Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.
Didn't King Solomon of Israel sin because of these same things? Even though there was no king like him among all the nations, a man beloved by his God, whom God made king over all Israel, even Solomon was led into sin by foreign women.
Nehemiah is warning that even the great King Solomon, who was deeply loved by God, fell into sin because of his relationships with foreign women who didn't follow God.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Nehemiah, the prophet is addressing the Jewish people who had returned from exile in Babylon, urging them to separate from foreign influences to maintain their covenant with God. This verse specifically recalls King Solomon's life from earlier in Israel's history, where he was renowned for his wisdom and was greatly favored by God, ruling a prosperous kingdom. However, Solomon's marriages to foreign women led him to adopt their idolatrous practices, serving as a cautionary example for Nehemiah's reforms against intermarriage.
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