The LORD Raises Up Adversaries for Solomon – (1 Kings 11)

The downfall of Solomon as attributed by the authors of the Book of Kings seemed to be his love for foreign women. In order to maintain strategic ties with the neighbouring countries and to have control of the crucial trade routes, Solomon intermarried with the daughters of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites all the tribes they were told to stay away from by God. This after he had already entered into relations with the king of Egypt by marrying his daughter. A country that enslaved his people and from whom the LORD freed his people in the most wondrous of ways. He had found a way to bring Israel back to the days of Egyptian influence.

However, Solomon’s biggest flaw was his reluctance to walk on the path of God. The wisest man on earth kept on wavering from the path of God and chose the pagan rituals around him over the One who had given him everything he ever wanted and more. Solomon was a peacetime king yet the lack of wars only seemed to turn his heart further away from God. Also, unlike his father, Solomon had only conversed with God twice and did not share the same connection with the LORD as David. When he does not see any immediate repercussions of his betrayal of the ways of the LORD, he continues to fall down the rabbit hole that was the traditions of the pagan world around him.

So the LORD said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

1 Kings 11:11-13 (NIV)

Solomon’s Adversaries

Solomon, who savoured an era of unparalleled stability and tranquillity throughout his lengthy reign over Israel, was on the brink of encountering an unprecedented challenge – the emergence of formidable adversaries. From his deathbed, Solomon’s father, David, imparted upon him the crucial task of safeguarding their kingdom by eliminating any potential threats. Throughout his reign, Solomon upheld a legacy of peace, dedicating his efforts to the construction of awe-inspiring structures and carefully crafting harmonious relationships with his neighbouring realms. However, now the LORD was raising up formidable adversaries who posed a great threat to his reign over Israel.

Then the LORD raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom. In a previous battle between David and Edom, Joab, the commander of the army, had led the troops and defeated all the men of Edom. Joab, along with all the Israelites, remained there for six months until they had completely vanquished the men of Edom. However, Hadad, who was still a young boy, managed to escape to Egypt with some Edomite officials who had served his father.

While he was in Egypt, Hadad heard that David rested with his ancestors and that Joab the commander of the army was also dead. Then Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me go, that I may return to my own country.”

1 Kings 11:21 (NIV)

When Hadad received news of David’s death, he was willing to leave behind his comfortable life in Egypt, where he had a family and held a royal position. The deep wounds inflicted upon him by David and his men had left such a lasting impact that his thirst for revenge surpassed his desire for a comfortable existence in Egypt.

And so it came to pass that a new adversary rose up against Solomon, for the Lord had ordained it. This adversary, named Rezon son of Eliada, had escaped from his master, the mighty King Hadadezer of Zobah. As David triumphed over the armies of Zobah, Rezon seized the opportunity and gathered a loyal following, becoming their leader. Together, they ventured to the city of Damascus, where they established their dominion and took control.

Rezon was Israel’s adversary as long as Solomon lived, adding to the trouble caused by Hadad. So Rezon ruled in Aram and was hostile toward Israel.
Jeroboam Rebels Against Solomon

1 Kings 11:25 (NIV)

So, out of the blue, Solomon found himself facing two formidable adversaries, each approaching from opposite directions. Hadad posed a serious threat to the southern region of Solomon’s kingdom, while Rezon posed a significant danger to the northern tribes of Israel. The situation called for Solomon to exercise great caution and strategize accordingly to protect his kingdom from the brewing storm.

If the external adversaries weren’t enough, God brought forth an internal threat to Solomon’s throne. One of Solomon’s own officials rebelled against him and would eventually cause Israel to be divided into two kingdoms. Jeroboam was a man of standing, the son Nebat an Epraimite from Zeredah. He was placed in charge of the whole labor force of the tribes of Joseph by Solomon.

One day when Jeroboam was traveling from Jerusalem, he was met by Ahijah the prophet of Shiloh. Ahijah told him how God was planning to tear away the kingdoms from Solomon’s hand and give them to Jeroboam. The details of how Jeroboam used this information are not told to the readers, but it is possible that he used it as leverage to start a revolt and usurp Solomon and his sons from the throne of Israel.

Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled to Egypt, to Shishak the king, and stayed there until Solomon’s death.

1 Kings 11:40 (NIV)

Solomon would have heard about the prophecy from the prophet of Shiloh, Ahijah, about how he was going to rip apart his kingdom and hand it over to Jeroboam. So Solomon spent the tail end of his years not in peace but in constant turmoil, trying to extinguish fires started by threats both internal and external. Like Saul, who spent his final years chasing after David in hopes of securing his throne for his sons, Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam to safeguard the throne for his family.

Our Adversaries

Just like God raised up adversaries for Solomon, He sends foes our way. We often misunderstand His intention and think that God is sending antagonists in our lives because He wants to punish us for not being loyal to Him. However, the sad truth is that we do not seek Him unless we have people chasing after us to bring us physical or emotional harm. More than obeying God’s word, it is our enemies who bring us closer to Him.

Rather than spending time sitting at God’s feet and learning from Him, it is the problems and difficulties in our lives that teach us our life lessons. We realise that we are nothing without our Maker and are dependant on Him for everything. When God sent adversaries during the latter years of Solomon’s reign, instead of correcting his ways, he tried to have his opposers killed. Similarly, when God confronts us about our sinful ways, rather than listening to His voice, we try to put the blame on our circumstances or the people around us.

Solomon died after ruling forty years in Israel but his reign is bookended by the killings he carried out to secure his throne and his hunt for Jeroboam to ensure that his family continued to rule over Israel. Let us not fall into the same trap and listen to the voice of God at the first instance rather than following the ways of the world around us.

Discussion Questions

1. Why is Solomon forsaking everything he has with God by following the practices of the world around him?
2. Why is Solomon trying to kill Jeroboam?
3. Like God raised up adversaries for Solomon does He do the same in our lives and why?