At a Glance
1 Kings at a Glance
- Author. Not named. First and Second Kings were one book in the Hebrew Bible. An old Jewish tradition names Jeremiah, but the book does not say. The writer used court records, such as the book of the acts of Solomon (1 Kings 11:41) and the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel (1 Kings 14:19).
- Date. From David's last days and Solomon's rise (about 971 BC) to the reign of Ahab's son (about 850 BC). The temple was begun about 966 BC, in the 480th year after the Exodus (1 Kings 6:1). Kings ends in the Babylonian exile, where the book took its final form.
- Written To. The Jews in exile, to explain why the kingdom was lost: not God's failure, but the people's long turning from Him.
- Setting. Jerusalem and its temple, the northern kingdom and its capital at Samaria, and Elijah's journeys to Carmel and Horeb.
- Key Verse. How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him (1 Kings 18:21).
- Key Word or Theme. A divided kingdom and a divided heart. God's people must choose between the LORD and false gods.
Loading the rest of this article
Further reading
For Deeper Study
- Be ResponsibleAmazon Warren W. WiersbeA practical study of 1 Kings that follows Solomon, the divided kingdom, and Elijah, with application at each turn.
- Elijah and the Secret of His PowerAmazon F. B. MeyerA classic devotional study of Elijah by the English Baptist pastor, strong on his faith and his weakness.
- The Wisdom and the Folly: An Exposition of the Book of First KingsAmazon Dale Ralph DavisA careful and readable exposition by a Reformed scholar. We differ with him on some points of doctrine, but he is faithful to the text.
- Foxe's Book of MartyrsAmazon John FoxeThe classic Protestant record of those who died for the faith, from the early church to the English Reformation.
As an Amazon Associate, Theologica earns from qualifying purchases.
Continue exploring
2 Samuel
Second Samuel records King David's reign, from his rise and the covenant God made with his house, through his sin with Bathsheba and its painful consequences, to the altar on the threshing floor.
Open Doctrine