Bible Strands
1 Kings 11:7
At that time on a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrative records Solomon’s actions during his reign, detailing his construction of a sanctuary on a hill east of Jerusalem. This event follows the explicit statement that Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD and failed to follow Him completely like David.
The words — The text employs בָּמָה (ba.Mah) to identify a "high place" of worship and שִׁקּוּץ (shi.Kutz) to classify the associated deities as a "detestable thing." These terms ground the account in a specific location and a clear theological judgment.
The thread — Chemosh is identified as the god of Moab in Numbers 21:29 and Judges 11:24, while Molech appears in Acts 7:43 as an idol of foreign worship. The passage directly links to 1 Kings 11:6 and 1 Kings 11:8, which frame Solomon’s actions as a departure from David’s devotion and note the extension of this practice to his foreign wives.
Why it lands — The verse states that Solomon physically built altars to Chemosh and Molech on a specific hill east of Jerusalem. It demands the reader confront the documented reality of royal apostasy and the precise geographical and theological lines being crossed.
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
Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
Cross-references
- Numbers 21:29 Woe to you, O Moab! You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh! He gave up his sons as refugees, and his daughters into captivity to Sihon king of the Amorites.
- Judges 11:24 Do you not possess whatever your god Chemosh grants you? So also, we possess whatever the LORD our God has granted us.
- Acts 7:43 You have taken along the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
- Genesis 33:2 He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear.
- Leviticus 20:2 “Tell the Israelites, ‘Any Israelite or foreigner living in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death. The people of the land are to stone him.
- Leviticus 26:30 I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your lifeless bodies on the lifeless remains of your idols; and My soul will despise you.
- Numbers 33:52 you must drive out before you all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places.
- Deuteronomy 13:14 then you must inquire, investigate, and interrogate thoroughly. And if it is established with certainty that this abomination has been committed among you,
- Deuteronomy 17:3 and going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden—
- Deuteronomy 27:15 ‘Cursed is the man who makes a carved idol or molten image—an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of a craftsman—and sets it up in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’