1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

Presents commentary in a tabular format for ease of reading.Click to learn more.

I Kings 11:1

And king Solomon *loved many strange women, besides the daughter of Pharao, and women of Moab, and of Ammon, and of Edom, and of Sidon, and of the Hethites:

Deuteronomy 17:17.; Ecclesiasticus 47:21.

Strange women, who had been brought up in the service of idols, and were not sincerely converted. (Haydock) --- Riches engaged Solomon in the love of pleasure, and this brought on his ruin. (Calmet) --- He began with the spirit, but ended in the flesh, Galatians 3:3., and Ecclesiasticus 47:21. He was aware of the dangerous conversation of women, Ecclesiasticus 19:2. Yet he has left us in his own person an example of that dreadful truth, that it is difficult to love with discretion. (Haydock) --- Amare et sapere vix cuiquam conceditur. Nothing could be more beautiful than the commencement of his reign, nor more terrible than the latter part of it. Thou hast stained thy glory, etc., Ecclesiasticus 47:22. Hence we may apply to him, How are thou fallen from heaven? (Isaias 14:12.) (Calmet) --- Pharao. This marriage seems to be blamed, as the source of Solomon's misfortunes; though it is probable, that she had pretended to embrace his religion. (Menochius) (Salien) --- He ought to have repudiated her as soon as she relapsed. (Tirinus)