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Introduction to 1 Kings

                             

Summary of the Book of 1 Kings

This summary of the book of 1 Kings provides information about the title author(s) date of writing chronology theme theology outline a brief overview and the chapters of the Book of 1 Kings.

Title

1 and 2 Kings (like 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Chronicles) are actually one literary work called in Hebrew tradition simply "Kings." The division of this work into two books was introduced by the translators of the Septuagint (the pre-Christian Greek translation of the OT) and subsequently followed in the Latin Vulgate (c. a.d. 400) and most modern versions. In 1448 the division into two sections also appeared in a Hebrew manuscript and was perpetuated in later printed editions of the Hebrew text. Both the Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate further designated Samuel and Kings in a way that emphasized the relationship of these two works (Septuagint: First Second Third and Fourth Book of Kingdoms; Latin Vulgate: First Second Third and Fourth Kings). Together Samuel and Kings relate the whole history of the monarchy from its rise under the ministry of Samuel to its fall at the hands of the Babylonians.

The division between 1 and 2 Kings has been made at a somewhat arbitrary and yet appropriate place shortly after the deaths of Ahab of the northern kingdom (22:37) and Jehoshaphat of the southern kingdom (22:50). Placing the division at this point causes the account of the reign of Ahaziah of Israel to overlap the end of 1 Kings (22:51-53) and the beginning of 2 Kings (ch. 1). The same is true of the narration of the ministry of Elijah which for the most part appears in 1 Kings (chs. 17 - 19). However his final act of judgment and the passing of his cloak to Elisha at the moment of his ascension to heaven in a whirlwind are contained in 2 Kings 1:1 -- 2:17.

Author Sources and Date

There is little conclusive evidence as to the identity of the author of 1 2 Kings. Although Jewish tradition credits Jeremiah few today accept this as likely. Whoever the author was it is clear that he was familiar with the book of Deuteronomy -- as were many of Israel's prophets. It is also clear that he used a variety of sources in compiling his history of the monarchy. Three such sources are named: "the book of the annals of Solomon" (11:41) "the book of the annals of the kings of Israel" (14:19) "the book of the annals of the kings of Judah" (14:29). It is likely that other written sources were also employed (such as those mentioned in Chronicles; see below).

Although some scholars have concluded that the three sources specifically cited in 1 2 Kings are to be viewed as official court annals from the royal archives in Jerusalem and Samaria this is by no means certain. It seems at least questionable whether official court annals would have included details of conspiracies such as those referred to in 16:20; 2Ki 15:15. It is also questionable whether official court annals would have been readily accessible for public scrutiny as the author clearly implies in his references to them. Such considerations have led some scholars to conclude that these sources were probably records of the reigns of the kings of Israel and Judah compiled by the succession of Israel's prophets spanning the kingdom period. 1 2 Chronicles makes reference to a number of such writings: "the records of Samuel the seer the records of Nathan the prophet and the records of Gad the seer" (1Ch 29:29) "the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite" and "the visions of Iddo the seer" (2Ch 9:29) "the records of Shemaiah the prophet" (2Ch 12:15) "the annals of Jehu son of Hanani" (2Ch 20:34) "the annotations on the book of the kings" (2Ch 24:27) the "events of Uzziah's reign . . . recorded by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz" (2Ch 26:22; see also 2Ch 32:32) -- and there may have been others. It is most likely for example that for the ministries of Elijah and Elisha the author depended on a prophetic source (perhaps from the eighth century) that had drawn up an account of those two prophets in which they were already compared with Moses and Joshua.

Some scholars place the date of composition of 1 2 Kings in the time subsequent to Jehoiachin's release from prison (562 b.c.; 2Ki 25:27-30) and prior to the end of the Babylonian exile in 538. This position is challenged by others on the basis of statements in 1 2 Kings that speak of certain things in the preexilic period that are said to have continued in existence "to this day" (see e.g. 8:8 the poles used to carry the ark; 9:20-21 conscripted labor; 12:19 Israel in rebellion against the house of David; 2Ki 8:22 Edom in rebellion against the kingdom of Judah). From such statements it is argued that the writer must have been a person living in Judah in the preexilic period rather than in Babylon in postexilic times. If this argument is accepted one must conclude that the original book was composed about the time of the death of Josiah and that the material pertaining to the time subsequent to his reign was added during the exile c. 550. While this "two-edition" viewpoint is possible it rests largely on the "to this day" statements.

An alternative is to understand these statements as those of the original source used by the author rather than statements of the author himself. A comparison of 2Ch 5:9 with 1Ki 8:8 suggests that this is a legitimate conclusion. Chronicles is clearly a postexilic writing yet the wording of the statement concerning the poles used to carry the ark ("they are still there today") is the same in Chronicles as it is in Kings. Probably the Chronicler was simply quoting his source namely 1Ki 8:8. There is no reason that the author of 1 2 Kings could not have done the same thing in quoting from his earlier sources. This explanation allows for positing a single author living in exile and using the source materials at his disposal.

Theme: Kingship and Covenant

1 2 Kings contains no explicit statement of purpose or theme. Reflection on its content however reveals that the author has selected and arranged his material in a manner that provides a sequel to the history found in 1 2 Samuel -- a history of kingship regulated by covenant. In general 1 2 Kings describes the history of the kings of Israel and Judah in the light of God's covenants. The guiding thesis of the book is that the welfare of Israel and her kings depended on their submission to and reliance on Israel's covenant God -- their obedience to the Sinaitic covenant regulations and their faithful response to God's prophets.

