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Home , 1 Kings 9, Adonijah, Baal, Battle of Aphek, Hiram I, National god

11. BIBLICAL EPIC: 1 Kings Notes

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1 Kings 1: was very old. His son Adonijah exalted himself as king. When David heard he told and Nathan to anoint as king. 1-2 Kings, divided by convenience, describe the period of the monarchy after David in ancient (970–586 BC). David’s parting speech to Solomon in ch. 2, drawing richly from Deuteronomy, sets the agenda. Beginning with Solomon, and then all the succeeding kings of Israel and Judah, the kings are weighed in relation to the Mosaic law code and found wanting. Israel’s sinfulness eventually leads to the exile to in 586 BC, but there remains hope because ’s chosen royal line has not come to an end (2 Kings 25:27-30), and God remains ready to forgive those who are repentant. The books are not merely a chronicle of events, but history from God’s perspective and how He is directing all history toward a goal. The is a story about God and how His Kingdom will come. Every “son of David” that is found wanting adds to the yearning for a greater David who will sit on David’s throne forever. We could summarize the book in this way: “Ruling justly and wisely depends on obeying God’s word, and disobeying has serious consequences.” • 1:1-4. David in His Old Age. David’s waning life is seen in his inability to get warm. Ancient medical practice provided warmth for the sick by having a healthy person “lie beside” them. While this was the main purpose for bringing in the Shunammite (an Issacharite town), the context may also imply that the aged David was no longer able to be intimate with a woman. In the eyes of his detractors, this would be taken as proof that David lacked the fitness and strength to continue as king. Once known, this may have encouraged Adonijah’s attempt to seize the throne. • 1:5-10. Adonijah Sets Himself Up as King. Adonijah is David’s oldest surviving son (fourth overall), and he now exalts himself as king in his father’s place. In this, he behaves like his dead older brother, Absalom, both of whom are in part the product of parental negligence and indulgence; David never held him accountable for his actions. Some of David’s loyal followers, such as Joab and Abiathar, joined with Adonijah. His seizing the throne contrasts with David, who waited patiently for God to raise him to office, even refusing to take ’s life (1 Sam 16-31). God rejects those who appoint themselves as kings without His approval. Adonijah’s great feast in v. 9 amounted to an impromptu coronation, and for obvious reasons the guest list excludes the anti-Adonijah faction (vv. 7-8) and Solomon. • 1:11-28. Nathan and Before David. With Adonijah’s coup already in motion, someone with sufficient standing to be accepted by the people had to initiate a counter movement for Solomon or the throne would be lost. Nathan, the , assumed this role. He warned Bathsheba that the penalty for inaction could be for herself and Solomon. Bathsheba raised three issues to arouse David to action: (1) By God’s will David had promised the throne to Solomon. (2) Adonijah had proclaimed himself king without David’s public support or knowledge. (3) She pointed out that she and Solomon would be regarded as criminals if David did not act. Nathan then came and reinforced the points Bathsheba had made to the king. That Bathsheba is recalled indicates she had left previously. • 1:29-53. Solomon Anointed King. David responded with the orders that legitimized Solomon’s succession. Unlike Adonijah, Solomon does nothing to promote himself as king. The mule was the traditional mount of honor for kings at that time (a custom still remembered as late as Zech 9:9; cf. in Matt 21:1-11). To ride the king’s mule was to claim the throne. The proper religious personnel were present to anoint Solomon, which was done by the king’s command and in the presence of the king’s private army. These facts were sufficient for the people of to choose Solomon over Adonijah. David’s words in v. 49 allude to Nathan’s prophecy that David would found a lasting royal dynasty (2 Sam 7:12). In fear, Adonijah’s supporters scatter, while Adonijah clings to the (a holy place), hoping it will protect him from Solomon’s vengeance. Surprisingly, Adonijah was temporarily given pardon. 1 Kings 2: David charged Solomon to keep the law and to punish Joab and Shimei. Then David died. Solomon had Adonijah, Joab and Shimei executed. • 2:1-9. David’s Instructions to Solomon. Sensing his imminent death, David prepares Solomon to reign as king of Israel with words that echo not only God’s words to (Josh 1:6-9), but God’s vision of the ideal king given in Deuteronomy (Deut 17:14-20). Solomon is to exhibit faithful obedience to the law of , and so reap the benefits of God’s promise in the Davidic of a permanent dynasty. David also instructs him to deal with Joab and Shimei, lest leftover bloodguilt harm Solomon’s kingdom. Barzillai, meanwhile, is to be shown kindness. • 2:10-12. The Death of David. The metaphor of sleep hints at the expectation of awakening sometime in the future, and “with his fathers” hints that previous generations also join in this hope, and that David is somehow now with them. David reigned over Israel for forty years, and died in 970 BC. The story now transitions from David to Solomon. • 2:13-46. Solomon’s Reign Established. Solomon consolidates his hold on the kingdom by heading off threats from Adonijah, Adonijah’s supporters (Abiathar the , Joab), and Shimei. Though Adonijah was previously spared, his request for Abishag is perceived by Solomon as a conspiracy to the throne and he is executed. Bathsheba’s role seems either incredibly naïve or stunningly cunning. As for Abiathar, David’s faithful priest (cf. 1:19, 25), he receives exile rather than death for supporting Adonijah. As a descendant of , this exile fulfills ’s judgment on Eli the priest and his house (1 Sam 2:27-36; cf. 1 Kings 4:4). As for Joab, who had murdered two innocent men, Abner and Amasa, he is executed without a trial. Solomon moves next to eliminate Shimei, who had cursed David as he fled from Absalom. When Shimei ignores Solomon’s order not to go from Jerusalem to any other place (v. 36), Solomon orders his execution (v. 46). He thus proves himself to be a “wise” king (vv. 6, 9), but it is a dubious kind of wisdom. 1 Kings 3: Solomon married 's daughter. He asked the for discernment. Two women came before him and he judged between them wisely. • 3:1-15. Solomon’s for Wisdom. Although a kind of wisdom has already guided Solomon in his treatment of those who were a threat to him (2:6, 9), this chapter confirms that in fact he still lacks a truly “wise and discerning mind” (v. 12). Solomon’s marriage alliance with Pharaoh is yet another dubious act (violating Deut 17:17). Moses had warned that such intermarriage could lead the people to serve other . This becomes all too real for Solomon (:3-4). Even though Solomon “loved the LORD” (v. 3), he is a king with a divided heart, failing to keep the Law of Moses wholeheartedly as David had instructed (2:1-4). Furthermore, the continuation and proliferation of “high places” of (as opposed to the one place of worship described in Deuteronomy 12) is one of the main concerns of the authors of 1-2 Kings. Apparently, a multiplicity of worship sites was thought normal prior to the building of the temple. Later, royal toleration of the high places became the basis for critiquing kings (11:7; 15:14; 22:43; 2 Kings 12:3; 15: 4; cf. Jer 19:5). Solomon begins by tolerating worship of the LORD at these places and ends up being drawn into full-blown apostasy (1 Kings 11:7-8), as also later do Israel and Judah (e.g., 12:28-31; 2 Kings 21:3-9). Against this historical backdrop comes God’s offer in v. 5 “Ask what I should give you.” In response, Solomon expresses inadequacy in view of the great task that confronts him. Although he has used wisdom before in dealing with affairs of state, now he confesses basic ignorance and asks for an “understanding mind.” God is pleased with Solomon and grants his request. Solomon’s wisdom is a supernatural gift from God. It is neither innate nor acquired by patient hard work, utilizing careful observation and self-discipline (as it is explicitly in much of Proverbs). In possession of such wisdom, Solomon was unparalleled in Israelite history. Since Solomon did not ask for long life or riches or the life of his enemies, God gave him what he did not ask for, “both riches and honor” (v. 13), and promised to lengthen his days. Solomon’s request marked a major cultural shift in Hebrew life, a shift to peaceful values involving wisdom and skill rather than military craft (like David, the “man of war,” 1 Chron 28:3). • 3:16-28. Solomon’s Wisdom is Confirmed and Seen. The new gift of wisdom that Solomon received from God allows him to govern more justly, as the story in this section illustrates. In the absence of any corroborative testimony to confirm either woman’s story regarding whose child was alive or dead, the normal legal procedures could not be followed. Solomon’s clever ploy to find the disputed baby’s true mother by dividing “the living child in two” (v. 25) assumes that the true mother would rather surrender custody to her rival than witness the baby’s death. Through Solomon’s understanding of human nature, the identity of the true mother is rightly ascertained, and Israel realizes that “the wisdom of God was in him” (v. 28). Solomon’s old “wisdom” had led previously to the use of the sword, but only for arguably unjust executions. His new wisdom leads him in more constructive ways: the “sword” here functions in the service, not of the ruthless self, but of the kingdom as a whole (cf. Psa 45:2-4). 