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Why did God allow Solomon to have 1,000 wives and concubines?



      

1 Kings 11:3

ESV - 3 He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart.

Clarify Share Report Asked July 01 2013 Mini Anonymous (via GotQuestions)

Community answers are sorted based on votes. The higher the vote, the further up an answer is.

41
Shea S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries
First Kings 11:3 states that Solomon "had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines." Obviously, God "allowed" Solomon to have these wives, but allowance is not the same as appr...

July 01 2013 4 responses Vote Up Share Report


6
Mini Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army
Just as God did throughout the Old Testament (not just in the case of David and Solomon), and as He continues to do down to the present day, He will not compel people to live in a righteous manner. Humans are beings to whom God has granted free will and the power of choice, because only love and obedience that are freely given can have any value.

However, he will also hold each of us responsible for the decisions that we make, the actions that we take, and the eternal (if not also temporal) consequences of those decisions and actions, unless we as Christians acknowledge them (in the case of sinful actions), repent of them, and seek His forgiveness of them in Christ's name.

January 05 2021 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


5
Mini James Kraft Supporter 74 year old retired pipeline worker
An interesting answer is how God took everything Job had, and gave everything to Solomon He wanted. Solomon was like a spoiled child. 

It is our sin nature to want to have what we want and have it now, no matter what. 

But as Solomon learned you can only enjoy life the way God intended. We were born into this world as sinners. 

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:10 There is none righteous no not one. 

Thankfully God made a way for sinners to be saved. He sent His own son to pay for the sins of the whole world, First John 2:2 so that anyone who would accept His payment for our sins would be granted eternal life.

All that we have in this world is not going to last. Hebrews 13:5 says. And be content with such things as ye have, for He hath said, I will never leave you or forsake you. 

God may chasten us, and we can lose our rewards in heaven, but never the free gift of eternal life.

January 05 2021 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


4
20230618 192834 Donna Williams Supporter
As has already been clearly and profoundly stated by the first person who answered this question, I would simply like to say that this was not God's perfect will, but was a decision that Solomon chose to make.

The Bible states in James 1:14, "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed." NKJV 

The Bible is very clear in letting us know what the temptations of the flesh are: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. 1John 2:16

Solomon chose to walk after the flesh instead of walking after the Spirit. It is the same way for us today. We must choose every day to walk after the Spirit, so that we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

December 27 2020 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


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