Midrasch zu Könige II 23:13

Further said R. Samuel b. Nachmeini in the name of R. Jonathan: "He who says that Solomon sinned, errs, because it is written (I Kings 11, 4.) And his heart was not undivided with the Lord, his God, like the heart of David, his father. It is true that his heart was not as undivided with God as was his father's, nevertheless he did not sin. But how shall we explain the passage (Ib. 11, 1.) And it came to pass, at the time that Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart? This, R. Nathan explained, for R. Nathan raised the question of contradiction. It is written And it came to pass at the time when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart (to sin). Behold, it is written in the same chapter — His heart was not like that of David, his father, nevertheless, he did not sin. [We must therefore say that] His wives tried to 'turn away' his heart toward idolatry, but he did not practice it. But it is written (Ib. 11, 7.) Then did Solomon build a high-place for Kemosh, the abomination of Mo'ab. This also means that he only wanted to, but did not build. But according to this, does the passage (Josh. 8, 30.) Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord, also mean that he wanted to but did not build? Surely we must say that in this case, it means he did build! Then why not the same in the previous case? But [the incident of Solomon] means, as it stated (in the Baraitha) R. Jossi says: And the high-places that were before Jerusalem, which were to be right of the mount of Mishcha which Solomon, the King of Israel had built for Ashtarta, the abomination of the Zidonians, etc. "Is it possible that neither King Assa nor Jehoshaphat had cleaned them out until Joshiyahu came and cleaned them out? Did not Assa and Jehoshaphat cleanse the land of Israel of all the idols? But [it is intended rather] for the purpose of comparing the former (Solomon) to the latter (Joshiyahu); just as in the case of the latter, it is assigned to him although he did not destroy them [merely for having abolished those that were established after the death of Assa and Jehoshaphat]. The same rule is to be followed in the case of the former (Solomon); although he did not build, but since he did not restrain [when done by his wives], the blame is credited to him." But it is written (I Kings 11, 6.) And Solomon did what is evil in the eyes of the Lord. Because Solomon should have restrained his wives and did not do so, Scripture credits him with having committed the deed himself. R. Juda in the name of Samuel said: "It would have been better for that pious man (Solomon) had he been a slave in an idolatrous temple, only that it might not be written about him. And he did what is evil in the eyes of the Lord." R. Juda said in the name of Samuel: "When Solomon married the daughter of Pharaoh, she brought to him about a thousand different musical instruments. Each of these was used in the worship of the separate idols, which she named unto him, and yet he did not object to it." R. Juda said further in the name of Samuel: "When Solomon married the daughter of Pharaoh Gabriel, went down and stuck a reed into the sea, and it gathered about it a bank on which the great city of Rome was built." In a Baraitha we were taught that on the day, when Jeroboam introduced the two golden calves (as idols), a hut was built (on the site of Rome), and this grew to be Greek Italy.