It is clearly not the author's intention to present a social political and economic history of Israel's monarchy in accordance with the principles of modern historiography. The author repeatedly refers the reader to other sources for more detailed information about the reigns of the various kings (see e.g. 11:41; 14:19 29; 15:7 31; 16:5 14 20 27) and he gives a covenantal rather than a social or political or economic assessment of their reigns. From the standpoint of a political historian Omri would be considered one of the more important rulers in the northern kingdom. He established a powerful dynasty and made Samaria the capital city. According to the Moabite Stone Omri was the ruler who subjugated the Moabites to the northern kingdom. Long after Omri's death Assyrian rulers referred to Jehu as the "son of Omri" (either mistakenly or merely in accordance with their literary conventions when speaking of a later king of a realm). Yet in spite of Omri's political importance his reign is dismissed in six verses (16:23-28) with the statement that he "did evil in the eyes of the Lord and sinned more than all those before him" (16:25). Similarly the reign of Jeroboam II who presided over the northern kingdom during the time of its greatest political and economic power is treated only briefly (2Ki 14:23-29).

Another example of the writer's covenantal rather than merely political or economic interest can be seen in the description of the reign of Josiah of Judah. Nothing is said about the early years of his reign but a detailed description is given of the reformation and renewal of the covenant that he promoted in his 18th year as king (2Ki 22:3 -- 23:28). Nor is anything said of the motives leading Josiah to oppose Pharaoh Neco of Egypt at Megiddo or of the major shift in geopolitical power from Assyria to Babylon that was connected with this incident (see notes on 2Ki 23:29-30).

It becomes apparent then that the kings who receive the most attention in 1 2 Kings are those during whose reigns there was either notable deviation from or affirmation of the covenant (or significant interaction between a king and God's prophet; see below). Ahab son of Omri is an example of the former (16:29 -- 22:39). His reign is given extensive treatment not so much because of its extraordinary political importance but because of the serious threat to covenant fidelity and continuity that arose in the northern kingdom during his reign. Ultimately the pagan influence of Ahab's wife Jezebel through Ahab's daughter Athaliah (whether she was Jezebel's daughter is unknown) nearly led to the extermination of the house of David in Judah (see 2Ki 11:1-3).

Manasseh (2Ki 21:1-18) is an example of a similar sort. Here again it is deviation from the covenant that is emphasized in the account of his reign rather than political features such as involvement in the Assyrian-Egyptian conflict (mentioned in Assyrian records but not in 2 Kings). The extreme apostasy characterizing Manasseh's reign made exile for Judah inevitable (2Ki 21:10-15; 23:26-27).

On the positive side Hezekiah (2Ki 18:1 -- 20:21) and Josiah (2Ki 22:1 -- 23:29) are given extensive treatment because of their involvement in covenant renewal. These are the only two kings given unqualified approval by the writer for their loyalty to the Lord (2Ki 18:3; 22:2). It is noteworthy that all the kings of the northern kingdom are said to have done evil in the eyes of the Lord and walked in the ways of Jeroboam who caused Israel to sin (see e.g. 16:26 31; 22:52; 2Ki 3:3; 10:29). It was Jeroboam who established the golden calf worship at Bethel and Dan shortly after the division of the kingdom (see 12:26-33; 13:1-6).

While the writer depicts Israel's obedience or disobedience to the Sinai covenant as decisive for her historical destiny he also recognizes the far-reaching historical significance of the Davidic covenant which promised that David's dynasty would endure forever. This is particularly noticeable in references to the "lamp" that the Lord had promised David (see 11:36 and note; 15:4; 2Ki 8:19; see also note on 2Sa 21:17). It also appears in more general references to the promise to David (8:20 25) and its consequences for specific historical developments in Judah's later history (11:12-13 32; 2Ki 19:34; 20:6). In addition the writer uses the life and reign of David as a standard by which the lives of later kings are measured (see e.g. 9:4; 11:4 6 33 38; 14:8; 15:3 5 11; 2Ki 16:2; 18:3; 22:2).

Another prominent feature of the narratives of 1 2 Kings is the emphasis on the relationship between prophecy and fulfillment in the historical developments of the monarchy. On at least 11 occasions a prophecy is recorded that is later said to have been fulfilled (see e.g. 2Sa 7:13 and 1Ki 8:20; 1Ki 11:29-39 and 1Ki 12:15; 1Ki 13 and 2Ki 23:16-18). The result of this emphasis is that the history of the kingdom is not presented as a chain of chance occurrences or the mere interplay of human actions but as the unfolding of Israel's historical destiny under the guidance of an omniscient and omnipotent God -- Israel's covenant Lord who rules all history in accordance with his sovereign purposes (see 8:56; 2Ki 10:10).

The author also stresses the importance of the prophets themselves in their role as official emissaries from the court of Israel's covenant Lord the Great King to whom Israel and her king were bound in service through the covenant. The Lord sent a long succession of such prophets to call king and people back to covenant loyalty (2Ki 17:13). For the most part their warnings and exhortations fell on deaf ears. Many of these prophets are mentioned in the narratives of 1 2 Kings (see e.g. Ahijah 11:29-40; 14:5-18; Shemaiah 12:22-24; Micaiah 22:8-28; Jonah 2Ki 14:25; Isaiah 2Ki 19:1-7 20-34; Huldah 2Ki 22:14-20) but particular attention is given to the ministries of Elijah and Elisha (1Ki 17-19; 2Ki 1-13).

Reflection on these features of 1 2 Kings suggests that it was written to explain to a people in exile that the reason for their condition of humiliation was their stubborn persistence in breaking the covenant. In bringing the exile upon his people God after much patience imposed the curses of the covenant which had stood as a warning to them from the beginning (see Lev 26:27-45; Dt 28:64-68). This is made explicit with respect to the captivity of the northern kingdom in 2Ki 17:7-23; 18:9-12 and with respect to the southern kingdom in 2Ki 21:12-15. The reformation under Josiah in the southern kingdom is viewed as too little too late (see 2Ki 23:26-27; 24:3).

The book then provides a retrospective analysis of Israel's history. It explains the reasons both for the destruction of Samaria and Jerusalem and their respective kingdoms and for the bitter experience of being forced into exile. This does not mean however that there is no hope for the future. The writer consistently keeps the promise to David in view as a basis on which Israel in exile may look to the future with hope rather than with despair. In this connection the final four verses of the book reporting Jehoiachin's release from prison in Babylon and his elevation to a place of honor in the court there (2Ki 25:27-30) take on added significance. The future remains open for a new work of the Lord in faithfulness to his promise to the house of David.

