1 Kings 11:5

1 Kings 11:5

For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

a. NLT: Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. NIV: He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

c. YLT: And Solomon goeth after Ashtoreth goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites; [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible Classic: For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abominable idol of the Ammonites! [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: and to Astarte the abomination of the Sidonians.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the god of the Sidonians, and after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ltd.]

1. “For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians…”

a. [For] Solomon [Strong: 8010 * Shlomoh shel-o-mo' from 7965; peaceful; Shelomah, David's successor:--Solomon.] [The KJV translates Strong's H8010 in the following manner: Solomon (293x).]

b. went [Strong: 3212 * yalak yaw-lak' a primitive root (Compare 1980); to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses):--X again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, + follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, + pursue, cause to run, spread, take away ((-journey)), vanish, (cause to) walk(-ing), wax, X be weak.] [The KJV translates Strong's H3212 in the following manner: go (628x), walk (122x), come (77x), depart (66x), ...away (20x), follow (20x), get (14x), lead (17x), brought (8x), carry (5x), bring (4x), miscellaneous (62x).]

c. after [Strong: 310 * 'achar akh-ar' from 309; properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses):--after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, + out (over) live, + persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with.] [The KJV translates Strong's H310 in the following manner: after (454x), follow (78x), afterward(s) (46x), behind (44x), miscellaneous (87x).]

d. Ashtoreth [Strong: 6253 ʻAshtôreth, ash-to'reth; probably for H6251; Ashtoreth, the Phoenician goddess of love (and increase):—Ashtoreth.]

1). International Standard Bible Dictionary: 

The name and cult of the goddess were derived from Babylonia, where Ishtar represented the evening and morning stars and was accordingly androgynous in origin. Under Semitic influence, however, she became solely female, but retained a memory of her primitive character by standing, alone among the Assyro-Bab goddesses, on a footing of equality with the male divinities. From Babylonia the worship of the goddess was carried to the Semites of the West, and in most instances the feminine suffix was attached to her name; where this was not the case the deity was regarded as a male. On the Moabite Stone, for example, `Ashtar is identified with Chemosh, and in the inscriptions of southern Arabia `Athtar is a god. On the other hand, in Atar-gatis or Derketo (2 Maccabees 12:26), Atar, without the feminine suffix, is identified with the goddess `Athah or `Athi (Greek Gatis). The cult of the Greek Aphrodite in Cyprus was borrowed from that of Ashtoreth; whether the Greek name also is a modification of Ashtoreth, as has often been maintained, is doubtful. https://biblehub.com/topical/a/ashtoreth.htm 

2). Topical Encyclopedia: Ashtoreth, also known as Astarte, is a prominent figure in the religious practices of the ancient Near East, particularly among the Canaanites and other neighboring cultures. She is often associated with fertility, love, and war, and is considered the chief goddess of the Sidonians. The worship of Ashtoreth is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament as a significant temptation and source of idolatry for the Israelites. https://biblehub.com/topical/a/ashtoreth.htm 

3). Cultural and Religious Context: Ashtoreth was often depicted as a consort of Baal, another major Canaanite deity. Her worship involved various rites and rituals, including temple prostitution and possibly child sacrifice, which were abominations in the eyes of the God of Israel. The allure of Ashtoreth's worship lay in its promises of fertility and prosperity, which were appealing to an agrarian society. The Israelites' repeated lapses into the worship of Ashtoreth and other foreign gods reflect the ongoing struggle between the monotheistic faith of Israel and the polytheistic practices of surrounding nations. The prophets and leaders of Israel consistently condemned the worship of Ashtoreth, emphasizing the need for exclusive devotion to Yahweh. https://biblehub.com/topical/a/ashtoreth.htm 

e. [the] goddess [Strong: 430 * 'elohiym el-o-heem' plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.] [The KJV translates Strong's H430 in the following manner: God (2,346x), god (244x), judge (5x), GOD (1x), goddess (2x), great (2x), mighty (2x), angels (1x), exceeding (1x), God-ward (with H4136) (1x), godly (1x).]

e. [of the] Zidonians [Strong: 6722 * Tsiydoniy tsee-do-nee' patrial from 6721; a Tsidonian or inhabitant of Tsidon:--Sidonian, of Sidon, Zidonian.] [The KJV translates Strong's H6722 in the following manner: Zidonians (10x), Sidonians (5x), them of Zidon (1x).]

