Discovery Box1 Kings 11:3 
Context11:3 He had 700 royal wives 1 and 300 concubines; 2 his wives had a powerful influence over him. 3
1 Kings 11:11
Context11:11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you insist on doing these things and have not kept the covenantal rules I gave you, 4 I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.
1 tn Heb “wives, princesses.”
2 sn Concubines were slave women in ancient Near Eastern societies who were the legal property of their master, but who could have legitimate sexual relations with their master. A concubine’s status was more elevated than a mere servant, but she was not free and did not have the legal rights of a free wife. The children of a concubine could, in some instances, become equal heirs with the children of the free wife. The usage in the present passage suggests that after the period of the Judges concubines may have become more of a royal prerogative (cf. also 2 Sam 21:10-14).
3 tn Heb “his wives bent his heart.”
4 tn Heb “Because this is with you, and you have not kept my covenant and my rules which I commanded you.”
