This is an excellent and insightful question that gets to the heart of the complex nature of biblical narratives and theology. The question of Solomon's multiple wives is a key reason why his salvation is so debated.

The Bible is clear that Solomon's multiple wives were not okay in the eyes of God. In fact, they were in direct violation of God's commands and were the primary cause of his downfall.

Here's how this is reconciled with the possibility of his salvation:

1. God's Law vs. Human Practice

From the very beginning, God's ideal for marriage was one man and one woman, as established in Genesis 2:24. While polygamy was practiced by many figures in the Old Testament (Abraham, Jacob, David, etc.), the Bible never presents it as God's ideal or a problem-free practice. Instead, the narratives often highlight the strife, jealousy, and trouble that resulted from these arrangements (e.g., the conflict between Sarah and Hagar, or the rivalry between Jacob's wives, Leah and Rachel).

Specifically for kings, God gave a direct and explicit command in Deuteronomy 17:17: "He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray." Solomon directly and egregiously violated this command, amassing 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3).

2. The Cause of Solomon's Apostasy

The Bible does not simply say that Solomon had many wives. It immediately connects this to his spiritual decline. 1 Kings 11:4-6 states:

> "As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done."

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This passage is a clear condemnation. God was "very angry" with Solomon (1 Kings 11:9) not just for his wives, but because they led him into the sin of idolatry, which was the most serious sin in the Old Testament. The consequence was severe: God promised to tear most of the kingdom away from his son (1 Kings 11:11).

3. The Distinction Between Sin and Unforgivable Sin

The key to understanding the biblical view is to distinguish between committing a sin and living a life of unrepentant rebellion.

* Committing Sin: The Bible teaches that even a righteous person will sin. David, "a man after God's own heart," committed adultery and murder. His actions were not "okay" in God's eyes, but he was forgiven because he deeply repented.

* Repentance: The question of Solomon's salvation hinges on whether he repented. The biblical account in 1 Kings doesn't explicitly state his repentance. However, many scholars interpret the book of Ecclesiastes as Solomon's late-life reflection and a profound act of repentance. In this book, he concludes that all his worldly pursuits—including his vast wealth, power, and women—are "meaningless" or "vanity." He ends the book with the famous conclusion: "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man" (Ecclesiastes 12:13). This is seen by many as his final, humble return to God.

Conclusion

God was not "okay" with Solomon's multiple wives. His polygamy was a direct violation of God's command and the catalyst for his apostasy. However, God's grace and forgiveness are not dependent on perfect obedience. The possibility of Solomon's salvation rests on the idea that despite his terrible sin and rebellion, he ultimately repented and returned to a state of a right relationship with God, as evidenced by his final writings.

In this view, Solomon went to heaven not because his sin was acceptable, but because God's forgiveness is greater than his sin.