1 Kings 4: Solomon had officials and twelve governors. He ruled from the River to the land of . Men of all came to hear his wisdom. • 4:1-19. Solomon’s Officials. These lists of royal officials probably derive either from royal records in Jerusalem or from “the book of the annals of Solomon” (11:41). The first concerns officials headquartered in the capital (vv. 2-6), and the second lists governors who run Solomon’s 12 districts (vv. 7-19). They portray Solomon as a skilled organizer and administrator, and they portray a united Israel in control of territory east and west of the . • 4:20-28. Solomon’s Wealth. This section glories in the wealth, size, and peace of Solomon’s empire. The population being “as many as the sand of the sea” (v. 20) reminds one of God’s promise to the patriarchs of numerous descendants (Gen 12:2; 15:18-19; 22:17; 32:12). Israel’s large population under Solomon measures one impressive moment of fulfillment, their future restoration after judgment another (Hos 1:10; cf. Heb 11:12). It will reach its maximum number at the consummation of history when believers from everywhere finally gather (Rev 7:9). It is a large area, corresponding to the ideal extent of Israel’s dominion as promised to in Gen 15:18. Even still, however, the darker side of Solomon is once again hinted at in v. 26 even in the midst of the glories of the early part of his reign. Deuteronomy 17:16 forbids the king from acquiring “many horses for himself” and forbids him further from making the people “return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses” (Deut 17:16; cf. :26-29). • 4:29-34. Solomon’s Wisdom. Solomon’s wisdom is admired throughout the world, exceeding even the wisdom of “all the people of the east” (cf. Matt 2:1-12) and the named individuals noted here famous for their wisdom. Solomon is ultimately eclipsed only by Jesus Christ (see Luke 11:31). Wisdom is the highly prized skill that and risked divine displeasure to acquire (Gen 3:6) and that Solomon’s teaching passionately seeks to cultivate in people (Prov 2:12; 4:6). Its starting point is the “fear of God” (Prov 1:7), and to live wisely is to align one’s conduct with the way God created the world to work (Prov 8:32-36). Paul stressed that the search for wisdom begins with Christ, the person in whom all wisdom and knowledge is hidden and awaiting discovery (Col 2:2-3). : Solomon sent to King Hiram: "I will build a house for the LORD. Cut down cedars for me." The workers prepared the timber and stones. • 5:1-12. Preparations for Building the Temple: Hiram’s Building Materials. Solomon’s response to Hiram recalls God’s promise to David (2 Sam 7:1-17), not only about the succession (which has just happened) but also about the temple (which has not yet been built). God has given Solomon the “rest on every side” that He had promised to David, so much so that there is neither adversary nor misfortune. This picture reflects God’s intended result when the people of Israel have a wise ruler and they walk in obedience to God’s commandments. Given this situation, the time is right for the temple-building project, divinely ordained as the task for David’s successor. Verses 2-5 also state several major themes in biblical . (1) God had given “rest” to His people. Throughout the Bible this rest is given in various degrees and in various ways that finally culminated in the eternal rest described in 4. (2) It gave a different perspective on David as a “man of war” (1 Chron 28:3), since his wars were presented as defensive necessities. (3) Since no temple can contain God, this temple was to be the dwelling for the “name” of the LORD. And (4) this temple was built in response to the promise of a dynasty for David and his descendants. Solomon suggests to Hiram a cooperative venture, in which he bartered food for lumber and other products as well. It is apparently a happy arrangement, sealed by a treaty—an arrangement that is testimony to the wisdom that God has given to Solomon. The , as well as the Egyptians and Assyrians, used both the cedar and cypress lumber of for their fine buildings. Phoenician artistic skills and manufactured products were also prized throughout the ancient world. Verse 12 matches v. 7 and shows that Solomon’s wisdom extended to international economics. • 5:13-18. Preparations for Building the Temple: Solomon’s Workforce. The project was so big that Solomon drafted forced laborers to help in the work. I Kings 9:15-23 makes it clear that Solomon did not conscript Israelites to work abroad, but only workers from the Canaanite population of Israel (30,000 of them were sent to Lebanon, contrary to Hiram’s wishes). Meanwhile, a company of 150,000 Israelites were conscripted to work locally – to quarry, cut, and transport precious stone to the temple site. After Solomon died, popular resentment over his forced labor policy spilled out in public protests and led to the division of his kingdom into two separate countries (12:1-18). 1 Kings 6: Solomon built the temple. The LORD said, "If you walk in my ways I will dwell with Israel." Solomon overlaid the temple with gold. • 6:1-38. Solomon Builds the Temple. The 480th year (v. 1) after Israel’s release from slavery and the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel was around the year 966 BC. This text is important in relation to the date of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. Taken at face value, the figure of 480 years would support the traditional “early” date for the Exodus of c. 1446 BC., during the rule of Pharaoh Thutmose III of the Eighteenth Dynasty. Some commentators, however, point out that Egyptian place-names in Exod 1:11 and other historical evidences seem to preclude a date before the reign of Pharaoh Rameses II (ca. 1279 BC; cf. Gen 47:11). In this case, one must allow for some symbolism in understanding the 480-year figure (e.g., supposing it to result from 12 generations, with a generation taken symbolically to be 40 years, although it is actually about 25), in which one would arrive at a “late” date for the Exodus of about 1260 BC. After a note about the dates involved (v. 1), the description of the temple begins with its external structure. The authors describe its overall proportions and its basic form (vv. 2-3); its windows (v. 4); and the strange structure around it with its side chambers (vv. 5-6, 8, 10). The work was carried out with reverence, avoiding the use of iron tools at the temple site: “neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron” (see Exod 20:25 and Deut 27:5-6 for the prohibitions that appear to be in mind here). The dimensions of the temple in common cubits were 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Its general layout resembles the tabernacle’s (Exod 26:33-35; Lev 16:16-17). Gigantic, golden cherubim (about 15 ft high), serve as royal guards who intimidate would-be intruders into God’s sacred presence (cf. v. 32). The cherubim denying access to the in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3: 24) play the same role. The interior carvings of palm trees and flowers further evoke images of Eden, the place God originally dwelt with His people. In vv. 11-13, God blessed the temple with the promise that He would dwell among the Israelites if they kept His commandments. God is not as impressed with structures as He is with obedience, a point made later by Stephen in his speech to the Sanhedrin in Acts 7; and the beauty of temples is never any guarantee that God will not leave them or bring judgment on them (cf. Luke 21:5-6). : Solomon built his own house. Hiram made pillars, the sea and utensils of bronze for the temple. Solomon made the furniture of gold. • 7:1-12. Solomon Builds His Palace. With the interlude concerning Solomon’s palace, the author might be suggesting that Solomon’s concern for his own house delayed the completion of the temple. To be sure, Solomon spent more time building his own house than he did building God’s house, perhaps another indication of his divided heart. “The House of the Forest of Lebanon” (v. 2), just the first of the several buildings of the palace complex, was much bigger than the temple. Besides “the Hall of Pillars,” which was almost as large as the temple, there was a throne hall, also called the Hall of Judgment or “Justice,” and two palaces, one for Solomon and one for his Egyptian wife. • 7:13-51. The Temple Furnishings. This