Bible Strands
1 Kings 11:6
So Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD; unlike his father David, he did not follow the LORD completely.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The historical narrator records Solomon’s covenant breach during his reign, bracketing his personal idolatry in 1 Kings 11:5 with his construction of foreign altars in 1 Kings 11:7.
The words — The phrase מִלֵּ֛א אַחֲרֵ֥י (mi.Le' 'a.cha.Rei) literally renders "he filled after," functioning as a Hebrew idiom for complete or wholehearted pursuit.
The thread — This idiom of total devotion appears in the wilderness and conquest narratives to describe Caleb’s loyalty in Numbers 14:24 and Joshua 14:14, while Joshua 14:8 uses parallel language to mark unwavering pursuit during the land entry.
Why it lands — The verse establishes that political power and dynastic inheritance do not neutralize the requirement for exclusive covenant obedience, and that divided allegiance constitutes active rebellion.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.
Cross-references
- Numbers 14:24 But because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he has entered, and his descendants will inherit it.
- Joshua 14:8 Although my brothers who went with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear, I remained loyal to the LORD my God.
- Joshua 14:14 Therefore Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite as an inheritance to this day, because he wholly followed the LORD, the God of Israel.