Nehemiah 13:26
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. 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.
Marrying idolatrous outsiders is sin and a departure from pledged obedience to God's law, bringing friendship and unhallowed alliance with Israel's bitter enemies. In Nehemiah's day this took place when Tobiah the Ammonite gained a foothold in Jerusalem through intermarriage and was given a temple storeroom for tithes and offerings. That room had held God's vessels, the meat offering and the frankincense, which were cast out in contempt of God and profanation of His house. This was done in defiance of the declaration through Moses that Ammonites and Moabites should be forever shut out from the congregation because of their cruelty and treachery toward Israel.
Solomon had no peer among the kings of many nations, was beloved of his God, was made king over all Israel, and was given great wisdom and honor, yet foreign idolatrous women caused him to sin and led him away from God. His fall came by indulging lustful passions and yielding to corrupt desire, showing that even great wisdom, privilege, honor, greatness and divine favor do not protect a person who so yields. Such indulgence corrupts the heart and leads into sin and departure from God. His fall became a corrupting example for Israel that warns its leaders and people against marriage and association with idolaters.
His example warns against compromising principle and integrity through alliances with idolatrous nations and giving temptation and passion any foothold. Such compromise corrupts character and can lead away from hope, happiness and heaven.