It is important to note that although the author was undoubtedly a Judahite exile and although the northern kingdom had been dispersed for well over a century and a half at the time of his writing the scope of his concern was all Israel -- the whole covenant people. Neither he nor the prophets (see Isa 10:20-21; 11:11-13; Jer 31; Eze 48:1-29; Hos 11:8-11; Am 9:11-15; Zec 9:10-13) viewed the division of the Israelite kingdom as a divine rejection of the ten tribes nor did they see the earlier exile of the northern kingdom as a final exclusion of the northern tribes from Israel's future. As a matter of fact many from the north had fled south during the Assyrian invasions so that a significant remnant of the northern tribes lived on in the kingdom of Judah and shared in its continuing history.

Chronology

1 2 Kings presents the reader with abundant chronological data. Not only is the length of the reign of each king given but during the period of the divided kingdom the beginning of the reign of each king is synchronized with the regnal year of the ruling king in the opposite kingdom. Often additional data such as the age of the ruler at the time of his accession are also provided.

By integrating Biblical data with those derived from Assyrian chronological records the year 853 b.c. can be fixed as the year of Ahab's death and 841 as the year Jehu began to reign. The years in which Ahab and Jehu had contacts with Shalmaneser III of Assyria can also be given definite dates (by means of astronomical calculations based on an Assyrian reference to a solar eclipse). With these fixed points it is then possible to work both forward and backward in the lines of the kings of Israel and Judah to give dates for each king. By the same means it can be determined that the division of the kingdom occurred in 930 that Samaria fell to the Assyrians in 722-721 and that Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians in 586.

The synchronistic data correlating the reigns of the kings of Israel and Judah present some knotty problems which have long been considered nearly insoluble. In more recent times most of these problems have been resolved in a satisfactory way through recognizing such possibilities as overlapping reigns coregencies of sons with their fathers differences in the time of the year in which the reign of a king officially began and differences in the way a king's first year was reckoned (e.g. see notes on 15:33; 2Ki 8:25; see also chart pp. 670-671.

Content

1 2 Kings narrates the history of Israel during the period of the monarchy from the closing days of David's rule until the time of the Babylonian exile. After an extensive account of Solomon's reign the narrative relates the division of the kingdom and then presents an interrelated account of developments within the two kingdoms. In this account special attention is given to the ministries of Elijah and Elisha in the northern kingdom with almost a third of the book (nearly equal to the amount of narrative given to Solomon's reign) devoted to God's efforts through his prophets to turn that kingdom away from its apostasies back to covenant faithfulness (see note on 1Ki 12:25 -- 2Ki 17:41).

Kingship in the northern kingdom was plagued with instability and violence. Twenty rulers represented nine different dynasties during the approximately 210 years from the division of the kingdom in 930 b.c. to the fall of Samaria in 722-721. In the southern kingdom there were also 20 rulers but these were all descendants of David (except Athaliah whose usurping of the throne interrupted the sequence for a few years) and spanned a period of about 345 years from the division of the kingdom until the fall of Jerusalem in 586.

Outline

1 2 Kings can be broadly outlined by relating its contents to the major historical periods it describes and to the ministries of Elijah and Elisha.

I.           The Solomonic Era (1:1;12:24)

A.   Solomon's Succession to the Throne (1:1;2:12)

F.    Solomon's Reign Characterized (9:10;10:29)

                    II.        Israel and Judah from Jeroboam I/Rehoboam to Ahab/Asa (12:25;16:34)

                   III.        The Ministries of Elijah and Other Prophets from Ahab/Asa to Ahaziah/Jehoshaphat (chs. 17-22)

                  IV.        The Ministries of Elijah and Elisha during the Reigns of Ahaziah and Joram (2ki 1:1;8:15)

V.           Israel and Judah from Joram/Jehoram to the Exile of Israel (8:16;17:41)

VI.           Judah from Hezekiah to the Babylonian Exile (chs. 18-25)

Chronology of Foreign Kings

This is a chronology of selected foreign kings mentioned in this study Bible.

ASSYRIA

Tilgath-Pileser III
Shalmaneser V
Sargon II
Sennacherib
Esarhaddon
Ashurbanipal

745-727 *
727-722
721-705
705-681
681-669
669-627


BABYLONIA

Nebuchadnezzar II
Nabonidus
Belshazzar

605-562
556-539
Coregency with Nabonidus 553(?)-539


PERSIA

Cyrus the Great
Cambyses
Darius I the Great
Xerxes (Ahasuerus)
Artaxerxes I
Darius II

559-530
530-522
522-486
486-465
465-424
423-404

* All dates are b.c. and are those of the kings' reigns.

¢w¢w¡mNew International Version¡n

 

Introduction to 1 Kings

The history now before us accounts for the affairs of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel yet with special regard to the kingdom of God among them; for it is a sacred history. It is earlier as to time teaches much more and is more interesting than any common histories.

