History:
1 Kings

Two important figures dominant this book.  In the early chapters, we see the pinnacle of the monarchy of Israel as Solomon establishes himself as the greatest and wisest of kings.  Yet we also see his decline as, despite his wisdom, he succumbs to the temptations of the flesh and the spirit.

In the latter half of the book, the story of Elijah dominates.  This great prophet holds the line against the idolatry of the Northern Kingdom.  He calls down fire and brings about the destruction of the prophets of Baal.  Still, after that, he fears the actions of Jezebel and runs away in despair.  In the end, this book reminds us, man minus God is nothing.

Left: "Solomon's Wisdom" by Philip Ratner.

 

The Bare Facts

Who: No one can say with any certainty who authored Kings.  The two books seem clearly to have originally been a whole, divided for convenience.  It is certainly possible and by no means a denial of the authority or reliability of the scripture to suggest that more than one hand may have been at work here.  One oft-nominated author is Jeremiah, while others point to an unnamed writer working from the Babylonian exile.  In the end, no one can answer this question with any certainty.

Where:  This book seems to have been written during the exile; therefore, the most likely provenance is somewhere in Babylonian territory.  If the author was Jeremiah, then it would have been written from Egypt most likely.

When:  Since the book mentions the release of Jehoichin from prison, an event that took place in 560 B.C., we can establish an earliest date for the book.  As it does not mention the return of the people to Jerusalem in 538, it seems reasonable to assume it was written before that date.  This leaves us with a fairly narrow span, 560-538 B.C., to consider.

What:  The book of 1st Kings opens with a triumphant and unified Israel at its apogee.  Following the idolatry and death of Solomon, we see the division of the nation and the steady decay of its morals and fortunes.  Across the entire canvas of this book and its successor we see the disaster that follows when the people of God do not listen to the commandments and prophets of God.

 

Memorable Passages
3:3-15	Solomon asks for wisdom
18:16-46	Elijah's contest on Mount Carmel
19:11-18	God speaks to Elijah in a still, small voice

Overviews and Outlines

An Introduction to the Books of 1st and 2nd Kings

An outlined introduction by David Malick.

An Argument of 1st and 2nd Kings

One of David Malick's rhetorical outlines.

First and Second Book of Kings

A brief overview commentary by Arend Remmers

Bible Basics

A very brief list of facts, but it includes a wav file pronouncing the book's title.

Easton Bible Dictionary: The Books of Kings

The article from M.G. Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary.

Catholic Encyclopedia: Kings, Third and Fourth Books of

The appropriate entry from the public domain edition of this venerable reference work.

Columbia Encyclopedia: Kings

A brief article from the 2001 edition of this reference work.

Jewish Encyclopedia

An article from the 1901-06 reference work.  Generally liberal in its critical presuppositions.

JPS Bible

The JPS 1917 Bible text and another Jewish version.  There are links that supposedly go to two Hebrew and one Aramaic text but they don't seem to work.

Bible Explained

This is a commentary by an energetic fellow named Ted Wade.  He provides brief notes on each chapter and most verses for the entire Bible.

Luther Productions

A very brief overview including key verses.

The Blue Letter Bible

An excellent source for text, cross-references, concordance, language helps, commentaries, and more.

Bible Studies: Whole Book

1 & 2 Kings: Third and Fourth Books of Monarchy

A lengthy, verse-level commentary and set of notes by David Griffiths, a native of Wales who has ministered for many years in the United States through the Assemblies of God.

1st and 2nd Kings

A seventeen-lesson study by Roger Hahn.  It appears to be unfinished.

Studies in the Life of Elijah

A 19-lesson study by Hampton Keathley, III.

Love the Lord Bible Studies: 1 Kings

A 29-lesson study with questions from an Arkansas-based ministry.  They seem orthodox enough, although the statement of faith makes me wonder if they're not into prosperity gospel teachings.

Talks for Growing Christians

A nifty study, which includes a brief sermon, question, and answers.  A project from Talks for Growing Christians.

Geneva Notes

In 1599, English Puritans, working in Geneva, published the first study Bible.  These are the notes from that edition.

Coffman's Commentary

A verse-by-verse commentary by Dr. James Burton Coffman, a leading Church of Christ scholar.

Comments on the First Book of Kings

A lengthy commentary by Leslie M. Grant from Family Hour.

Matthew Henry's Commentary

The chapter-by-chapter 1712 commentary by the great English Puritan writer..

John Wesley Notes

Over his career, the founder of Methodism maintained notes on the entire Bible.

JFB Commentary

The comments of Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown from Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871).

Clarke's Commentary

The first chapter for this book from Adam Clarke's nineteenth-century commentary.

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The commentary of the 17th century Baptist theologian and preacher.

Class Notes on Sacred History

An 1893 commentary by J.W. McGarvey.

Scofield Reference Notes

The notes from the 1917 edition of the great study Bible.  From a dispensationalist viewpoint.

Old Testament Life and Literature: History of the Kingdoms

Gerald Larue's 1968 overview of the Old Testament is, oddly enough, hosted at an atheist website.  Larue's outlook is decidedly liberal.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

A combination brief commentary and thorough cross-reference.  Developed by R.A. Torrey.

The Jerome Bible Commentary

A commentary by a Catholic doctor, Jerome Dominguez, M.D.  Is English isn't perfect, but you have to admire his energy.  Although Catholic in orientation, this source has some good material for study.

Bible Studies: Part of Book

The Reign of Solomon (ch. 1-11)

A study from Bob Deffinbaugh's From Creation to the Cross series.

From Faith to Faith (ch. 1-11)

An online book, originally published in print in 1955, by B. Davie Napier.  The third chapter deals with the first eleven chapters of the book.

Vey Iz Mir! (2:10-12)

An article from Homiletics Online

Vey Iz Mir! (3:3-14)

An article from Homiletics Online

Lectionary Notes (3:5-12)

Notes from Ralph Klein.

A Lost Future (3:7-15)

An article by Dennis Bratcher.

A Lost Future (11:1-6)

An article by Dennis Bratcher.

Samaritan Hospitality (ch. 13)

A study by Stuart Jones from Kerux.

Lectionary Notes (17:8-16)

Notes by Ralph Klein

Participating in Revelation (19:9-18)

An article from Christian Century by Luke Timothy Johnson.

Fit for the Reign of God (19:19-21)

An article by Joseph M. Mcshane, S.J.

Life for Land (21:1-29)

A study by Stuart Jones from Kerux.

Regal/Messianic Hope in 1 Kings

A thematic study by Greg Herrick.

Sermons

1 Kings: How to Lose a Kingdom

The appropriate sermon from Ray C. Stedman's Adventuring through the Bible series.

C.H. Spurgeon

A listing of sermons, some of which are available online, by the great British Baptist.

Sermon Outlines

Links to sermon outlines from SermonLinks.

Bibliographies

The King of Desire: Indeterminacy, Audience, and the Solomon Narrative

An article from Semeia by Stuart Lasine.

Faith with a Price

An article by Walter Brueggeman.  It's worth going to just for the portrait of Jesus.

Selected Bibliography of the Books of Kings

A list of evangelically oriented sources.  By David Malick.

Two-Age Bibliography

A list of recommended sources, mostly scholarly in nature, provided by a website devoted to the "Redemptive Historical" school of theology.

Oxford Bibliography

A brief list of sources from the Theology School at Oxford University.