REL 151: D9 The Divided Kingdom 1-2 Kings
1st and 2nd Kings What Are 1-2 Kings?
1 & 2 Kings describe the reigns of the Israel's kings following Saul and David, a period from about 970-586 B.C. In Hebrew Scripture, these books appear as one literary work. 1 Kings details the reign of Solomon and then discloses the events leading to the kingdom being divided into two kingdoms: Israel (Northern) and Judah (Southern). The remainder of the book chronicles the reigns of Rehoboam through Jehoshaphat in Judah and the reigns of Jeroboam I through Ahaziah in Israel, devoting a significant portion to Ahab, including much of the ministry of Elijah and the calling of Elisha. 2 Kings tells of Elijah's transport to heaven and the ministry of Elisha, his successor. It then details the downfall and ultimate end of the Northern Kingdom, Israel (722 B.C.), as well as the later fall and captivity of the Southern Kingdom, Judah (586 B.C.).
The Divided Kingdom
1-2 Kings
The Kings of Israel (Not one Northern King Did "Good" in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)
Elah 887-886 BC 1 Kings 16:6—14 - Baasha's son, assasinated while drunk by Zimri, his general Zimri 886 BC 1 Kings 16:8—20 - Known as the "7 day king" - The people learn of Zimri's murder of Elah and recognize Omri as king - Omri leads an army to overtake Zimri - Zimri sees his imminent defeat and burns down his house, while inside. - Northern Kingdom then splits into 2 groups: Followers of Omri and Tibni Omri 886-875 BC 1 Kings 16:15—28 - Takes 6 yers to fully be recognized as king - Tries to lead like David; captures land from Southern Kingdom of Judah - Bought a hill from Shemer and named it Samaria; makes it the capital - Was more evil than any king before him.
2nd Kings Structure and Outline
The Ministry of Elisha Ch. 1—8 The Reigns of Various Kings Ch. 8—16 The Fall of Northern Israel Ch. 17 The Reign of Hezekiah Ch. 18—20 Manasseh and Amon Ch. 21 The Reign of Josiah Ch. 22—23 The Fall of Southern Judah Ch. 23—25
1st Kings Structure and Outline
The Reign of Solomon Ch. 1—11 The Kingdom Divided Ch. 12—14 Nadab to Ahab Ch. 15—16 Elijah to Ahab Ch. 17:1—22:40 Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah Ch. 22:41—53
Elijah the Prophet
-Elijah and the LORD defeat the 400 prophets of Baal. -After this, the prophets were slaughtered and Elijah called for rain to fall....and it did. -Ahab returns to tell his wife, Jezebel, about Elijah, and she vows to kill Elijah. -Elijah flees for his life down to Judah, and he was in despair, wanting to die, feeling totally alone. -God cares for Elijah and reminds him that He has stored away other prophets who are faithful to the LORD. -God sends Elijah to return to Israel & annoint Jehu king. -Elijah was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire.
Elijah the Prophet
-Elijah prophesies a drought to King Ahab until Elijah would call for it to rain again. -God calls for Elijah to hide away, and God provided for his needs by sending ravens to carry him food. -Elijah next goes to live away from Israel with a widow and raises her son from the dead. -In the 3rd year, God calls for Elijah to return to Ahab. Elijah meets Obadiah, who has hidden 100 prophets from Jezebel. -When Elijah finally meets Ahab, he challenges him to a "prophet's duel" on Mt. Carmel. (1 Kings 18)
The Kings of Israel (Not one Northern King Did "Good" in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)
Ahab 875-853 BC 1 Kings 16:28—22:40 - Married Jezebel, daughter of king of Tyre - Led Israel into its lowest period of moral depravity - Best known for his dispute with the prophet, Elijah, on Mt. Carmel Ahaziah 853-852 BC 1 Kings 22:41— 2 Kings 1:18 - Son of Ahab and Jezebel, did evil just as his father did - Became ill after falling, sought word from Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, so Elijah prophesied his death because he did not trust in the LORD. Jehoram 852-841 BC 2 Kings 1:17— 9:24 - Ahaziah's brother, served during the time of Elisha the prophet - Fought against Moab alongside Jehoshaphat, king of Judah - Killed by Jehu in Jehu's purge
The Kings of Israel Continued (Not one Northern King Did "Good" in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)
Ahaziah 853-852 BC 1 Kings 22:41— 2 Kings 1:18 Jehoram 852-841 BC 2 Kings 1:17— 9:24 Jehu 841-814 BC 2 Kings 9:1—10:36 Jehoahaz 814-798 BC 2 Kings 13:1—9 Jehoash 798-782 BC 2 Kings 13:10—14:15 Jereboam II 782-753 BC 2 Kings 14:15—29 Zechariah 753-752 BC 2 King 14:28—15:12 Shallum 752 BC 2 Kings 15:8-16 Menahem 752-742 BC 2 Kings 15:13-22 Pekahiah 742-740 BC 2 Kings 15:22-26 Pekah 740-732 BC 2 Kings 15:25-31 Hoshea 732-722 BC 2 Kings 17:1-6
1st and 2nd Kings Why Were 1-2 Kings Written?