¢w¢w Matthew Henry¡mConcise Commentary on 1 Kings¡n

 

00 Overview

 

1 KINGS

INTRODUCTION

The Book of Kings and the Pentateuch

It can hardly fail to strike the reader how in almost every chapter of 1 Kings the thread and tissue of the narrative is interwoven with the thoughts and phraseology of the Books of Moses. Such a chapter as that which contains Solomon¡¦s dedication prayer is largely expressed in the words of Numbers Leviticus and Deuteronomy. That chapter might had it stood alone have been ascribed to some later writer familiar with the language of the Mosaic writings and if those books or large portions of them were of late composition the dedicatory prayer might also be set down as of a late date. But it is not one single chapter which re-echoes the Mosaic diction resemblances of a like kind exist throughout in considerable abundance. And we cannot think that the compiler of Kings taking in hand documents which existed long before his day some as far back as the time of Solomon himself changed their whole character by introducing language which according to some was not existent before the days of King Josiah. We cannot read the long address of David to Solomon (1 Kings 2:2-3) or Solomon¡¦s injunction concerning Joab¡¦s death ¡§that it should take away the innocent blood¡¨ (1 Kings 2:31) or the same king¡¦s description of his people (1 Kings 3:8) without feeling that the thoughts and language of Numbers Leviticus and Deuteronomy were very familiar to writers of these chapters chapters which are due in all probability in their substance not to the compiler of the Book of Kings but to Nathan the seer Ahijah the Shilonite and Iddo the seer quoted (2 Chronicles 9:29) as the several authorities for the records of Solomon¡¦s reign Again in such a history as that of the trial and execution of Naboth the whole narrative carries us back to the laws manners and customs which have their rise in the Books of Moses. So too do the frequent phrases which occur of such a kind as that ¡§the eyes and heart of God shall be perpetually upon His house ¡¨ that offending Israel shall be ¡§a proverb and a byword¡¨ among all people and the proverbial phrase occurring more than once him that is shut up and left in Israel.¡¨ The list of such expressions can be largely increased . . . The evidence drawn from such abundant resemblance points to a much earlier date for the books of the law than the reign of Josiah to which time their composition has been in part assigned; and makes it difficult to ascribe the largely prevailing similarity of language to any other cause than that the prophetic writers not only in the days of Jeremiah but in the days of Nathan Ahijah and Iddo were very familiar with the phraseology of the Pentateuch. (J. R. Lumby D. D.)

Relation of Kings to Chronicles

As regards the relation of the Books of Kings to those of Chronicles it is manifest and is universally admitted that the former is by far the older work. The language which is quite free from the Persicisms of the Chronicles and their late orthography and is not at all more Aramaic than the language of Jeremiah clearly points out its relative superiority in regard to age. Its subject also embracing the kingdom of Israel as well as Judah is another indication of its composition before the kingdom of Israel was forgotten and before the Jewish enmity to Samaria which is apparent in such passages as 2 Chronicles 20:37; 2 Chronicles 20:25. and in those chapters of Ezra (1-6) which belong to Chronicles was brought to maturity. While the Books of Chronicles therefore were written especially for the Jews after their return from Babylon the Book of Kings was written for the whole of Israel before their common national existence was hopelessly quenched. Another comparison of considerable interest between the two histories may be drawn in respect to the main design that design being: marked relation both to the individual station of the supposed writers and the peculiar circumstances of their country at the time of their writing. Jeremiah was himself a prophet. He lived while the prophetic office was in full vigour in his own person in Ezekiel and Daniel and many others both true and false. In his eyes as in truth the main cause of the fearful calamities of his countrymen was their rejection and contempt of the Word of God in his mouth and that of the other prophets; and their one hope of deliverance lay in their hearkening to the prophets who still continued to speak to them in the name of the Lord. Accordingly we find in the Books of Kings great prominence given to the prophetic office. Not only are some fourteen chapters devoted more or less to the history of Elijah and Elisha the former of whom is but once named and the latter not once in Chronicles but besides the many passages in which the names and sayings of prophets are recorded alike in both histories the following may be cited as instances in which the compiler of Kings has notices of the prophets which are peculiar to himself 1 Kings 13:1-34; 1 Kings 14:1-31; 1 Kings 16:1-34.: and the reference to the fulfilment of the word of God in the termination of Jehu¡¦s dynasty in 2 Kings 15:12; the reflexions in 2 Kings 17:7-23; and above all as relating entirely to Judah the narrative of Hezekiah¡¦s sickness and recovery in 2 Kings 20:1-21. as contrasted with that in 2 Chronicles 32:1-33. may be cited as instances of that prominence given to prophecy and prophets by the compiler of the Book of Kings. Ezra on the contrary was only a priest. In his days the prophetic office had wholly fallen into abeyance. That evidence of the Jews being the people of God which consisted in the presence of prophets among them was no more. But to men of his generation the distinctive mark of the continuance of God¡¦s favour to their race was the rebuilding of the Temple at Jerusalem the restoration of the daily sacrifice and the Levitical worship and the wonderful and providential renewal of the Mosaic institutions. Hence we see at once that the chief care of a good and enlightened Jew of the age of Ezra and all the more if he were himself a priest would naturally be to enhance the value of the Levitical ritual and the dignity of the Levitical caste. And in compiling a history of the past glories of his race he would as naturally select such passages as especially bore upon the sanctity of the priestly office. Hence the Levitical character of the Books of Chronicles. Compare 2 Chronicles 29:1-36; 2 Chronicles 30:1-27; 2 Chronicles 31:1-21. with 2 Kings 18:1-37 also 2 Chronicles 26:16-21 with 2 Kings 15:5 also 2 Chronicles 11:13-17; 2 Chronicles 13:9-20; 2 Chronicles 15:1-15; 2 Chronicles 23:2-8 with 2 Kings 11:5-9. (W. Smith D. D.)

