Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, isn’t so smart when it comes to his love life. In all, he amasses seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines.
Even worse, many of his wives are foreigners, something God prohibits because he fears they will distract his people from fully worshiping him. Unfortunately, just as God predicted, Solomon’s foreign-born wives lead him astray and cause him to turn from God later in his life.
These women have no say in their marriage to the king or in being used as a means for his sexual gratification. They represent a political alliance or serve as a means for wanton indulgence, not love in a committed relationship.
For some women the same is true today, and we must fight for their rights. Others have a say in who they marry. They should choose wisely.
Are we willing to trust God with our life partner?
[Discover more about Solomon’s many wives in Exodus 34:16, 1 Kings 4:29–31, and 1 Kings 11:1–13.]
Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