section details the furnishings of the courtyard in front of the temple. Highly skilled craftsmen from Tyre take center stage (vv. 13-45), but the king returns at the end (vv. 46-51). The “Hiram” who makes the temple furnishings fashioned from bronze is not to be confused with the king of ch. 5. Two huge “pillars of bronze” (vv. 15-22) stood at the entrance of the temple, named Jachin (“He shall establish”) and Boaz (“in Him is strength”). Rev 3:12 promises that those who overcome will be made “pillars” in God’s heavenly temple for all time. The “sea of cast metal” (vv. 23-47) was a large basin in the inner court, which supplied water for priestly cleansing (as well as the ten associated “stands” or water carts). Hiram may himself have been “full of wisdom, understanding, and skill” (v. 14) and a worthy successor, to some extent, to Bezalel (builder of the tabernacle); but the authors are eager to portray Solomon as the one who preeminently embodies these qualities. : The brought the Ark into the temple. Solomon said, "O LORD, if anyone prays toward this place then hear from heaven and act." • 8:1-21. The Ark Brought into the Temple. The , the great symbol of the LORD’s presence with His people, had hitherto remained in David’s private shrine in the old (2 Sam 6:16-17; 7:2; 1 Kings 3:15), except for the brief trip described in 2 Sam 15:24-29. The move to the newly completed temple will restore the Ark to its role as a national religious symbol. The Ark was transitioned during the Feast of Booths, during which the Israelites had been instructed to live in temporary shelters as a reminder of the Exodus. It was observed in September/October. The note that the Ark’s poles are “there to this day” (v. 8) means that the author of Kings wrote sometime before the destruction of the LORD’s house in 586 BC. Though the Ark had once contained the jar of manna and ’s rod, there was now “nothing in the Ark except the two ” (v. 9) on which were written the Ten Commandments. The coming of the Ark to the temple and the appearance of the cloud of God’s glory are sure signs that the new worship arrangements have the divine blessing. The “thick darkness” (v. 12) protects humans from the dangers of seeing God (note also the connection to the thick darkness in Exod 20:21; Deut 4:11; 5:22). The God of the Exodus and Sinai has come to dwell in His temple. In Solomon’s speech (vv. 16-21), he affirms God’s faithfulness in keeping His promise to David, that one of his sons would build God’s house. In that speech and also in the prayer that follows (vv. 22-53), the word “name” is used to avoid saying that God Himself actually dwells in the temple. God’s presence in the temple was real (for God’s “name” represents all that He is), and the people would get His attention by calling His name, but He was not to be thought of as “living” in the temple (as was imagined of the false gods of other nations) in any sense that would detract from the reality of His transcendence. • 8:22-53. Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication. Solomon now turns to address God, reflecting on the nature of God’s “dwelling” in the temple and offering a sevenfold petitionary prayer (each section involving a plea that God should “hear from heaven”; vv. 32, 34, 36, 39, 43, 45, 49) for those who will approach Him in the temple. Solomon affirms that only Israel’s God (and no others) has intervened in history through great miracles and sovereign guidance of events, all to make His long-awaited covenant promises a present reality for His people. He appeals to God’s nature as a divine warrior (Exod 15:3) and as a cosmic king (Psa 10:16; 24:7-10) who rules history to execute His plan for history (Dan 4). As such, He promises to defend and protect His people against all enemies (Psa 44:4-7). Of course, it is God who in Christ defeated evil and death (Rom 8:2; 1 Cor 15:22-28), who defends believers against spiritual enemies today (cf. Rom 8:31-32, 37; Eph 6:10-18), and who will end history as its only King (Rev 18-20). Jesus is the ultimate answer to Solomon’s question, “Will God indeed dwell on the earth?” (v. 27). Solomon’s prayer here is important for understanding the as a whole, for it places both the temple and the law in wider perspective. The temple is an important building, but God is not confined by a building and is certainly not dependent on it. He will survive even its destruction, and will hear His people’s when they go into exile. One major theme of the prayer is that God would confirm His covenant by being attentive to the prayer of His people, directed to this temple. This attentiveness would lead to forgiveness and restoration, recurrent themes in the remainder of this prayer. Thus, while obedience to the law is very important, Solomon holds out hope for restoration, even when the people fail to obey. This hope will be fully realized in God’s true temple, Jesus Christ. • 8:54-61. Solomon’s Benediction. Solomon once again celebrates the fulfillment of God’s promises, though this time more broadly than in vv. 15-21. He refers here to the promises given through Moses, alluding in the word “rest” to the establishment of Israel within the land of . The “rest” for believers today is “ rest” (Heb 4:9), the full salvation that the promises; both the OT and NT warn all God’s people to avoid disobedience lest they, like the rebellious Israelites in the wilderness, miss its promised blessings (Psa 95:11; Heb 4:5, 11). The ultimate purpose of Israel’s walking in God’s ways is that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and no other. This idea of Israel’s role in the world goes all the way back to Gen 12:1-3, and also in passages like Exod 19:6, where Israel is to be a “kingdom of priests,” mediating between God and His world. Israel’s calling is to be a light for the Gentiles (Isa 49:6), bringing God’s salvation to the ends of the earth. Jesus, the true Israel, will fulfill this calling. • 8:62-66. Solomon’s . Solomon presides over the formal dedication of the temple through sacrifices (vv. 62- 63), and he consecrates the center of the temple’s outer court so that worshipers may freely use its altar (v. 64). When the Feast of Booths ends, Solomon dismisses the joyful Israelites to their hometowns (vv. 65-66). 1 Kings 9: The LORD said to Solomon, "If you walk in my ways I will establish your throne." Solomon did not make slaves of the sons of Israel. th • 9:1-9. The LORD Appears to Solomon. In about 946 BC (Solomon’s 25 year), God again appeared to Solomon, responding to his prayer with solemn words about dynasty and temple, people and land. God’s response recalls His promises to David. Though the human consecrations had occurred, the most important consecration was when God declared the house fit for His residence. Three points are made in v 3: God’s “name” would dwell there. God’s “eyes” would be there, giving attention to the house and in seeing out from it as well. And it would be the center of God’s affections, or God’s “heart.” While God affirms that He accepts the temple, He also threatens to destroy it if Solomon or any successor fails to wholeheartedly obey God’s laws. The particular focus here is on the issue of : the people must not “go and serve other gods and worship them” (v. 6). If Solomon’s royal descendants persistently worshiped false gods, the LORD would judge Israel. Since the kings were the spiritual representatives of the people, their disobedience was counted as the disobedience of the people. Then the greatest of the covenant punishments— loss of the Land— could happen to the Israelites. Ironically, after this judgment, the overthrow of Jerusalem and the ruins of the LORD’s temple would cause Israel to become “a proverb and a byword,” or an object of scorn and ridicule among all the peoples (v. 7), just the opposite of God’s missionary purpose for Israel (cf. 8:60). The word pair “proverb and a byword” comes directly from the list of covenant curses in Deuteronomy 28 (v. 37), a chapter that lies behind so much of the prayer of 1 Kings 8:22-53. This prayer has assumed the inevitability of (esp. 8:46), making it clear that the “if” in v. 6 cannot be anything other than a “when” in reality (8:46); obedience will inevitably give way to apostasy. A dark cloud now looms over the Solomonic empire. • 9:10-28. Solomon’s Other Acts. Four short accounts flesh out the writer’s larger portrait of Solomon: his repayment of Hiram (vv. 10-14), his compulsory labor policy (vv. 15-23), his religious life (vv. 24-25), and his new commercial fleet (vv. 26-28). These stories reveal several general social and economic policies loosely related to Solomon’s building operations. In terms of biblical theology, these describe Solomon’s God-given glory. Some of the details of Solomon’s administration involved a misuse, even grossly sinful misuse, of God’s good gifts. However misused, they still revealed the glory that God gave to Solomon. The mention of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and (v. 20) along with Pharaoh’s daughter serves to prepare the reader for Solomon’s later apostasy.