Sources of information used by the compiler

As regards the sources of information it may truly he said that we have the narrative of contemporary writers throughout. There was a regular series of state annals both for the kingdom of Judah and for that of Israel which embraced the whole time comprehended in the Books of Kings or at least to the end of the reign of Jehoiakim 2 Kings 24:5. These annals cited by name as ¡§the Book of the Acts of Solomon ¡¨ 1 Kings 11:41; and after Solomon ¡§the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah or Israel ¡¨ e.g. 1 Kings 14:29; 1 Kings 15:7; 1 Kings 16:5; 1 Kings 16:14; 1 Kings 16:20; 2 Kings 10:34; 2 Kings 24:5 and it is manifest that the author of Kings had them both before him while he drew up his history in which the reigns of the two kingdoms are harmonised and these annals constantly appealed to. But in addition to these national annals there were also extant at the time that the Books of the Kings were compiled separate works of the several prophets who had lived in Judah and Israel and which probably bore the same relation to the annals which the historical parts of Isaiah and Jeremiah bear to those portions of the annals preserved in the Books of Kings i.e. were in some instances at least fuller and more copious accounts of the current events by the same hands which drew up the more concise narrative of the annals though in others perhaps mere duplicates. Thus the acts of Uzziah written by Isaiah were very likely identical with the history of his reign in the national chronicles and part of the history of Hezekiah we know was identical in the Chronicles and in the prophet. The chapter in Jeremiah 52:1-34. is identical with that in 2 Kings 24:1-20; 2 Kings 25:1-30. These works or at least many of them must have been extant at the time when the Books of Kings were compiled as they certainly were much later when the Books of Chronicles were put together by Ezra. But whether the author used them all or only those duplicate portions of them which were embodied in the national chronicles it is impossible to say seeing he quotes none of them by name except the acts of Solomon and the prophecy of Jonah. On the other hand we cannot infer from his silence that these books were unused by him seeing that neither does he quote by name the vision of Isaiah as the ChrOnicler does though he must from its recent date have been familiar with it and that as many parts of his narrative have every appearance of being extracted from these books of the prophets and contain narratives which it is not likely would have found a place in the chronicles of the kings (see lKi 14:4 16:1; 2 Kings 17:1-41. etc. (W. Smith D. D.)

The contents of the Books of Kings

Considering the conciseness of the narrative and the simplicity of the style the amount of knowledge which these books convey of the characters conduct and manners of kings and people during so long a period is truly wonderful. The insight they give us into the aspect of Judah and Jerusalem both natural and artificial into the religious military and civil institutions of the people their arts and manufactures the state of education and learning their resources commerce exploits alliances the causes of their decadence and finally of their ruin is most clear interesting and instructive. In a few brief sentences we acquire more accurate knowledge of the affairs of Egypt Tyre Syria Assyria Babylon and other neighbouring nations than had been preserved to us in all the other remains of antiquity up to the recent discoveries in hieroglyphical and cuneiform monuments. If we seek in them a system of scientific chronology we may indeed be disappointed But it is for their deep religious teaching and for the insight which they give us into God¡¦s providential and moral government of the world that they are above all valuable. The books which describe the wisdom and the glory of Solomon and yet record his fall; which make us acquainted with the painful ministry of Elijah and his translation into heaven; and which tells us how the most magnificent temple ever built for God¡¦s glory and of which He vouchsafed to take possession was consigned to the flames for the sins of those who worshipped in it read us such lessons concerning both God and man as are the best evidence of their Divine origin and make them the richest treasure to every Christian man. (Wm. Smith D. D.)

Division of the history into periods

The space of time thus covered is about 410 years and it divides itself naturally into three periods--the time of the undivided monarchy under Solomon the time of the divided kingdom till the fall of Samaria and the time of the surviving kingdom of Judah till the Captivity by Nebuchadnezzar. First Period: Solomon¡¦s Reign. This period is treated at greater length than any subsequent reign its record occupying eleven chapters. Two of these however relate to the circumstances that led to Solomon¡¦s accession to the throne while his father David was alive and the greater part of the remaining chapters is taken up with the account of the building of the Temple and of the royal palace. In this section of the book there is little evidence of a literary plan but we are made distinctly aware of the intention of the book and the point of view of the writer. That so much space is devoted to the description of the Temple as compared with the few particulars relating to the king¡¦s palace is not merely owing to the author¡¦s better acquaintance with the courts and furniture of the sacred house than with the interior of the royal residence but to the fact that he regarded the erection of the Temple as of prime importance for the history which he is writing. And that this is meant to be a sacred and not merely a secular history is further evinced by the fact that along with the glowing accounts of the greatness and fame of Solomon there are significant hints of the dangers underlying all the magnificence and the fatal tendency of the introduction of foreign habits with insistence on the fact that national prosperity was conditional on fidelity to the national religion. The section closes with a plain intimation that the seeds of evil sown in Solomon¡¦s reign were already germinating and an enumeration of the ¡§adversaries¡¨ who were already raised up to destroy the fair fabric of the empire of all Israel Second Period: The Two Kingdoms. This period of somewhat more than two centuries from the disruption of the kingdom after the death of Solomon about b.c. 933 to the fall of Samaria in b.c. 722 is the subject of the greater part of the book the narrative extending from the beginning of 1 Kings 12:1-33. to the end of 2 Kings 17:1-41. Here the treatment of the materials is more systematic and a literary plan simple though somewhat artificial is followed. It is to be observed that the writer strives to maintain a synchronism in the history; for when he returns alternately to a new reign in the Northern or Southern Kingdom he mentions that it was in such and such a year of the reign of a king in the sister state that so and so began to reign in the other. In the laying out of the particulars of the successive reigns there is to be observed a recurrence of set phrases which give a certain monotony to the narrative but indicate the point of view from which the history is regarded. Notwithstanding the rigidity of framework and the stereotyped diction this part of the book is far from being a mere state chronicle of political events. As in the former section so in this the writer regards the whole as a sacred history. Third Period: The Surviving Kingdom of Judah. In this style and in this vein the writer brings the history down to the time when the Northern Kingdom was brought to an end by the capture of Samaria in b.c. 722 devoting a whole chapter to the causes which led to the catastrophe and the subsequent fate of that part of the country. The remainder of the book is devoted to the history of the surviving kingdom of Judah the latest point to which the narrative is brought down being the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin viz. b.c. 562. This section accordingly embraces a period of sixty years and extends to eight chapters. (The Temple Bible.)

