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Bible Commentaries
Bridgeway Bible Commentary Bridgeway Bible Commentary
David's Old Age; Solomon Anointed King.Chapter 2
David's Final Instructions; Solomon Secures the Throne.Chapter 3
Solomon's Wisdom and the Famous Judgment.Chapter 4
Solomon's Officials and Prosperous Reign.Chapter 5
Preparations for Building the Temple.Chapter 6
Solomon Builds the Temple in Jerusalem.Chapter 7
Solomon's Palace and Temple Furnishings Completed.Chapter 8
Temple Dedication; Solomon's Prayer and Sacrifices.Chapter 9
God's Covenant With Solomon; Achievements Described.Chapter 10
Queen of Sheba Visits; Solomon's Wealth Grows.Chapter 11
Solomon's Idolatry; Adversaries Arise; Death.Chapter 12
Kingdom Divides: Rehoboam in Judah, Jeroboam in Israel.Chapter 13
Man of God Confronts Jeroboam; Disobedience Punished.Chapter 14
Jeroboam's Downfall; Rehoboam's Reign in Judah.Chapter 15
Kings of Judah and Israel; Asa's Reforms.Chapter 16
Baasha's Reign; Ahab Becomes King of Israel.Chapter 17
Elijah Predicts Drought; Miracles of Provision.Chapter 18
Elijah's Victory Over Baal's Prophets at Carmel.Chapter 19
Elijah Flees to Horeb; God Reveals Himself.Chapter 20
Ahab's Victories Over Ben-Hadad; Disobedience Condemned.Chapter 21
Naboth's Vineyard Seized; Elijah Condemns Ahab.Chapter 22
Ahab's Death in Battle; Jehoshaphat's Reign.
- 1 Kings
by Donald C. Fleming
1 Kings
BACKGROUND TO 1 & 2 KINGS
The two books of Kings (originally one book) carry on the history of Israel from the books of Samuel. They cover a period of about four centuries from the closing years of David’s reign to the time the people were taken into captivity in Babylon. They describe the division of the kingdom into two, and the history, decline and fall of the separate kingdoms.
Characteristics of the books
As with the books of Joshua, Judges and Samuel, the two books of Kings have been written as prophetic history. That is, the author’s main concern was not merely to record events, but to show the meaning of those events in the purposes of God. (For further discussion on the features of prophetic history see introductory notes to the book of Joshua.)
Because of this concern to see the meaning to Israel’s history, the writer does not record all the events of any one era. Nor does he always place events in their chronological order. He selects and arranges his material according to its religious, rather than its political, significance. He might mention a politically important king only briefly (e.g. Omri; 1 Kings 16:21-28), but deal with politically unimportant events in some detail (e.g. the ministry of Elijah and Elisha). He deals with the affairs of surrounding kingdoms only as they are of significance in God’s purposes for Israel.
The author of Kings has chosen to remain anonymous. He may have been a prophet, and he probably used the official court records, along with the records of the prophets, in preparing his book (1 Kings 11:41; 1 Kings 15:7,1 Kings 15:23,1 Kings 15:31; cf. 2 Chronicles 9:29; 2 Chronicles 33:19). Lengthy sections of the prophetical books Isaiah and Jeremiah are found also in Kings (e.g. Isaiah 36:1-8; Jeremiah 39:1-10; Jeremiah 52:1-34). The whole work was probably completed after the collapse of the Israelite nation, when the people were in captivity in Babylon.
OUTLINE OF 1 KINGS
1:1-4:34
Solomon establishes his kingdom
5:1-9:25
Solomon’s building program
9:26-11:43
Other features of Solomon’s reign
12:1-16:28
Early days of the divided kingdom
16:29-22:53
Ministry of Elijah
