The Book(s) of Kings
Outline for Class Discussion







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I.
 Overview of the Books of Kings






II.
 The Reign of Solomon







A.
 Solomon's Story (First Kings 1-11)








1.
 Solomon is Made King (1:1-2:12)


2.
 Solomon Eliminates his Political Enemies (2:13-46)


3.
 Solomon’s Wisdom (3-4)


4.
 Preparations for Building the Temple (chapter 5)


5.
 Building of the Temple (chapter 6)


6.
 Solomon’s Palace and Other Buildings (7:1-12)


7.
 Hiram of Tyre, the Bronzeworker and his Productions (7:13-51)


8.
 Dedication of the Temple (8)


9.
 Other Events During Solomon’s Reign (9-10)


10.
 Solomon’s Downfall (11)













B.
 Assessment of the “Wisest” of Israel’s Kings








1.
 Solomon’s “Wisdom”


2.
 Solomon’s Accomplishments and Problems


3.
 The Deuteronomistic Historian’s Perspective on Solomon’s Downfall












III. The Divided Kingdom  (1 Kings 12-2 Kings 17)







A.
 Brief Overview of the Prophetic Literature for this Period: First Kings 12 through 2 Kings 17








1.
 Use of Introductory and Concluding Formulae


2.
 Evaluations of the Kings


3.
 Stories of Prophets













B.
 An Overview of the Historical Context








1.
 Overview of the History of Israel (The Northern Kingdom)


2.
 Overview of the History of Judah (The Southern Kingdom) in the Period of the Divided Kingdom













C.
 A More Detailed Look at the Period of the Divided Kingdom








1.
 From the Split to the Arrival of Elijah (1 Kings 12 through 16)









a.
 Rehoboam (c. 930—913), Jeroboam (c. 930—908) and the Division of the Kingdom (1 Kings 12:1—19)



b.
 Shishak’s Campaign (c. 926 BCE; 1 Kings 14:25—26; 2 Chronicles 12:1—12)



c.
 The Religious Reforms of Jeroboam, son of Nabat (c. 930—908) (1 Kings 12:25—33)





Click here to see a photo of the ruins of the Tel Dan High Place.
Question for Reflection



d.
 Asa of Judah (c. 911—870 BCE) against Baasha of Israel (907 BCE—884 BCE): Judah’s Alliance with Ben Hadad I of Aram/Damascus (1 Kings 15:9—16:7)



e.
 Omri (c. 883—872 BCE; 1 Kings 16:15—28)



f.
 Ahab (c. 872—851 BCE), Jezebel, and the Worship of Baal (1 Kings 16:29—34)














2.
 The Elijah Cycle (1 Kings 17:1 through 2 Kings 2:18)









a.
 Elijah works Miracles (1 Kings 17)



b.
 Elijah Confronts Ahab (1 Kings 18:1—19)



c.
 Elijah and the Prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:20—40)



d.
 Elijah’s Flight to Horeb (1 Kings 19)



e.
 The Aramean Wars: Ahab’s Deliverance from Ben-hadad I of Aram/Damascus (1 Kings 20)










Excursus: The First Anti-Assyrian Coalition (c. 853 BCE) (Irhulena of Hamath and 12 kings including Ahab of Israel and Hadadezer of Damascus oppose Shalmaneser III of Assyria)





[Map of the Assyrian Empire at the time of Shalmaneser III of Assyria (Brown line = border at the time of Shalmanesser III)]









f.
 Naboth’s Vineyard (1 Kings 21)



g.
 Ahab’s Defeat and Death (c. 851 BCE; 1 Kings 22:1—40)



h.
 Jehoshephat (c. 870—846 BCE), son of Asa of Judah (1 Kings 22:41—46; see also 22:1—40)



i.
 Elijah’s Departure (2 Kings 2:1—18)














3.
 The Elisha Cycle (2 Kings 2:19—chapter 10 plus 13:14—21)









a.
 Ten Miracles (2:19—6:23)



b.
 Ben-hadad of Aram’s Siege of Samaria (2 Kings 6:24—chapter 7)



c.
 Death of Ben-hadad and the Rise of Hazael (2 Kings 7:7—15)



d.
 Jehu’s Purge (2 Kings 9—10): the Violent Victory of Exclusive Yahwism over Inclusive Yahwism