Date of the Book of Kings

To the date of the compilation of the Book of we are guided by the latest events that are mentioned in it. The last chapter (2 Kings 25:1-30.) concludes with the thirty-seventh year of Jehoiachin¡¦s captivity when Evil-Merodack released him from prison. This happened b.c. 561. But this last chapter and a few verses 18-20 of chap. 24. are identical with chap. 52. of the prophecy of Jeremiah. There however the closing words of chap. 51. ¡§Thus far are the words of Jeremiah ¡¨ plainly show that what follows was added by one who thought it no integral part of the prophecy but added it to complete the historical notices found in other parts of that book and added it most likely from this Book of Kings. We may therefore conclude that this book was compiled b.c. 561. But the compiler has no word even of hope to record concerning the final deliverance of the nation from captivity. That deliverance commenced with the decree of Cyrus b.c. 536 though the final migrations did not take place till the days of Nehemiah nearly a century later b.c. 445. Had he known of any movement in the direction of a return the writer would surely have made mention of it. He is cheered apparently at the close of his work by the clemency shown to Jehoiachin. He would hardly have passed over any agitation for the national redemption without a word of notice. The book was therefore finished before b.c. 536 and its date lies between that year and b.c. 561. (J. R. Lumby D. D.)

The compiler¡¦s purpose and point of view

That the writer had a distinct plan and purpose before him and occupied a distinct point of view we have already seen. And what the plan and point of view were he makes quite evident both in the brief notes introducing or summing up the various reigns and in the longer reviews of periods and the detailed narratives of a prophetical character which are woven into the history. Standing at the close of Israel¡¦s national independence he will describe the whole course of history from the bloom-period of Solomon to the collapse of the State under the pressure of the Babylonian Empire; and having noted the influences human and Divine which had been at work he will exhibit for the instruction of his readers the causes of the varying fortunes of his people. The author himself gives us what we may call his philosophy of the history in his review of the causes that brought about the downfall of the Northern Kingdom (2 Kings 17:7-23). The same fundamental principles are stated in more positive terms elsewhere. Thus at the very opening of the history the keynote of the whole is struck in David¡¦s parting charge to Solomon (1 Kings 2:2-4). So also on the occasion of Solomon¡¦s first vision at Gibeon (1 Kings 3:14) and of his second vision after the completion of the building of Temple and palace (1 Kings 9:1-9) the principle is stated almost in the same terms with the addition in the last passage of the warning. The three great principles therefore on which the author proceeds are: that a special choice had been made of David and his house that whole-hearted devotion to the national God (without swerving into heathen ways) was the condition of national prosperity and that the worship at local shrines the so-called ¡§high places ¡¨ was inconsistent with the pure Mosaic worship. The second may be called the underlying principle of all prophecy; and the third though slow to be recognised as the even the examples of the ¡§good¡¨ kings show comes into prominence in reforms carried out by Hezekiah and finally triumphed for a time at least in the more thorough reform of Josiah¡¦s days. (The Temple Bible.)

 

1 KINGS

INTRODUCTION

The Book of Kings and the Pentateuch

It can hardly fail to strike the reader how in almost every chapter of 1 Kings the thread and tissue of the narrative is interwoven with the thoughts and phraseology of the Books of Moses. Such a chapter as that which contains Solomon¡¦s dedication prayer is largely expressed in the words of Numbers Leviticus and Deuteronomy. That chapter might had it stood alone have been ascribed to some later writer familiar with the language of the Mosaic writings and if those books or large portions of them were of late composition the dedicatory prayer might also be set down as of a late date. But it is not one single chapter which re-echoes the Mosaic diction resemblances of a like kind exist throughout in considerable abundance. And we cannot think that the compiler of Kings taking in hand documents which existed long before his day some as far back as the time of Solomon himself changed their whole character by introducing language which according to some was not existent before the days of King Josiah. We cannot read the long address of David to Solomon (1 Kings 2:2-3) or Solomon¡¦s injunction concerning Joab¡¦s death ¡§that it should take away the innocent blood¡¨ (1 Kings 2:31) or the same king¡¦s description of his people (1 Kings 3:8) without feeling that the thoughts and language of Numbers Leviticus and Deuteronomy were very familiar to writers of these chapters chapters which are due in all probability in their substance not to the compiler of the Book of Kings but to Nathan the seer Ahijah the Shilonite and Iddo the seer quoted (2 Chronicles 9:29) as the several authorities for the records of Solomon¡¦s reign Again in such a history as that of the trial and execution of Naboth the whole narrative carries us back to the laws manners and customs which have their rise in the Books of Moses. So too do the frequent phrases which occur of such a kind as that ¡§the eyes and heart of God shall be perpetually upon His house ¡¨ that offending Israel shall be ¡§a proverb and a byword¡¨ among all people and the proverbial phrase occurring more than once him that is shut up and left in Israel.¡¨ The list of such expressions can be largely increased . . . The evidence drawn from such abundant resemblance points to a much earlier date for the books of the law than the reign of Josiah to which time their composition has been in part assigned; and makes it difficult to ascribe the largely prevailing similarity of language to any other cause than that the prophetic writers not only in the days of Jeremiah but in the days of Nathan Ahijah and Iddo were very familiar with the phraseology of the Pentateuch. (J. R. Lumby D. D.)

