UNROLL
Late afternoon on a bare limestone ridge high above the sea: a king’s plain gold circlet rests on a flat, weathered fieldstone, catching the low light; beyond it the ridge falls away to a flat, pale Mediterranean, and far out on the horizon one small cloud is rising from the sea.

The Book of

1 Kings Intro

Solomon’s wisdom and glory, a kingdom torn in two, and a prophet who calls down fire.

Before chapter 1≈ 2 min22 chapters

Images are artistic interpretations.

In 30 seconds

Solomon asks God for wisdom, and builds His temple.

His heart turns, and the kingdom tears in two.

King after king walks in Jeroboam’s sin.

Elijah stands alone against Baal.

Fire falls, and the people cry that the LORD is God.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

Who wrote it

The writer

Unnamed; a prophet-historian writing in the exile

  • 1 and 2 Kings were one book in the Hebrew Bible.Jewish tradition
  • It names its sources, like the Book of the Acts of Solomon.1 Kings 11:41
  • It cites the royal chronicles of Israel and of Judah.1 Kings 14:19
  • It was finished in the exile, about 560 BC or a little after.2 Kings 25:27

How it’s built

One kingdom, then two

David’sthrone1–2 · Solomon madesecureWisdom andtemple3–10 · the gloryyearsSolomon’s heart11 · turned awayJudah12–16 · David’s lineIsrael12–16 · Jeroboam’s wayElijah17–19 · the LORD, Heis GodAhab20–22 · the wordcomes true

Whiteboard

One heart turned and one kingdom split. From then on two lines of kings run side by side, and the prophets bring God’s word to both.

Big themes

Four threads to follow

Where it happens

Mount CarmelJerusalemBethelDanShechemSamariaJezreelZarephathRamoth in Gilead (site uncertain)Beersheba

Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

Two kingdoms on one land

Solomon reigned from Jerusalem. After the split, Judah kept Jerusalem; Israel’s kings ruled from Shechem, Tirzah and then Samaria, with golden calves at Bethel and Dan. Elijah stayed at Zarephath, faced Baal’s prophets on Mount Carmel and ran before Ahab to Jezreel; from Beersheba he went on to Horeb, far to the south. Ahab’s last battle was at Ramoth-gilead, whose site is uncertain.

Meet the cast

Five people to know

Watch for

The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!

1 Kings 18:39

Start reading

Question

Quick question

A queen once traveled from far away just to hear one king’s wisdom.

Jesus said that One greater than which king had come?

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