Question for Reflection








4.
 Eighth-century BCE Prosperity (after the death of Hazael)









a.
 Jeroboam II of Israel (787—748 BCE)



b.
 Azariah (Uzziah) of Judah (783—732 BCE) 





Click here to see a 1st century BCE marker for Uzziah's tomb. This Aramaic marker originally designated the tomb to which Uzziah's bones were moved several centuries after his death. It now resides in the Israel Museum, Jerusalem.



c.
 The Samaria Ivories



d.
 The Samaria Ostraca














5.
 The Assyrian Crisis (2 Kings 11—17)









a.
 Tiglath-pileser III (745—727 BCE; 2 Kings 16:5—9)





[Map of the Assyrian Empire (Red line = boundaries of Tiglath-pileser III)]









b.
 Another Anti-Assyrian Coalition










(1)
 Pekah of Israel (737—732 BCE)




(2)
 Rezin of Damascus









c.
 Ahaz of Judah (735—727 BCE)



d.
 Hoshea of Israel (732—724 BCE)



e.
 Shalmaneser V (727—722 BCE) and the Fall of Samaria



f.
 Sargon II (722—705 BCE) and the Exile of Israel














6.
 Hezekiah’s Reform




Question for Reflection






IV.
 The Judean Period (721 to 587 BCE)







A.
 Overview of the Prophetic Literature (2 Kings 18—25) for the Judean Period







B.
 The Historical Context








1.
 Hezekiah's Resistence to Sennacherib's Invasion (2 Kings 18:13-19:37)


2.
 Manasseh's Reintroduction of Polytheism (2Kings 21)


3.
 The Fall of Assyria to the Medes and Babylonians (Chaldeans)


4.
 Josiah's Reform (2 Kings 22:1-23:30)




Questions for Reflection








5.
 Nebuchadnezzar, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah: The Last Days of Judah












IV.
 Summary and Conclusions













Terms and Concepts to Remember (All Dates are BCE)
Compare the list of Key Terms at the beginning of chapter 9 in Bandstra's book.
Compare the Table of Kings of Israel and Judah.

Solomon’s Reign

The Divided Kingdom (Continued...)
  • Solomon (961-922)
  • Adonijah
  • Abishag the Shunammite
  • Joab
  • Horned altar (Picture)
  • An incident illustrating Solomon’s wisdom
  • Hiram of Tyre
  • Diplomatic Marriage
  • Solomon’s military strategy (contrast David) and his build
  • Dan
  • Bethel
  • “The sin of Jeroboam”
  • Elijah
  • Ahab (Israel 869-850)
  • Jezebel
  • Elisha
  • Jehu (843-815)
  • Jehu's Purge
  • Tiglath-Pileser III (Assyria 745-727)
  • Ahaz (Judah 735-715)
  • Hezekiah (Judah 715-687)
  • Sennacherib (Assyria 704-681)
  • Josiah (Judah 640-609)
  • Nebuchadnezzar (Babylon 605-562)
  • Jehoiachin (Judah 598/597)
  • Zedekiah (Judah 597-587)

The Divided Kingdom
  • Judah
  • Israel
  • Formulae of Introduction (Compare your notes to p. 284 of Bandstra.)
  • Rehoboam (Judah 922-915)
  • Jeroboam, son of Nabat (Israel 922-901







Cities and Regions Mentioned in this Discussion


Cities in Judah and Israel
 Regions
  • Jerusalem
  • Shechem
  • Tirzah
  • Samaria
  • Bethel
  • Dan
  • Judah
  • Israel
  • Aram
  • Ammon
  • Moab
  • Assyria
  • Babylonia
Cities Outside Judah and Israel:
  • Tyre
  • Nineveh
  • Babylon






Go to the List of Discussion Outlines
Go to the Study Aids Page
Go to the Prophets Home Page
Table of Kings of Israel and Judah