Relation of Kings to Chronicles

As regards the relation of the Books of Kings to those of Chronicles it is manifest and is universally admitted that the former is by far the older work. The language which is quite free from the Persicisms of the Chronicles and their late orthography and is not at all more Aramaic than the language of Jeremiah clearly points out its relative superiority in regard to age. Its subject also embracing the kingdom of Israel as well as Judah is another indication of its composition before the kingdom of Israel was forgotten and before the Jewish enmity to Samaria which is apparent in such passages as 2 Chronicles 20:37; 2 Chronicles 20:25. and in those chapters of Ezra (1-6) which belong to Chronicles was brought to maturity. While the Books of Chronicles therefore were written especially for the Jews after their return from Babylon the Book of Kings was written for the whole of Israel before their common national existence was hopelessly quenched. Another comparison of considerable interest between the two histories may be drawn in respect to the main design that design being: marked relation both to the individual station of the supposed writers and the peculiar circumstances of their country at the time of their writing. Jeremiah was himself a prophet. He lived while the prophetic office was in full vigour in his own person in Ezekiel and Daniel and many others both true and false. In his eyes as in truth the main cause of the fearful calamities of his countrymen was their rejection and contempt of the Word of God in his mouth and that of the other prophets; and their one hope of deliverance lay in their hearkening to the prophets who still continued to speak to them in the name of the Lord. Accordingly we find in the Books of Kings great prominence given to the prophetic office. Not only are some fourteen chapters devoted more or less to the history of Elijah and Elisha the former of whom is but once named and the latter not once in Chronicles but besides the many passages in which the names and sayings of prophets are recorded alike in both histories the following may be cited as instances in which the compiler of Kings has notices of the prophets which are peculiar to himself 1 Kings 13:1-34; 1 Kings 14:1-31; 1 Kings 16:1-34.: and the reference to the fulfilment of the word of God in the termination of Jehu¡¦s dynasty in 2 Kings 15:12; the reflexions in 2 Kings 17:7-23; and above all as relating entirely to Judah the narrative of Hezekiah¡¦s sickness and recovery in 2 Kings 20:1-21. as contrasted with that in 2 Chronicles 32:1-33. may be cited as instances of that prominence given to prophecy and prophets by the compiler of the Book of Kings. Ezra on the contrary was only a priest. In his days the prophetic office had wholly fallen into abeyance. That evidence of the Jews being the people of God which consisted in the presence of prophets among them was no more. But to men of his generation the distinctive mark of the continuance of God¡¦s favour to their race was the rebuilding of the Temple at Jerusalem the restoration of the daily sacrifice and the Levitical worship and the wonderful and providential renewal of the Mosaic institutions. Hence we see at once that the chief care of a good and enlightened Jew of the age of Ezra and all the more if he were himself a priest would naturally be to enhance the value of the Levitical ritual and the dignity of the Levitical caste. And in compiling a history of the past glories of his race he would as naturally select such passages as especially bore upon the sanctity of the priestly office. Hence the Levitical character of the Books of Chronicles. Compare 2 Chronicles 29:1-36; 2 Chronicles 30:1-27; 2 Chronicles 31:1-21. with 2 Kings 18:1-37 also 2 Chronicles 26:16-21 with 2 Kings 15:5 also 2 Chronicles 11:13-17; 2 Chronicles 13:9-20; 2 Chronicles 15:1-15; 2 Chronicles 23:2-8 with 2 Kings 11:5-9. (W. Smith D. D.)

Sources of information used by the compiler

As regards the sources of information it may truly he said that we have the narrative of contemporary writers throughout. There was a regular series of state annals both for the kingdom of Judah and for that of Israel which embraced the whole time comprehended in the Books of Kings or at least to the end of the reign of Jehoiakim 2 Kings 24:5. These annals cited by name as ¡§the Book of the Acts of Solomon ¡¨ 1 Kings 11:41; and after Solomon ¡§the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah or Israel ¡¨ e.g. 1 Kings 14:29; 1 Kings 15:7; 1 Kings 16:5; 1 Kings 16:14; 1 Kings 16:20; 2 Kings 10:34; 2 Kings 24:5 and it is manifest that the author of Kings had them both before him while he drew up his history in which the reigns of the two kingdoms are harmonised and these annals constantly appealed to. But in addition to these national annals there were also extant at the time that the Books of the Kings were compiled separate works of the several prophets who had lived in Judah and Israel and which probably bore the same relation to the annals which the historical parts of Isaiah and Jeremiah bear to those portions of the annals preserved in the Books of Kings i.e. were in some instances at least fuller and more copious accounts of the current events by the same hands which drew up the more concise narrative of the annals though in others perhaps mere duplicates. Thus the acts of Uzziah written by Isaiah were very likely identical with the history of his reign in the national chronicles and part of the history of Hezekiah we know was identical in the Chronicles and in the prophet. The chapter in Jeremiah 52:1-34. is identical with that in 2 Kings 24:1-20; 2 Kings 25:1-30. These works or at least many of them must have been extant at the time when the Books of Kings were compiled as they certainly were much later when the Books of Chronicles were put together by Ezra. But whether the author used them all or only those duplicate portions of them which were embodied in the national chronicles it is impossible to say seeing he quotes none of them by name except the acts of Solomon and the prophecy of Jonah. On the other hand we cannot infer from his silence that these books were unused by him seeing that neither does he quote by name the vision of Isaiah as the ChrOnicler does though he must from its recent date have been familiar with it and that as many parts of his narrative have every appearance of being extracted from these books of the prophets and contain narratives which it is not likely would have found a place in the chronicles of the kings (see lKi 14:4 16:1; 2 Kings 17:1-41. etc. (W. Smith D. D.)

The contents of the Books of Kings

Considering the conciseness of the narrative and the simplicity of the style the amount of knowledge which these books convey of the characters conduct and manners of kings and people during so long a period is truly wonderful. The insight they give us into the aspect of Judah and Jerusalem both natural and artificial into the religious military and civil institutions of the people their arts and manufactures the state of education and learning their resources commerce exploits alliances the causes of their decadence and finally of their ruin is most clear interesting and instructive. In a few brief sentences we acquire more accurate knowledge of the affairs of Egypt Tyre Syria Assyria Babylon and other neighbouring nations than had been preserved to us in all the other remains of antiquity up to the recent discoveries in hieroglyphical and cuneiform monuments. If we seek in them a system of scientific chronology we may indeed be disappointed But it is for their deep religious teaching and for the insight which they give us into God¡¦s providential and moral government of the world that they are above all valuable. The books which describe the wisdom and the glory of Solomon and yet record his fall; which make us acquainted with the painful ministry of Elijah and his translation into heaven; and which tells us how the most magnificent temple ever built for God¡¦s glory and of which He vouchsafed to take possession was consigned to the flames for the sins of those who worshipped in it read us such lessons concerning both God and man as are the best evidence of their Divine origin and make them the richest treasure to every Christian man. (Wm. Smith D. D.)