1 Kings 10: The queen of came to test Solomon. She gave him gold, spices and precious stones. Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth. • 10:1-13. The . This chapter deals with Solomon’s wealth, his international reputation, and his trade practices. The author begins with the queen of Sheba (likey Sabea in southern Arabia, modern Yemen) investigating Solomon’s international renown for wisdom, wealth, and political preeminence. Here we see the worldwide fame of Solomon now attracting foreigners to his court. The ease with which Solomon deals with her questions, combined with her own observation of his wealth, leaves her breathless (v. 5). Solomon’s wisdom, given by God, was unprecedented in the entire world, and it amazes this foreign queen. The queen of Sheba reads Solomon’s wisdom and wealth as evidence of God’s pleasure in him. Her beautiful confession shows that she fully understands Israel’s covenant relationship with their God. But it should be understood in light of her polytheistic pagan background. She simply recognizes that is Israel’s ; she is not renouncing her god(s) to worship Israel’s God exclusively. Hiram similarly delighted in God’s choosing Solomon (5:7) without becoming a worshiper of Solomon’s God. Furthermore, there were two sides to the queen’s glowing report of Solomon’s greatness and the blissfulness of his servants. On the good side, it showed both God’s glory and Solomon’s glory and his capacity for producing wealth. But it also showed the short-sighted, luxurious misuse of those gifts. Chapter 10 as a whole in fact focuses on this benefit that wisdom brings to the royal court, and particularly to Solomon himself, rather than on any benefit that might flow out to the people. Solomon was a vastly wealthier person than the queen, something that is underlined in v. 13. What she gives to him pales in relation to what he gives to her. Jesus appeals to this story (Matt 12:42) when He asserts that He is greater in wisdom than Solomon (and wealth when you consider that He owns the universe), and yet while the Queen marveled at Solomon, Jesus’ contemporaries reject Him (and will face judgment). • 10:14-29. Solomon’s Great Wealth. The portrait of Solomon’s wealth and royal splendor reaches its climax. The accumulation of gold continues; it is mentioned no fewer than 11 times in vv. 14, 16-18, 21-22, 25. Solomon decorates his palace with it (v. 16); overlays the finest throne ever seen with it (vv. 18–20); and makes household items with it (v. 21). He is a monarch who resides in a luxurious royal quarter and presides over (and taxes) an international empire that a sizeable military protects and extends. All God’s promises to Solomon had come true. Delaying mention of the problems in the empire, the author gives a preliminary sketch of the Messianic kingdom that could have been. But the closing glimpse of Solomon’s splendid empire ominously foreshadows imminent divine judgment. Solomon’s dealings clearly violate Deut 17:16-17, which expressly forbids kings from accumulating horses (especially not from Egypt), gold, and (vv. 14, 25; 9:11, 14, 28). The hugely successful king stands liable to divine judgment for transgressing the Mosaic Law. All but one of the instructions about kingship in Deut 17:16-17 have thus far been violated. That remaining one (he must not take many wives) will be taken up in chapter 11. 1 Kings 11: Solomon had many wives and turned to other gods. Ahijah told Jeroboam that the LORD would give him ten of the tribes. Solomon died. • 11:1-13. Solomon’s Wives. The upbeat display of Solomon’s wisdom, fame, and splendor (chapters 3-10) sharply contrasts with the sober, ominous indictment that his foreign wives violate the conditions attached to God’s promise to David (cf. 2:4; 9:4-5). Solomon loved the LORD, but he also loved the daughter of Pharaoh and many other women, and he “clung” to them (v. 2). Solomon’s heart was thus divided (v. 4). And in spite of his pious hope that God would always turn Israelite hearts to Himself (8:58), the king’s wives, in his old age, turned away his heart in the opposite direction, “after other gods.” Both Ashtoreth (, Ishtar) and (Molech) were international worshiped under numerous names in different countries. Milcom/ Molech was associated with child (2 Kings 23:10). , by contrast, was a god of , probably a god of war. The hill east of Jerusalem where Solomon built high places for these gods is the Mount of Olives. Solomon’s departure from the LORD produced a sentence of judgment, the execution of which was (graciously) deferred and mitigated on account of his father David’s faithfulness and Jerusalem’s reputation as the LORD’s city (v. 32). • 11:14-25. Solomon’s Foreign Adversaries. In 5:4, Solomon told Hiram, in the midst of God’s blessing, that he had peace on every side. Now the blessing has departed and the peace is fractured. Two men who had hitherto not caused Solomon significant problems are now raised up by God to oppose the apostate king in his old age. The first is , a victim of David’s wars (2 Sam 8:13-14); the second is Rezon, who had apparently either escaped from the battle described in 2 Sam 8:3-4 or fled from Hadadezer later, unwilling to submit to imperial rule from Jerusalem. Both men are instruments of divine judgment, and each poses a serious threat to Solomon and his kingdom. • 11:26-40. Solomon’s Domestic Adversary: Jeroboam. Solomon’s most important enemy, Jeroboam the son of Nebat, was to be found right on his doorstep. He was the former superintendent of the forced labor of the house of , those who had been helping with the construction work in Jerusalem (vv. 27-28). He was approached outside the city by the prophet Ahijah (v. 29) with a prophecy concerning the kingship. The scene is reminiscent of the rejection of Saul in 1 Sam 15; in both passages an outer garment is torn as a symbol of the fact that God is tearing the kingdom away from the reigning king. The garment here is divided into 12 pieces, of which ten, symbolizing 10 northern tribes, are given to Jeroboam (vv. 30-31). One tribe is to remain for the sake of David and Jerusalem (either referring to Judah, with viewed as having been absorbed into, or the “one tribe” is Benjamin, who is included in addition to Judah). In any event, Jeroboam’s rebellion poses the greatest threat to Solomon because Jeroboam has exemplary leadership qualities and because the prophet Ahijah authorized him to act. Solomon’s attempt to kill Jeroboam reduced him to the same tyranny as Saul when Saul tried to kill David. • 11:41-43. Solomon’s Death. After reigning 40 years, Solomon died and was buried in Jerusalem. Sadly, his beginning was better than his ending. It is a reminder that a good start does not guarantee a good finish. A typical regnal summary brings the report on Solomon’s reign to an end and introduces his successor, Rehoboam. The “Book of the Acts of Solomon” is an unknown source; probably the archival records for chapters 1-11 (cf. 14:19, 29). : Rehoboam refused to reduce the labor demands on Israel. So all Israel except Judah made Jeroboam king. Jeroboam made golden calves. • 12:1-15. Rehoboam’s Folly. Following Solomon’s death, the tribal leaders meet in , a place of covenant renewal. Solomon’s latter years had been harsh and the people, with Jeroboam as their spokesmen, voice their concerns. They no longer see themselves as free, but under a “heavy yoke,” as they were in Egypt (Exod 1:14; 2:23). Foolishly, Rehoboam listens to the advice of the younger men, ignores the concerns of the people, and threatens even harsher treatment. In a crude simile, Rehoboam declares that his policy demands will far outdo Solomon’s. In reacting in this way, Rehoboam is behaving exactly as Pharaoh had behaved before him, responding to the words of Moses by increasing the oppression (cf. Exod 5:1-21). Even still, amid all the human decisions, God’s decision is being carried through (v. 15), as was the case with the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart (Exod 4:21; 7:3-4, 13). • 12:16-24. The Kingdom Divided. Kingship cannot be imposed on the people, but must rather have their consent, and so they take upon their lips a cry that is similar to that of Sheba in 2 Sam 