2. “…and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.”

a. [and] after [Strong: 310 * 'achar akh-ar' from 309; properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses):--after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, + out (over) live, + persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with.] [The KJV translates Strong's H310 in the following manner: after (454x), follow (78x), afterward(s) (46x), behind (44x), miscellaneous (87x).]

b. Milcom [Strong: 4445 * Malkam mal-kawm' or Milkowm {mil-kome'}; from 4428 for 4432; Malcam or Milcom, the national idol of the Ammonites:--Malcham, Milcom.] [Outline of Biblical Usage:  Milcom = "great king" the god of the Ammonites and Phoenicians to whom some Israelites sacrificed their infants in the valley of Hinnom, also 'Molech'] The KJV translates Strong's H4445 in the following manner: Milcom (3x), Malcham (1x).]

1). Historical and Cultural Context: Milcom, also known as Molech in some biblical texts, was likely a god associated with the Ammonites' royal or national identity. The worship practices of Milcom are not detailed extensively in the Bible, but they are often associated with child sacrifice, a practice condemned by the Israelites. Leviticus 18:21 warns, "You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD." The Ammonites, descendants of Lot through his younger daughter (Genesis 19:38), were often in conflict with Israel. Their worship of Milcom is indicative of the broader Canaanite religious practices that the Israelites were commanded to avoid. The presence of Milcom worship in Israel, particularly during Solomon's reign, represents a significant departure from the covenantal faithfulness expected by God. https://biblehub.com/topical/m/milcom.htm 

c. [the] abomination [Strong: 8251 * shiqquwts shik-koots' or shiqquts {shik-koots'}; from 8262; disgusting, i.e. filthy; especially idolatrous or (concretely) an idol:-- abominable filth (idol, -ation), detestable (thing).] [The KJV translates Strong's H8251 in the following manner: abomination (20x), detestable things (5x), detestable (1x), abominable filth (1x), abominable idols (1x).]

d. of the Ammonites [Strong: 5984 * `Ammowniy am-mo-nee' patronymically from 5983; an Ammonite or (the adjective) Ammonitish:--Ammonite(-s).] [The KJV translates Strong's H5984 in the following manner: Ammonite (17x), Ammon (1x).]

1). There is a school of thought that believes at this time Molech worship in Israel did not involve child sacrifice but only the burning of incense. I personally believe at this time in Israel’s history it did not involve child sacrifice, and in later generations developed into full blown Molech worship. The first king mentioned either of Israel or Judah associated with child sacrifice, is Ahaz, in 2 Kings 16:3, approximately 200 years later, somewhere in his reign, from 735 -715 B.C.

a). 2 Kings 16:1-3 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.

16:2 Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father.

16:3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.

2). If the Israelites had really sacrificed their children to Moloch, i.e. had slain and burned them, before the time of Ahaz, the burning would certainly have been mentioned before; for Solomon had built a high place upon the mountain to the east of Jerusalem for Moloch, the abomination of the children of Ammon, to please his foreign wives. (Keil-Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, vol 1, the Pentateuch (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1980), page 416-417).

3). Solomon’s son Rehoboam who became king after him was the son of Naaman, a woman from Ammon. The Ammonites worshiped Milcom, another name for Molech. To whom Judah eventually sacrificed children.

a). 1 Kings 14:21-24 And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.

14:22 And Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.

14:23 For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.

14:24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.