The Meaning of 1 Kings 11:3 Explained

1 Kings 11:3

KJV: And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

YLT: And he hath women, princesses, seven hundred, and concubines three hundred; and his wives turn aside his heart.

Darby: And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.

ASV: And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he had seven  hundred  wives,  princesses,  and three  hundred  concubines:  and his wives  turned away  his heart. 

What does 1 Kings 11:3 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 11:1-13 - A Heart Turned Away From God
The practice of mixed marriages was in direct violation of the divine Law, Deuteronomy 7:3-4, and it led to idolatry. All around the Holy City arose heathen temples. It seems almost incredible that Solomon should have lent himself to such unblushing patronage of idolatry. His sin was aggravated by the great privileges he had enjoyed, 1 Kings 11:9, and there was no escape from chastisement, 2 Samuel 7:14. The more privileged we are, the more disastrous our fall, and the more inevitable the penalty. If God loved us less, He might be more sparing of the rod. We are often punished with the rod of men, that is, we suffer at their hands; but God does not cease to love us. The father will listen at the door of the room of the child whom he has been compelled to chastise to detect the first sign of broken-hearted grief.
It is sad to witness the break-up of a noble ship. Listen to the boom of the successive waves: "His heart was not perfect""¦ "Did that which was evil""¦ "The Lord was angry""¦ "Behold, I will rend the kingdom." But out of loving regard to David's memory, one tribe was left. See 1 Kings 11:12; 1 Kings 11:32; 1 Kings 11:34; 1 Kings 11:38-39. Your children's children will benefit as the result of your consecrated life. God will not forget.
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 11:3 mean?

And he had to wives princesses seven hundred and concubines three hundred and turned away his wives - his heart
וַיְהִי־ ל֣וֹ נָשִׁ֗ים שָׂרוֹת֙ שְׁבַ֣ע מֵא֔וֹת וּפִֽלַגְשִׁ֖ים שְׁלֹ֣שׁ מֵא֑וֹת וַיַּטּ֥וּ נָשָׁ֖יו אֶת־ לִבּֽוֹ

וַיְהִי־  And  he  had 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
נָשִׁ֗ים  wives 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
שָׂרוֹת֙  princesses 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: שָׂרָה  
Sense: princess, noblewoman, noble lady.
שְׁבַ֣ע  seven 
Parse: Number, feminine singular construct
Root: שֶׁבַע  
Sense: seven (cardinal number).
מֵא֔וֹת  hundred 
Parse: Number, feminine plural
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
וּפִֽלַגְשִׁ֖ים  and  concubines 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural
Root: פִּלֶגֶשׁ  
Sense: concubine, paramour.
שְׁלֹ֣שׁ  three 
Parse: Number, feminine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
מֵא֑וֹת  hundred 
Parse: Number, feminine plural
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
וַיַּטּ֥וּ  and  turned  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָטָה 
Sense: to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, pervert, incline, bend, bow.
נָשָׁ֖יו  his  wives 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
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.
לִבּֽוֹ  his  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.