20:1, “To your tents, O Israel.” As Moses once led his people out from slavery under the Egyptian pharaoh, so Jeroboam now leads Israel out from “slavery” under the house of David; but “Jeroboam as Moses” is soon transformed into “Jeroboam as Aaron” as he fashions golden calves for Israel to worship. Such idolatrous worship will eventually result in disaster for Israel. As for Rehoboam, he had no idea how close he came to losing everything— but for God’s grace and the Davidic covenant. While it was true that only the tribe of Judah completely followed David, portions of Benjamin, remnants of , many , and even other northerners who wished to remain true to the covenant dynasty also followed the house of David (2 Chron 11:13-17). Through a prophetic message, God informs Rehoboam that divine action, not human scheming, brought about the kingdom’s division, sparing Judah a futile, disastrous war. • 12:25-33. Jeroboam’s Golden Calves. Despite his divine appointment, King Jeroboam fears that pilgrimages to the temple will drive his subjects to kill him and return to Rehoboam. He oversteps his authority and violates the when he creates an alternative religious system (with an altered calendar) and appoints illegitimate priests to try and keep the people away from Jerusalem. He made “two calves of gold” and announced, “Behold your gods,” words identical to those of Aaron four hundred years earlier (Exod 32:4). Jeroboam also built centers of worship within his own territory to rival Jerusalem—one in the far north (Dan) and one in the far south (). This represents the proliferation of “high places” about which the authors of 1-2 Kings are so deeply concerned. This worship is Israel’s characteristic sin that eventually leads the people to exile in a foreign land (2 Kings 17:20-23). 1 Kings 13: A man of God cried out against Jeroboam's altar. He disobeyed the LORD by eating at an old prophet's house and was killed by a lion. • 13:1-10. A Man of God Confronts Jeroboam. This chapter’s key thematic phrase is “by the word of the LORD” as divine initiative drives the story. God’s sending to the northern kingdom a prophet from the southern kingdom underscores that the LORD remains the sovereign covenant God of all His people and warns Jeroboam that his competing religious system is illegitimate because no prophetic word authorized it. His prophecy that , centuries later, would desecrate the idolatrous altar with the corpses of its priests was a powerful statement of God’s rejection of this disobedient worship. As related in the later story, these were corpses of already dead priests retrieved from a local cemetery (2 Kings 23:16). The truth of the prophet’s curse was attested by an immediate sign, the damaging of that altar with the spilling of ashes on the ground. This short-term prediction aims to validate that the long-term prophecy is genuine. God also miraculously punished Jeroboam with a withered hand only to heal it again after the intercession of the prophet, again proving the prophet’s words. Yet Jeroboam never repents. A meal with Jeroboam at Bethel might imply that the prophet tolerates the king’s idolatry, and so the prophet moves on. • 13:11-34. The Prophet’s Disobedience. Jeroboam’s shallow perception of God’s holiness would be matched by a certain old prophet who lived in Bethel. This prophet lied to the prophet from Judah. Perhaps the prophet of Bethel wanted the prophet of Judah to stave off Bethel’s destruction by sharing food with him. Then ironically, as they ate, God spoke His true judgment through the same prophet who had just moments earlier lied. God’s judgment of the disobedient prophet from Judah is another example of His severe judgment in this book. One lesson is that true prophecy will bring forth the judgment it promises. Even cannot escape if they are disobedient. The account of the prophet’s death is full of wonders. The lion did not devour the corpse or injure the donkey. The donkey stayed put instead of running away. And the lion did not threaten the old prophet when he came to retrieve the corpse— an act of nobility and bravery in contrast to his earlier deceit. The prophet from Judah was buried with honor and respect, and the old prophet reaffirmed the truth of the message by sharing his burial place with the dead prophet. His repentance is contrasted with that of Jeroboam, whose defiance will earn him judgment. He again profanes sacred ritual by assuming the right to ordain priests, and in doing so, forfeited his covenant with God.

1 Kings 14: Ahijah told Jeroboam's wife: "The LORD says, 'I will sweep away the house of Jeroboam.'" Rehoboam ruled Judah and Judah did evil. • 14:1-20. Prophecy Against Jeroboam. In spite of the events of chapter 13, Jeroboam still thinks he can control his world, using to his own advantage. He apparently that he can fool the old prophet Ahijah into giving him a positive message about his son. Jeroboam had been promised a dynasty (“house”) just like David’s (11:38). His desire also to have a temple (“house”) just like David’s, however, led him into disobedience, and chapter 13 has just revealed what happens to the disobedient. These verses now describes what happened as a result of Jeroboam’s desire to have the two “houses” he wanted instead of the one he was promised. The prophet Ahijah announces Jeroboam’s condemnation and details the disastrous fates awaiting both king and country. The king’s wife and the sick personify the disaster about to befall Jeroboam and his family. Jeroboam instructs his wife to visit the prophet (vv. 1-3), but God alerts Ahijah concerning it (vv. 4-6), who conveys a prophecy to Jeroboam through his queen (vv. 7-16); Jeroboam’s sin resulted in God’s raising up a new king who would destroy Jeroboam’s dynasty. Since God had found “something pleasing” in Jeroboam’s sick son, a peaceful death and burial were his reward. The Bible does not reveal what the good thing was. The announcement of exile in v. 15 anticipates the destruction of the northern kingdom and its exile two centuries later. The fulfillment of Ahijah’s words in vv. 12-13 play out in vv. 17- 18. The record of Jeroboam ends with a conventional closing in vv. 19-20. “The Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel” is an as yet undiscovered source of information for the reigns of northern kings. They are not found in the Bible, and they are different from the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles. Jeroboam marks the first of a long, sordid history of evil northern monarchs who continue Jeroboam’s disobedience and idolatry and thus imperil northern Israel. • 14:21-31. Rehoboam Reigns in Judah. The back-and-forth parallel treatments of the kings of Judah and Israel begin here and continue until Israel’s end (2 Kings 17). Sadly, Judah’s idolatry under Rehoboam eclipses that of Solomon and Jeroboam. The list of wicked deeds in vv. 22-24 is even more degrading than the typical offenses of some northern kings. The text thus looks ahead to the end of Judah, just as was the case with Israel (v. 15). God will drive Judah out of the Promised Land just as He “drove out” the various peoples that lived there before because of idolatry. The decline in Judah is evidenced by their weakness before Shishak king of Egypt as well as Rehoboam’s replacement of the plundered gold shields with less valuable bronze shields. This time is also marked by border wars between Judah and Israel, which continue for a half century (cf. 15:6-7, 16-23, 32). The mention of Rehoboam’s mother’s Ammonite heritage (v. 31) may hint that her pagan influence (15:13) affected her son’s character. 