1 Kings 11:9-13

1 Kings 11:9-13

[9] And the LORD  was angry  with Solomon,  because his heart  was turned  from the LORD  God  of Israel,  which had appeared  unto him twice,  [10] And had commanded  him concerning this thing,  after  other  gods:  but he kept  not that which the LORD  commanded.  [11] Wherefore the LORD  said  unto Solomon,  Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept  my covenant  and my statutes,  which I have commanded  thee, I will surely  the kingdom  from thee, and will give  it to thy servant.  [12] Notwithstanding in thy days  I will not do  it for David  thy father's  sake: but I will rend  it out of the hand  of thy son.  [13] Howbeit  I will not rend away  all the kingdom;  but will give  one  tribe  to thy son  for David  my servant's  sake, and for Jerusalem's  sake which I have chosen. 

What does 1 Kings 11:9-13 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Solomon"s sin in going after other gods was the quintessence of covenant infidelity. David had sinned against God deliberately on occasion when tempted ( 2 Samuel 11), but his heart remained devoted to Yahweh. His sin was not as serious as Solomon"s was (cf. Deuteronomy 6:5).
"One of the most puzzling aspects of the life of Solomon was the fact that Hebrews , the wisest of all men, could be so foolish, particularly in the last years of his reign. What must be understood is that the very basis, in fact, the essence of biblical wisdom is to fear God ( Proverbs 1:7). It was precisely when Solomon neglected this principle that he began the slippery slope to folly ( 1 Kings 11:9)." [1]
The one tribe Solomon"s heir would retain was Judah. Judah had absorbed the tribe of Simeon almost entirely by this time, though some Israelites from Simeon had moved north ( 2 Chronicles 15:9; 2 Chronicles 34:6).