Introduction to 1–2 Kings

The Babylonian Talmud asserts Kings was authored by Jeremiah (Bava Batra 15a).

Highlights

1. The Reign of King Solomon (1 Kings 1–11)
   • His prayer for wisdom and the two prostitutes (1 Kings 3)
   • His wealth and wisdom (1 Kings 4)
   • Building the temple (1 Kings 5–7)
   • The dedication of the temple and Solomon’s prayer (1 Kings 8)
   • The LORD appears to Solomon a second time (1 Kings 9)
   • The Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10)
   • Solomon’s failure (1 Kings 11)
2. How the Kingdom Became Divided into Israel and Judah (1 Kings 12)
3. The Story of the Prophet Who Disobeyed (1 Kings 13)
4. The Ministry of Elijah the Tishbite (1 Kings 17–2 Kings 2)
   • The widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17)
   • Elijah’s showdown with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18)
   • Elijah in the cave (1 Kings 19)
   • King Ahab steals Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 21)
   • Elijah taken up to heaven (2 Kings 2)
5. The Ministry of Elisha (2 Kings 3–10)
   • The widow’s oil (2 Kings 4)
   • The Shunammite woman’s son (2 Kings 4)
   • Naaman the Syrian healed of leprosy (2 Kings 5)
   • The floating axe head (2 Kings 5)
   • Elisha at Dothan with his servant (2 Kings 5)
   • Elisha anoints Jehu to judge the house of Ahab (2 Kings 9)
6. The High Priest Jehoiada and Athaliah (2 Kings 11)
7. The Destruction of Israel by the Assyrians (2 Kings 17)
8. King Hezekiah and the King of Assyria (2 Kings 18–20)
9. King Josiah’s Reformation (2 Kings 22–23)
10. The Fall and Captivity of Judah under the Babylonians (2 Kings 24–25)

Echoes of Deuteronomy in 1–2 Kings

David’s Charge to Solomon

1 Kings 2:1–4

“I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the LORD may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’”

Deuteronomic Background

• Deuteronomy 11:1: “You shall therefore love the LORD your God and keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, and his commandments always.”
• Deuteronomy 8:6: “You shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God by walking in his ways.”
• Deuteronomy 6:2: “… that you may fear the LORD your God … by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you.”
• Deuteronomy 29:9: “Therefore keep the words of this covenant and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.”
• Deuteronomy 9:5: “… that he may confirm the word that the LORD swore to your fathers.”
• Deuteronomy 26:16: “You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul.”

The Covenant Theology of 1–2 Kings

One covenant stands in the foreground—the Davidic covenant—while two stand in the background: the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants.

At the typological level—type and shadow—the Davidic covenant narrows the Mosaic covenant down to an individual: the king. The outcome of the Mosaic covenant, whether blessing or cursing, rests upon him.

At the antitypological level—reality and fulfillment—the Davidic covenant links backward to the Abrahamic promise and forward to Christ:

• “In your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 22:18).
• “I will raise up your offspring after you” (2 Sam. 7:12–16).
• “You shall not lack a man on the throne” (1 Kings 2:4; 8:25; 9:5).

The kings were covenant heads, types of Christ’s covenant headship. As the king goes, so go the people:

• If the king is obedient, the people turn from idolatry and are blessed.
• If the king is disobedient, the people fall into worse covenant breaking and come under the curse of the law (1 Kings 9:1–9; 14:14).

The united kingdom under David and Solomon is the apex of the history of the typal kingdom: enemies defeated, God’s people united, rest in the land, the temple built, and a golden age. From there, the story declines.

Subsequent kings are evaluated by faithfulness to the law, using David as the gold standard (1 Kings 14:8; 2 Kings 16:1–4). Twelve of Judah’s twenty kings were unfaithful to the law. All of Israel’s kings promoted false worship, particularly Jeroboam’s golden calves at Bethel and Dan (1 Kings 12:28–29).

Ultimately, the story ends in the failure and exile predicted by the LORD and Moses (Deut. 29:22–28; 30:1; 31:16–29).

Elijah and Elisha

Elijah and Elisha are Moses-like prophets. They call the kings and people back to faithfulness to the Sinai covenant—the law—and warn that the covenant curse is coming unless they repent.

John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the people and anoint the Messianic King. Jesus compared himself with Elijah and Elisha (Luke 4:24–26), who found no true faith in Israel and instead went to those outside the covenant community.