1 Kings 15: Abijam ruled Judah and was not devoted to the LORD. Asa ruled and did right. Nadab ruled Israel and did evil. Baasha killed Nadab. • 15:1-8. Abijam Reigns in Judah. The authors continue to tell about the kings of Judah before returning to pick up the threads of the history of Israel with Nadab, son of Jeroboam. Judah’s susceptibility to idolatrous influences and the LORD’s loyalty to David typify Abijah’s three-year reign (913-911/10 BC). Abijam indulged in the idolatry of Solomon in his later days and of Rehoboam. Nevertheless, divine mercy was extended for the sake of David. Abijam’s mother was Maacah, from the line of Absalom, or Abishalom (v. 2). This relationship might indicate that Solomon’s family had to make some accommodations with the family of Absalom, Solomon’s half-brother, to maintain rule over Judah. Abijam’s reign also continued the border wars with Jeroboam that began in the days of Rehoboam. • 15:9-24. Asa Reigns in Judah. Asa enjoys a long reign (911/10-870/69 BC) and ranks among the few kings of Judah whose reign approached that of David’s. Asa is the first of four later Davidic kings to initiate religious reform against idolatry. The only unexpected point in Asa’s opener is that he was a grandson of Maacah (v. 10; first generation descent is not required in the words “father” or “mother”), from the line of Absalom; thus, Absalom and Solomon were co-ancestors to the covenant royal line. As queen mother, Maacah, was a stumbling block to in the LORD, and part of cleansing the kingdom was removing her bad influence. While Asa did not remove all the high places (though some he did; cf. 2 Chron 15:17), his devotion was confirmed in bringing in the sacred gifts to the temple. What influenced Asa to be a godly king may have been the presence of godly Levites in the south (2 Chron 11:13- 14). Asa saw five Israelite kings rise and fall before the infamous began his rule (16:29), most of which was spent waging war with Baasha during his 24-year reign. He was such a serious threat that Asa purchased an alliance with the of Damascus. The Chronicler rebukes Asa for not trusting in the LORD instead (2 Chron 16:7-10). • 15:25-32. Nadab Reigns in Israel. During Nadab’s two-year reign (910/9-909/8 BC) in Israel, he acts just like his father, Jeroboam. He is the victim of the first of three violent coups in the northern kingdom’s early history. In killing “all the house of Jeroboam” (v. 29), Baasha fulfills the prophecy of Ahijah in 14:10-11. The fulfillment has been delayed until it has been made clear how differently God treats the house of David, whose wicked kings do not bring the downfall of the dynasty “because for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem” (v. 4). • 15:33-34. Baasha Reigns in Israel. Baasha’s 24-year reign (909/8-886/85 BC) is in the same evil mold as Jeroboam. 1 Kings 16: Elah ruled Israel and did evil. Zimri killed Elah but Israel made Omri king. Omri did evil. Ahab ruled and began to worship . • 16:1-7. Baasha Reigns in Israel (cont.). God’s judgment would come upon Baasha and his house (v. 3) both because of his “being like the house of Jeroboam” and “because he destroyed” Jeroboam’s house (v. 7; cf. 15:29). The fact that God had ordained that Jeroboam’s house be destroyed did not absolve Baasha of moral responsibility for his actions. ’s (only mentioned here) prophetic announcement condemns Baasha to Jeroboam’s fate. His words in v. 4 virtually quotes Ahijah’s word to Jeroboam (14:11) and resembles what says to Ahab (21:24; cf. 21:23). • 16:8-14. Elah Reigns in Israel. Israel’s second assassination abruptly ends Elah’s two-year reign (886/85-885/84 BC). This mirrors the era’s political instability, as conspiracy leads to assassination of the current king and the killer’s accession to the throne (vv. 9-10); the new king then annihilates his predecessor’s whole family (v. 11) to fulfill a prophecy (v. 12) because the late king promoted idolatry (v. 13). The irony is that at Zimri’s hands Elah, Baasha’s son, falls victim to the same fate that his father had inflicted on Nadab. • 16:15-20. Zimri Reigns in Israel. Zimri’s inglorious reign is the shortest in Israel’s history. Omri, a capable battlefield commander, led the troops to Tirzah, captured the city, and Zimri committed suicide after ruling only seven days. • 16:21-28. Omri Reigns in Israel. After two coups and a short-lived civil war, Omri gives the northern kingdom a period of political stability and a new capital city (). He also founds a dynasty that will last more than 40 years. The greatest impact of Omri’s dynasty was in religion. Omri’s daughter-in-law was . Jezebel’s Baal was not a typical Palestinian Baal. Rather, he was Baal-melkart, the King of the City (Tyre), the patron for more than half of the contemporaneous trade wealth of the Mediterranean. Ahab introduced this deity into Israel, creating a spiritual crisis. The next fifty years of Hebrew history and about seventeen chapters of Kings (1 Kings 16:23-2 Kings 11:3) are devoted to this crisis; it was the occasion for the miraculous ministries of Elijah and . • 16:29-34. Ahab Reigns in Israel. This introduces and evaluates Ahab’s reign (874/73–853 BC) in severely negative terms. He added to “the sins of Jeroboam” with a marriage to a foreign woman, Jezebel, who inevitably led him into idolatry. The unprecedented divine fury (v. 33) that Ahab’s actions cause indicates how outrageous God regards Ahab’s royal initiatives. Ahab’s dynasty had a lasting impact on both Israel and Judah. Joshua had pronounced a curse on anyone who might rebuild (Josh 6:26), and the authors of 1-2 Kings understand this curse as the prophetic “word of the LORD.” Although the text does not say specifically how the two sons of Hiel died, it is possible that he offered them in sacrifice, or that they died as a special judgment from God, in fulfillment of Joshua’s curse. 1 Kings 17: Elijah told Ahab, "There will be no ." Elijah stayed with a widow in Zarephath. The widow's son died but the LORD revived him. • 17:1-7. Elijah Predicts a Drought. Chapter 17 provides the context of a God-ordained drought, in which the climactic demonstration of the truth about God and the “gods” will take place (18:20-40). Elijah’s dramatic debut in the Scriptures asserts that it is the LORD, not Baal or any other “god,” who controls both life and death, both fertility and infertility. In Canaanite religion, Baal had authority over rain and fertility, and the absence of rain meant the absence of Baal. But this story demonstrates that it is the LORD, not Baal, who brings fertility; and the LORD’s presence in judgment, not His absence, leads to infertility. As Israel suffers severe drought and Baal’s credibility as guarantor of fertility falls, God sovereignly provides for his faithful servant Elijah. The miraculous provision keeps Elijah alive east of the Jordan River just as God sustained Israel in the wilderness in Moses’ day. The contrast between a well-fed Elijah in Gilead with a hungry Israel in the Promised Land clearly portrays Israel’s reliance on Baal for food as foolish. • 17:8-16. The Widow of Zarephath. God again relocates Elijah a long way from Ahab, though very near the king’s ally in , where Jezebel grew up. This location again displays God’s sovereignty over fertility and life itself in the heartland of Baal worship. Widows in Israel were often poor, surviving mainly on food distributed from local food- tithe donations (cf. Deut 14:28-29). Verse 12 confirms her poverty. For Jesus, the rejection of Elijah in Israel that leads Elijah to this non-Israelite widow compares to the rejection of Jesus and His Messianic mission in Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth (Luke 4:24-26). Against all parental instinct, the woman is asked to give Elijah something to eat first, before feeding herself and her son. In complying, she takes a great step of faith, and is rewarded. • 17:17-24. Elijah Raises the Widow’s Son. The widow appears to have been convinced of the truth of Elijah’s religion by the demonstration of God’s power in vv. 8-16. When death does eventually catch up with the family, she knows that it must be the LORD’s doing; she blames God’s prophet for reminding God of her sin. Elijah concurs with her view about who is the ultimate cause (v. 20), but in his prayer he makes no comment on whether the widow’s sin was the human cause. In a world where there is only one true God, everything must in the end lie in His power. The issue is whether the LORD or Baal controls life and death. This incident forms part of the larger struggle between the two deities in 1-2 Kings. The son’s confirms for the widow that Elijah is an instrument of God’s power and, more important, that the prophet is a reliable spokesperson of God’s word. It is ironic that a Phoenician woman confesses that God speaks