Division of the history into periods

The space of time thus covered is about 410 years and it divides itself naturally into three periods--the time of the undivided monarchy under Solomon the time of the divided kingdom till the fall of Samaria and the time of the surviving kingdom of Judah till the Captivity by Nebuchadnezzar. First Period: Solomon¡¦s Reign. This period is treated at greater length than any subsequent reign its record occupying eleven chapters. Two of these however relate to the circumstances that led to Solomon¡¦s accession to the throne while his father David was alive and the greater part of the remaining chapters is taken up with the account of the building of the Temple and of the royal palace. In this section of the book there is little evidence of a literary plan but we are made distinctly aware of the intention of the book and the point of view of the writer. That so much space is devoted to the description of the Temple as compared with the few particulars relating to the king¡¦s palace is not merely owing to the author¡¦s better acquaintance with the courts and furniture of the sacred house than with the interior of the royal residence but to the fact that he regarded the erection of the Temple as of prime importance for the history which he is writing. And that this is meant to be a sacred and not merely a secular history is further evinced by the fact that along with the glowing accounts of the greatness and fame of Solomon there are significant hints of the dangers underlying all the magnificence and the fatal tendency of the introduction of foreign habits with insistence on the fact that national prosperity was conditional on fidelity to the national religion. The section closes with a plain intimation that the seeds of evil sown in Solomon¡¦s reign were already germinating and an enumeration of the ¡§adversaries¡¨ who were already raised up to destroy the fair fabric of the empire of all Israel Second Period: The Two Kingdoms. This period of somewhat more than two centuries from the disruption of the kingdom after the death of Solomon about b.c. 933 to the fall of Samaria in b.c. 722 is the subject of the greater part of the book the narrative extending from the beginning of 1 Kings 12:1-33. to the end of 2 Kings 17:1-41. Here the treatment of the materials is more systematic and a literary plan simple though somewhat artificial is followed. It is to be observed that the writer strives to maintain a synchronism in the history; for when he returns alternately to a new reign in the Northern or Southern Kingdom he mentions that it was in such and such a year of the reign of a king in the sister state that so and so began to reign in the other. In the laying out of the particulars of the successive reigns there is to be observed a recurrence of set phrases which give a certain monotony to the narrative but indicate the point of view from which the history is regarded. Notwithstanding the rigidity of framework and the stereotyped diction this part of the book is far from being a mere state chronicle of political events. As in the former section so in this the writer regards the whole as a sacred history. Third Period: The Surviving Kingdom of Judah. In this style and in this vein the writer brings the history down to the time when the Northern Kingdom was brought to an end by the capture of Samaria in b.c. 722 devoting a whole chapter to the causes which led to the catastrophe and the subsequent fate of that part of the country. The remainder of the book is devoted to the history of the surviving kingdom of Judah the latest point to which the narrative is brought down being the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin viz. b.c. 562. This section accordingly embraces a period of sixty years and extends to eight chapters. (The Temple Bible.)

Date of the Book of Kings

To the date of the compilation of the Book of we are guided by the latest events that are mentioned in it. The last chapter (2 Kings 25:1-30.) concludes with the thirty-seventh year of Jehoiachin¡¦s captivity when Evil-Merodack released him from prison. This happened b.c. 561. But this last chapter and a few verses 18-20 of chap. 24. are identical with chap. 52. of the prophecy of Jeremiah. There however the closing words of chap. 51. ¡§Thus far are the words of Jeremiah ¡¨ plainly show that what follows was added by one who thought it no integral part of the prophecy but added it to complete the historical notices found in other parts of that book and added it most likely from this Book of Kings. We may therefore conclude that this book was compiled b.c. 561. But the compiler has no word even of hope to record concerning the final deliverance of the nation from captivity. That deliverance commenced with the decree of Cyrus b.c. 536 though the final migrations did not take place till the days of Nehemiah nearly a century later b.c. 445. Had he known of any movement in the direction of a return the writer would surely have made mention of it. He is cheered apparently at the close of his work by the clemency shown to Jehoiachin. He would hardly have passed over any agitation for the national redemption without a word of notice. The book was therefore finished before b.c. 536 and its date lies between that year and b.c. 561. (J. R. Lumby D. D.)

The compiler¡¦s purpose and point of view

That the writer had a distinct plan and purpose before him and occupied a distinct point of view we have already seen. And what the plan and point of view were he makes quite evident both in the brief notes introducing or summing up the various reigns and in the longer reviews of periods and the detailed narratives of a prophetical character which are woven into the history. Standing at the close of Israel¡¦s national independence he will describe the whole course of history from the bloom-period of Solomon to the collapse of the State under the pressure of the Babylonian Empire; and having noted the influences human and Divine which had been at work he will exhibit for the instruction of his readers the causes of the varying fortunes of his people. The author himself gives us what we may call his philosophy of the history in his review of the causes that brought about the downfall of the Northern Kingdom (2 Kings 17:7-23). The same fundamental principles are stated in more positive terms elsewhere. Thus at the very opening of the history the keynote of the whole is struck in David¡¦s parting charge to Solomon (1 Kings 2:2-4). So also on the occasion of Solomon¡¦s first vision at Gibeon (1 Kings 3:14) and of his second vision after the completion of the building of Temple and palace (1 Kings 9:1-9) the principle is stated almost in the same terms with the addition in the last passage of the warning. The three great principles therefore on which the author proceeds are: that a special choice had been made of David and his house that whole-hearted devotion to the national God (without swerving into heathen ways) was the condition of national prosperity and that the worship at local shrines the so-called ¡§high places ¡¨ was inconsistent with the pure Mosaic worship. The second may be called the underlying principle of all prophecy; and the third though slow to be recognised as the even the examples of the ¡§good¡¨ kings show comes into prominence in reforms carried out by Hezekiah and finally triumphed for a time at least in the more thorough reform of Josiah¡¦s days. (The Temple Bible.)

¢w¢w¡mThe Biblical Illustrator¡n