This chapter begins with as melancholy a “but” as almost any we find in all the Bible. Hitherto we have read nothing of Solomon but what was great and good; but the lustre both of his goodness and of his greatness is here sullied and eclipsed, and his sun sets under a cloud. I.

This is a sad story, and very surprising, of Solomon’s defection and degeneracy. I. Let us enquire into the occasions and particulars of it. Shall Solomon fall, that was the beauty of Israel, and so great a blessing of his generation? Yes, it is too true, and the scripture is faithful in relating…

Here is, I. God’s anger against Solomon for his sin. The thing he did displeased the Lord. Time was then the Lord loved Solomon and delighted in him , but now the Lord was angry with Solomon , for there was in his sin, 1. The most base ingratitude that could be.

While Solomon kept closely to God and to his duty there was no adversary nor evil occurrent , nothing to create him any disturbance or uneasiness in the least; but here we have an account of two adversaries that appeared against him, inconsiderable, and that could not have done any thing worth…

We have here the first mention of that infamous name Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that made Israel to sin; he is here brought upon the stage as an adversary to Solomon, whom God had expressly told that he would give the greatest part of his kingdom to his servant, and Jeroboam was the man.

We have here the conclusion of Solomon’s story, and in it, 1. Reference is had to another history then extant, but (not being divinely inspired) since lost, the Book of the Acts of Solomon, 1 Kings 11:41.