1 Kings 11:4

“And it came to pass, when Solomon was old, etc.] Toward the latter end of his reign, when he might be near sixty years of age; for Rehoboam his son and successor was forty one when he began to reign, (<111421>1 Kings 14:21) which is observed either as an aggravation of the sin of Solomon, that in his old age, when by long experience he might have been thought to be still wiser, and less lustful: and yet that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; or as pointing at the advantage his wives took of his age: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father; who, though guilty of many sins, never inclined to idolatry; his heart was always right…”

“when Solomon was old--He could not have been more than fifty. his wives turned away his heart after other gods--Some, considering the lapse of Solomon into idolatry as a thing incredible, regard him as merely humoring his wives in the practice of their superstition; and, in countenancing their respective rites by his presence, as giving only an outward homage--a sensible worship, in which neither his understanding nor his heart was engaged. The apology only makes matters worse, as it implies an adding of hypocrisy and contempt of God to an open breach of His law. There seems no possibility of explaining the language of the sacred historian, but as intimating that Solomon became an actual and…”

“Old - About fifty or fifty-five. From his age at his accession (1 Kings 2:2 note) he could not have been more than about sixty at his death. The true nature of Solomon’s idolatry was neither complete apostasy - an apostasy from which there could be no recovery; nor a mere toleration, rather praise-worthy than blameable. Solomon did not ever openly or wholly apostatize. He continued his attendance on the worship of Yahweh, and punctually made his offerings three times a year in the temple 1 Kings 9:25; but his heart was not “perfect” with God. The religious earnestness of his younger days was weakened by wealth, luxury, sensualism, an increasing worldliness leading him to worldly policy and…”

“Was old - As having now reigned nigh thirty years. When it might have been expected that experience would have made him wiser: then God permitted him to fall so shamefully, that he might be to all succeeding generations an example of the folly, and weakness of the wisest and the best men, when left to themselves. Turned his heart - Not that they changed his mind about the true God, and idols, which is not credible; but they obtained from him a publick indulgence for their worship, and possibly persuaded him to join with them in the outward act of idol - worship; or, at least, in their feasts upon their sacrifices, which was a participation of their idolatry. 3 Kings (1 Kings) 11:5”

“11:4-8 instead of being completely faithful: Although David had committed grievous sin, he genuinely repented when rebuked by God’s prophet (2 Sam 11:1–12:23; Ps 51:1-4). However, Solomon failed to heed God’s warnings (1 Kgs 3:14; 6:12-13; 9:4-9) or to learn from Israel’s past; instead, he reproduced their sins.”

“when Solomon: Kg1 11:42, Kg1 6:1, Kg1 9:10, Kg1 14:21 his wives: Kg1 11:2; Deu 7:4, Deu 17:17; Neh 13:26, Neh 13:27 his heart: Kg1 11:6, Kg1 11:38, Kg1 6:12, Kg1 6:13, Kg1 8:61, Kg1 9:4, Kg1 15:3, Kg1 15:14; Kg2 20:3; Ch1 28:9, Ch1 29:19; Ch2 17:3, Ch2 25:2, Ch2 31:20, Ch2 31:21, Ch2 34:2 3 Kings (1 Kings) 11:5”