If 1 & 2 Kings were written during the latter part of the exile, then it seems their purpose was to explain how Israelites arrived again into captivity. The books are narrative in nature, as well as theological, explaining events in theological terms. 1 Kings specifically details the division of the kingdom and the slide of God's people into idolatry. 2 Kings covers the continued downward spiral (with a few bright spots) until the Babylonian captivity. For exiles wondering how the kingdom had lost its former glory, the author provides the explanation.
The Kings of Israel (Not one Northern King Did "Good" in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)
Jehu 841-814 BC 2 Kings 9:1—10:36 -Anointed by Elisha as king while Jehoram was still alive -Commanded by God to destroy Ahab's descendants -Killed Jehoram and Ahaziah (Judah's King) in valley of Jezreel -Ordered Jezebel to be thrown from a tower where she died -"Built a temple to Baal" in Jezreel and lured the prophets for slaughter -Eradicated Baal worship from Israel, but did not remove the golden calves Jehoahaz 814-798 BC 2 Kings 13:1—9 -Jehu's son, sought the Lord when Aram was oppressing Israel & He helped Jehoash 798-782 BC 2 Kings 13:10—14:15 -Son of Jehoahaz; reigned during time of Elisha's death -Fought against Ben-hadad of Aram and defeated him -Fought aainst Amaziah of Judah and destroyed parts of Jerusalem's wall
The Kings of Israel (Not one Northern King Did "Good" in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)
Jereboam II 782-753 BC 2 Kings 14:15—29 -Time of great prosperity; same time as Uzziah in Judah -Extended boundaries of Northern Kingdom to where they were w/ Solomon Zechariah 753-752 BC 2 King 14:28—15:12 -Last of the lineage of Jehu's dynasty; reigned only 6 months Shallum 752 BC 2 Kings 15:8-16 -Killed Zechariah; reigned 30 days; killed by Menahem Menahem 752-742 BC 2 Kings 15:13-22 -Killed Shallum; attacked tipsah and ripped open the pregnant women -Made treaty with Tiglath Pileser III of Assyria for protection -Unclear whether he was murdered or died of natural causes
The Kings of Israel (Not one Northern King Did "Good" in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)
Jeroboam 931-911 BC 1 Kings 12:16—14:20 Nadab 911-910 BC 1 Kings 15:25—31 Baasha 910-887 BC 1 Kings 15:25—16:5 Elah 887-886 BC 1 Kings 16:6—14 Zimri 886 BC 1 Kings 16:8—20 Tibni 886 BC 1 Kings 18:21—22 After Zimri there was civil war. Some followed Tibni and others Omri. Omri's followers defeated Tbni's. So Tibni's kingship is unofficial. Omri 886-875 BC 1 Kings 16:15—28 Ahab 875-853 BC 1 Kings 16:28—22:40
The Kings of Israel (Not one Northern King Did "Good" in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)
Jeroboam I 931-911 BC 1 Kings 12:16—14:20 - Did not like the idea of his people paying tithes to Jerusalem - Erected 2 golden calves in Bethel and Dan to counter the Ark and Mercy Seat in Jerusalem. - Since Levites were in Jerusalem, Jeroboam allowed for anyone to be a priest Nadab 911-910 BC 1 Kings 15:25—31 - Did evil and worshiped idol like his father, Jeroboam - Assassinated by Baasha during a battle against Philistines Baasha 910-887 BC 1 Kings 15:25—16:5 - Murdered entire house of Jeroboam (prophesied by Ahijah) - Constantly at war against Asa, king of Judah -Prophesied by Jehu that his entire family would be killed & unburied
