The Meaning of 1 Kings 11:40 Explained

1 Kings 11:40

KJV: Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

YLT: And Solomon seeketh to put Jeroboam to death, and Jeroboam riseth and fleeth to Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and he is in Egypt till the death of Solomon.

Darby: And Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam; and Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt; and he was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

ASV: Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam; but Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Solomon  sought  therefore to kill  Jeroboam.  And Jeroboam  arose,  and fled  into Egypt,  unto Shishak  king  of Egypt,  and was in Egypt  until the death  of Solomon. 

What does 1 Kings 11:40 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 11:26-40 - The Kingdom Promised To His Servant
The opening chapters of Jeroboam's life were very promising. He sprang from the ranks of the toilers, but his business talent attracted the notice of Solomon, who set him over the forced labor which was levied from the great tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim, Whether Jeroboam had entertained the prospect of rulership before the prophet met him, we cannot tell, but after that interview his whole life was altered. And if only he had observed the injunction of 1 Kings 11:38, he might have lifted Israel to a level of prosperity and glory that would have blessed the world. But, alas! he sinned, and made Israel to sin- 1 Kings 12:30; 1 Kings 13:34; 1 Kings 14:16; 1 Kings 16:2; 1 Kings 16:9; 1 Kings 16:26, etc.
When God has given you your place, do not devise things out of your own heart, in order to retain it, 1 Kings 12:33. The plans that Jeroboam laid to secure the stability of his throne led to its undoing, and covered his name with undying infamy. "Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land." "Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil." "Thou maintainest my lot." Let those who feel compelled to do wrong in order to keep their business or position, dare to stand with God against the temptation. He will honor those who honor Him, 2 Samuel 2:30.
1 Kings 11:1-43 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 11

1  Solomon's wives and concubines
4  In his old age they draw him to idolatry
9  God threatens him,
14  Solomon's adversaries were Hadad, who was entertained in Egypt
23  Rezon, who reigned in Damascus
26  And Jeroboam, to whom Ahijah prophesied
41  Solomon's acts, reign, and death Rehoboam succeeds him

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 11:40 mean?

Therefore sought Solomon to kill - Jeroboam But arose Jeroboam and fled to Egypt to Shishak king of Egypt and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon
וַיְבַקֵּ֥שׁ שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה לְהָמִ֣ית אֶת־ יָרָבְעָ֑ם וַיָּ֣קָם יָרָבְעָ֗ם וַיִּבְרַ֤ח מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ אֶל־ שִׁישַׁ֣ק מֶֽלֶךְ־ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיְהִ֥י בְמִצְרַ֖יִם עַד־ מ֥וֹת שְׁלֹמֹֽה

וַיְבַקֵּ֥שׁ  Therefore  sought 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
שְׁלֹמֹ֖ה  Solomon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁלֹמֹה  
Sense: son of David by Bathsheba and 3rd king of Israel; author of Proverbs and Song of Songs.
לְהָמִ֣ית  to  kill 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יָרָבְעָ֑ם  Jeroboam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָרָבְעָם  
Sense: the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel when the kingdom split at the death of Solomon and the 0 tribes split off from Judah and Benjamin and the kingdom under Solomon’s son Rehoboam; idolatry was introduced at the beginning of his reign.
וַיָּ֣קָם  But  arose 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
יָרָבְעָ֗ם  Jeroboam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָרָבְעָם  
Sense: the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel when the kingdom split at the death of Solomon and the 0 tribes split off from Judah and Benjamin and the kingdom under Solomon’s son Rehoboam; idolatry was introduced at the beginning of his reign.
וַיִּבְרַ֤ח  and  fled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַח 
Sense: to go through, flee, run away, chase, drive away, put to flight, reach, shoot (extend), hurry away.
מִצְרַ֙יִם֙  to  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
שִׁישַׁ֣ק  Shishak 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שׁוּשַׁק 
Sense: king of Egypt, Sheshonk I, st king of the Bubastite 22nd dynasty; ruled in Egypt during the reigns of Solomon and Rehoboam and attacked the southern kingdom under Rehoboam and apparently made it tributary.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
מִצְרַ֔יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
וַיְהִ֥י  and  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בְמִצְרַ֖יִם  in  Egypt 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
עַד־  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
מ֥וֹת  the  death 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מָוֶת  
Sense: death, dying, Death (personified), realm of the dead.
שְׁלֹמֹֽה  of  Solomon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁלֹמֹה  
Sense: son of David by Bathsheba and 3rd king of Israel; author of Proverbs and Song of Songs.