t just build these places—he also took part in the worship of these gods.
This deeply displeased the Lord, because Solomon’s heart was no longer fully devoted to the one true God, as it had been earlier in his life. Instead of staying faithful, he began turning away and following the practices of other religions, which went against what God had commanded. This marked a turning point in his life and his relationship with God.
(1 Kings 11:1–8)