But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, [and] Hittites;
Ver. 1. But king Solomon loved many strange women.] Praeceps ruit in libidinem, as if he had been born pro l'amore delle donne, - as Boccace saith of himself, - merely for love of fair ladies, to putrify and perish daily a under a tabes of impure lusts, as Tiberius did at Caprea - though a good prince at first, as was also Alexander the Great, Nero, and some others. This was a bitterness beyond that of death. Ecc 7:26 And surely it had been better for Solomon to have been buried alive, than thus to have miscarried in his old age, to the great dishonour of God, and offence of his people Israel, the beginning of whose sins, causing the destruction of Solomon's temple, and ruin of that commonwealth, is reckoned from the seven and twentieth year of Solomon's reign; about which began this his foul revolt here related, Eze 4:5 as Junius observeth.
Together with the daughter of Pharaoh.] Or, Besides her; by a monstrous kind of polygamy and γυναικομανια, such as hath hardly been heard of in any other. His father, David, cannot be excused for his many wives and concubines, but himself much less; who could not but know that it was a direct violation of the law, Deu 17:17 and that in the kingdom of pleasure, virtue could not consist.
a Quotidie perire me sentio.