through Elijah, an acknowledgment that God’s own people refused to affirm. : Elijah went to Ahab and challenged the prophets of Baal. Baal gave no answer but the LORD answered Elijah with fire. Then rain fell. • 18:1-19. Elijah Confronts Ahab. In chapter 17 Elijah has lived privately, first in the Transjordanian wilderness and then in a Sidonian home. Now he reappears in public, as the LORD commissions him to confront the king face to face. Elijah’s return to Israel signals the reversal of the drought that 17:1 decreed. The drought is to end, but it must become clear beforehand, not only to the widow of Zarephath but also to all Israel, who is God. Through Obadiah, Elijah glimpses his homeland as a battleground between state-sponsored idolatry and the persecuted faithful of the LORD. Their meeting marks the first step toward the climactic contest between the combatants on . Ahab sees Elijah as the cause of the ’s trouble (v. 17). But Elijah rightly answers that Ahab, who has turned to other gods, is the true troubler of Israel (v. 18). Elijah’s open invitation in v. 19 to all Israelites suggests the national importance of the event and the issue to be decided. Mount Carmel is a hill situated near modern . • 18:20-40. The Prophets of Baal Defeated. Elijah’s challenge in v. 21 describes Israel’s indecision concerning whether Baal or Yahweh is the true God. The religious ambivalence cannot continue because the LORD demands exclusive allegiance. Elijah proposed the terms of the test: whichever god miraculously ignited and burned his sacrifice would prove to be the true deity who was worthy of the people’s allegiance. Since Baal was the storm god, his followers believed he could answer with fire (). But this encounter would show which deity really controlled the and provided what the people needed. At the same time, it would show who was a destroyer of Israel, rebellious Ahab or the LORD’s prophet Elijah. The priests of Baal entered into the contest with great zeal, even cutting themselves, but after several hours Elijah begins to taunt them with some disrespectful suggestions as to why they are receiving no answer. A real god would not be limited in such ways. Upon his turn, Elijah took steps to avoid any appearance of trickery or fraud. If his God could get a drenching wet sacrifice to burn, He was God indeed. Elijah’s public prayer in vv. 36-37 gives evidence of great faith and confidence that God will answer, and is also a powerful statement of the theology of God’s great works. Just as the temple singers declared God’s great works so the world could know God (Psa 66:3-4), Elijah prayed for a miraculous sign so this people would “know that you, O LORD, are God.” The simplicity of Elijah’s procedure is impressive. He prayed and the sacrifice was miraculously burned. The fire of the LORD consumes not only the burnt offering and the wood but also the inflammable stones as well as the water in the trench. As all the people realize, this fire can only be a special work of God. Elijah then executed God’s judgment on the false prophets that Moses had commanded in Deut 13:5, 13-18; 17:2-5. • 18:41-46. The LORD Sends Rain. Two final miraculous events on this day were: (1) the coming of the rain as a result of Elijah’s prayer, and (2) Elijah’s supernatural strength in leaving the scene and passing Ahab’s chariot before the storm. Jezreel was a city 17 miles east of Mount Carmel, further confirming that it is God who empowers Elijah. : Elijah fled from Jezebel. At Horeb there was a , an earthquake and a fire; then the LORD spoke. Elijah put his mantle on Elisha. • 19:1-8. Elijah Flees Jezebel. After God’s miraculous sign at Carmel, there is no record of repentance. The clear lesson is that sinful people can still reject the greatest of God’s signs (Luke 16:31). Another lesson is that faithful disciples are wrong to suppose that they are all alone or that God’s purposes have truly failed. After Elijah’s triumph on Mount Carmel, a more formidable opponent than Ahab awaits him in the form of Queen Jezebel. Her death threat leads Elijah to forget to think theologically, so he flees from Jezreel in the north to Beersheba in the far south of the Promised Land—as far away from Jezebel as he can get. Up to this point, Elijah’s movements have been in response to the “word of the LORD,” which is conspicuously absent in this flight. Victory now becomes defeat as Elijah retreats, both physically and mentally. Ultimately, at an ’s instruction, he arrives at another mountain, not to confront Baal, but the LORD Himself, whom Elijah serves but whose ways he only partly understands and accepts. Allusions to Moses’ life abound in this chapter, painting Elijah as a prophet like Moses (cf. Deut 18:14-22). Like Moses, Elijah escapes a royal execution and encounters God at Horeb (). Also, God sustains Elijah for the same length of time (40 days) and at the same place as he did Moses (Exod 24:18; 34:28; cf. Exod 3:1; 19:3). This duration also equals the time period that Jesus (the ultimate prophet like Moses) will spend in the wilderness (Matt 4:2, 11). • 19:9-18. The LORD Speaks to Elijah. At Horeb, Elijah finds a cave, and given the links to Moses, is perhaps the cleft of the rock that protected Moses as God passed by (Exod 33:22). There, Elijah would have his personal faith renewed by God’s presence. God first reveals His presence to Elijah in His greatness and power (as at Carmel), but He did not speak from that position. Instead, He spoke in a soft whisper, showing Himself to be a God who communicates via a still, small voice as well as powerful displays. His power is especially present in His word. For the moment God’s will is not to judge Israel but for Elijah (and Elisha) to continue God’s dealings with His people through ordinary events. Total victory will come as a result of an ordinary political process (a “whisper”), as God sovereignly removes certain kings and sets up others; it will not come only as a result of obviously spectacular demonstrations of divine power (wind, earthquake, and fire) as at Carmel. And it will arrive not as a result of Elijah’s efforts but as a result of the efforts of others. And so Elijah was to anoint Hazael as king over Aram, Jehu as king of Israel, and Elisha as his own successor. Although Elijah thought he was alone, God reveals that He has preserved a godly remnant (v. 18), an important biblical theme. God still has 7,000 people through whom He could work in the future. According to Paul, who believe in Christ compose a remnant that also fulfills the claim of this verse (Rom 11:2-5). • 19:19-21. The Call of Elisha. Elijah immediately completes the third item of his commission: anointing his successor, Elisha (though the word “anointing” is never used). The “cloak” worn by Elijah was a symbol of his position and of Elisha’s succession to that position. There is debate as to whether Elijah is really back on track. There is no mention here or in the upcoming chapters of Elijah’s ever meeting (or trying to meet) Hazael and Jehu. Elijah’s apparent lack of enthusiasm for God’s plan stands in sharp contrast to Elisha’s reaction. Though prosperous, he immediately leaves his normal employment to follow his new mentor, pausing only briefly to cut his ties with his old life. He kisses his parents goodbye, symbolizing that he has abandoned home and livelihood for the LORD. He also destroys his old means of sustenance. Compare Elisha’s words to those Jesus spoke to a would-be disciple in Luke 9:62. 