Welcome to Bible Gateway’s weekly Look at the Book series of short blog posts and infographics introducing you to the books of the Bible. It only took two generations after David united Israel in 2 Samuel before it fell into disunity and disarray in 1 Kings.
(If you want a deeper dive into this fascinating time period, take a look at our complete guide and chart for every king and prophet in the books of 1 & 2 Kings.)
Scroll to the bottom if you’d prefer to see (and save) this article as an infographic. You’ll also find a handy 30-day reading guide. Or, for a challenge, you can do it in one week using the 7-day reading guide below.
Summary
Picks up where 2 Samuel left off and provides a history of the kingship in light of God’s covenants. After Solomon died, Israel was divided into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, each with their own king.
- Category: History
- Theme: Division
- Timeline: About 970-870 BC
- Written: Likely written around 561-538 BC by an unknown author
Key Verse
“So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” — 1 Kings 3:9 (NIV)
Elijah: Well, He Tried
The kings of the northern kingdom, Israel, perpetually “did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” God raised up the prophet Elijah to confront Baalism and to declare to Israel that the Lord was God and there was no other.
Miracles of Elijah:
- Raised the widow’s son from the dead.
- Showed the power of the Lord on Mt. Carmel.
- Fed by ravens and heard God’s “still small voice.”
- Was taken into heaven on a fiery chariot.
7 Day Reading Guide
(See 30-day guide below.)
- Day 1: 1 Kings 1-3
- Day 2: 1 Kings 4-6
- Day 3: 1 Kings 7-9
- Day 4: 1 Kings 10-12
- Day 5: 1 Kings 13-15
- Day 6: 1 Kings 16-18
- Day 7: 1 Kings 19-22
Spoiler Alert
The writer of Kings established early in his narrative that the Lord required obedience by the kings to the Mosaic law, if their kingdom was to receive His blessing; disobedience would bring exile.
Access the rest of the series. Browse Bible studies for each book of the Bible. Or right-click on the infographic below to download and save the image for your reference.
Chris Fann is the Senior Digital Marketing Manager for Harper Christian Resources. He loves the smell ofa baseball glove, coffee, and old books. He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife, 2 teenage boys, and their dog, Freya.