The Kings of Judah continued (David's Descendants through Solomon)
Jotham 750-735 BC 2 Kings 15:32—38 Ahaz 735-715 BC 2 Kings 16:1—20 Hezekiah 715-687 BC 2 Kings 18—20 Manasseh 687-642 BC 2 Kings 21:1—18 Amon 642-640 BC 2 Kings 21:19—26 Josiah 640-609 BC 2 Kings 22:1—23:30 Jehoahaz 609 BC 2 Kings 23:31—34 Jehoiakim 609-598 BC 2 Kings 23:35—24:7 Jehoiachin 598-597 BC 2 Kings 24:8-17, 25:27-30 Zedekiah 597-586 BC 2 Kings 24:18—20
The Kings of Israel (Not one Northern King Did "Good" in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)
Pekahiah 742-740 BC 2 Kings 15:22-26 -Son of Menahem; kept relations with Tiglath Pileser III -Killed by Pekah Pekah 740-732 BC 2 Kings 15:25-31 -Ruled during the Syro-Ephraimatic Crisis where TGIII captured and took captive much of Israel Hoshea 732-722 BC 2 Kings 17:1-6 -Killed Pekah -Paid tribute to Shalmaneser of Assyria but conspired with Egypt to rise against Assyria -Shalmaneser learned ofthe plan and took Hoshea and all of Israel captive
The Kings of Judah (David's Descendants through Solomon)
Rehoboam 931-915 BC 1 Kings 12:1—14:31 Abijah 915-912 BC 1 Kings 15:1—8 Asa 912-871 BC 1 Kings 15:9—24 Jehoshaphat 871-849 BC 1 Kings 22:41—50 Jehoram 849-842 BC 2 Kings 8:16—24 Ahaziah 842-841 BC 2 Kings 8:25—29 Athaliah* (queen) 841-835 BC 2 Kings 11:1—20 Joash 835-796 BC 2 Kings 12:1—21 Amaziah 796-767 BC 2 Kings 14:1—22 Uzziah 792-740 BC 2 Kings 15:1—7
The Divided Kingdom; 1 Kings 12—2 Kings 17
Solomon dies and his son, Rehoboam, succeeds him as king. Rehoboam is crowned in Shechem rather than Jerusalem. The people ask Rehoboam to ease Solomon's taxation burden. -Rehoboam's elders advise him to appease the will of the people -Rehoboam's peers/ friends tell him to react harshly with authority Rehoboam treats the people worse than Solomon. As a result, 10 tribes break away to follow Jeroboam in 922 B.C. -Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained to follow The Davidic kings -The Northern Kingdom that followed Jeroboam is known as "Ephraim" -The Southern Kingdom that followed the Davidic line is "Judah"
1st and 2nd Kings Who Wrote 1-2 Kings?
The author of 1 & 2 Kings is anonymous. Whomever the author, he is frequently referred to as a Deuteronomist due to the influence of the book of Deuteronomy in the author's use of language. There are certain phrases from Deuteronomy that appear frequently throughout the books, with almost every king being negatively evaluated according to the Mosaic law. Some have suggested that the Deuteronomists were Levites, priests, or prophets, but no definitive identity exists. Because 2 Kings 25:27-30 describes the release of Jehoiachin from a Babylonian prison in 561 B.C., the books could not have been compiled prior to that date. Therefore, a compilation date of mid- to late-sixth century B.C. is most likely.