1 Kings 20: Ben-hadad attacked Samaria. Israel defeated the Arameans twice. Ahab made a treaty with Ben-hadad so a prophet spoke against him. • 20:1-12. Ahab’s Wars with . After Elijah’s recruitment of Elisha, one expects to read of his anointing of Hazael as king over Syria and of Jehu as king over Israel. Instead, one finds a story in which a different prophet appears and in which a different king of Syria (Ben-hadad) loses a war with Ahab. The message of ch. 19 is thus underlined: Elijah is not the only servant of God left, in spite of what he has claimed, and the quiet ways of God must take their course for a while before the events spoken of in 19:17 come to pass. The king of Syria seeks to reduce Israel to vassal status. His terms are at first accepted by Ahab (v. 4), only to be later rejected when they are increased (vv. 5-9) • 20:13-34. Ahab Twice Defeats Ben-hadad. Ahab twice defeats Ben-Hadad after God reassures and guides him through prophets. The prophetic support of Ahab’s military ventures here contrasts sharply with the negative, critical treatment of the king by prophets in chapters 16-19. The story alternates between Israelite and Aramean perspectives. Israel is to fight according to a divine battle plan that does not make much human sense. This is to show that the LORD is the only real God there is, and He is active both in the “hills” and the “valleys.” Also, the purpose of the divine intervention was that Ahab would recognize God’s character. The lesson failed. • 20:35-43. Ahab Rebuked by the LORD. From a human point of view, with the need to create an alliance with Damascus and anyone else who would join against the Assyrians, Ahab was politically wise and prudent in dealing gently with the defeated Arameans. However prudent that policy may have been, the prophetic voices, speaking for God, condemned this act of prudent mercy. Once again, prudent politics conflicted with following the LORD. As far as the prophets were concerned, Ben-hadad had been “devoted to destruction” and Ahab had violated that divine ban. In a scene reminiscent of 2 Sam 12:1-4, the prophet tricks the king into pronouncing judgment on himself, albeit with a disguise whose purpose is obscure. Ahab’s death is strangely prefigured in the very manner in which God’s word about it comes to him. A prophet has disguised himself as a soldier fresh from fighting the Syrians, in order to catch the king. In 1 Kings 22:29–40 Ahab will disguise himself as a soldier when going out to fight the Syrians, in order to trap a prophet (and his God). His strategy will fail as spectacularly as this prophet’s has succeeded. 1 Kings 21: Naboth would not sell his vineyard, so Jezebel had him killed. Elijah said to Ahab, "Dogs will lick up your blood and eat Jezebel. • 21:1-16. Naboth’s Vineyard. This brief interlude leaves the ongoing war with Aram and the critique of Ahab’s idolatry in order to indict him for cruel injustice. It begins when Ahab covets the vineyard of a man named Naboth and seeks to acquire it for himself. The law had legal provisions that protected the rights of Israelite land-holding families. The land could not be permanently taken from the family, but it had to be returned either by redemption or by the free return in the Jubilee Year (Lev 25:10). There were no provisions for the selling or exchanging of land such as that which Ahab requested of Naboth. Therefore, Naboth refused to sell his father’s inheritance to the king. Ahab the mighty warrior pouted because Naboth the farmer had refused his offer. His scruples, as well as his childishness, are somewhat surprising. But his wife had neither. Jezebel resolved Ahab’s unhappiness with a scheme that involved perverting the law, perjury, and murder. First, she communicated a sense of seriousness by declaring a solemn fast. She then arranged for two wicked men to bring false accusations against Naboth. She knew Israelite law well enough to know that two witnesses were needed (Deut 17:6). Then she had Naboth accused of verbally abusing God and the king. Jezebel’s evil scheme was effective and Naboth was executed. What is not related, though it clearly happened, is that Naboth’s male heirs were also killed (2 Kings 9:25-26). This was necessary since as long as Naboth had surviving heirs, the land belonged to his family. In a raw exercise of power, Ahab then took possession. • 21:17-24. The LORD Condemns Ahab. An apparently reinvigorated Elijah appears again in Jezreel to denounce Ahab’s heinous crime against Naboth and to foretell the destruction of Ahab’s family for all its sins. The curse pronounced on Ahab comes in two different statements. The first was expressed in God’s words to Elijah and described the way dogs would lick up Ahab’s blood in the same place that they licked up Naboth’s blood and the blood of his sons. Second, disaster would come on all the males, both slave and free, of Ahab’s house. Dogs and carrion birds would devour their corpses. The statement that dogs would lick Ahab’s blood in the same place that they licked Naboth’s blood did not happen exactly this way. Naboth was killed in Jezreel, and Ahab’s chariot was washed out in Samaria (22:38). However, the Bible implies that this prophecy of Elijah was fulfilled in stages, first by Ahab and then when Joram, Ahab’s son, was left for the dogs on Naboth’s land in Jezreel (2 Kings 9:24-26). This explanation is also consistent with the delay of punishment due to Ahab’s repentance. • 21:25-29. Ahab’s Repentance. Ahab was the worst of kings (vv. 25–26), adding to Jeroboam’s sin the worship of Baal. And he was not excused of responsibility because his evil was influenced by his wife. In a surprising acceptance of a very shallow repentance (note Ahab’s continued rebellion in the next chapter), God pronounced that the prophesied destruction on Ahab’s house would happen only after Ahab’s death. We must accept God’s sovereignty on those occasions when he seems harsh by our standards and also when he seems too merciful by our judgment. 1 Kings 22: Ahab and Jehoshaphat planned for war. Micaiah said, "I saw Israel scattered. Your prophets are lying." Ahab was killed in battle. • 22:1-12. Ahab and the False Prophets. The peace that followed the battle of (20:26-34) lasted three years. Jehoshaphat first introduced at 15:24, but now we learn that he is both at peace with Ahab and a devout man. While he agrees to go with Ahab to retake Ramoth-gilead, he first desires to inquire of the LORD. Ahab’s attitude toward prophets was pragmatic and agnostic, and it was determined by political expediency. He did not care what truth was. Prophets were tools for the king’s political purposes and so he gathered false prophets who told him what he wanted to hear. To his credit, Jehoshaphat wants to hear from a genuine prophet and so Micaiah is summoned. • 22:13-28. Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab. Expediency was the theme of the advice given to Micaiah by the messenger sent by the king, but Micaiah’s response in v. 14 was a statement of faithfulness and truth. Initially, Micaiah sarcastically mimics the 400 false prophets, but Ahab recognized his irony. He demanded that the prophet tell him the truth. Micaiah then gave Ahab a message from the LORD— a vision of without a shepherd. This should have recalled the king’s role as shepherd, but Ahab rejected this clear warning. Micaiah then recounts his vision of God’s heavenly throne room concerning Ahab’s fate. The scene highlights that though God Himself does not do evil, He sometimes uses evil agents to accomplish His purposes. Some interpret the “lying spirit” as or a . Others view it as a spirit of God who carries out the mission of a deceiving spirit (cf. 1 Sam 15:29). Whatever the case may be, note that the deceit was given to prophets who were already presenting false witness. In the end, only the true prophet of God told Ahab the truth. Rather than listen to the truth-telling prophet, Ahab accepts the lie, for it fits what he wants to hear, and the lie lures him to the execution that God has ordained for him. • 22:29-40. Ahab’s Death. This section details the circumstances of Ahab’s death and burial. Ahab fails to escape what Elijah and Micaiah prophesy against him. His death in battle fulfills their word and vindicates them as genuine prophets of God. Despite Ahab’s efforts to thwart their word by disguising himself in battle, God accomplished what human cunning could neither bring about nor prevent by ordaining the flight of a randomly shot arrow. • 22:41-50. Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah. This presents the account of Jehoshaphat’s 25-year reign (872/71-848 BC). Except for one important shortcoming, he is one of the few kings of Judah who remained faithful to the LORD. • 22:51-53. Azariah Reigns in Israel. Ahab’s son and successor (853-852 BC) continues the idolatrous policy of his parents (Ahab and Jezebel) and of Jeroboam. His story is picked up at the beginning of 2 Kings.