OT Survey I Kings

Location of Kings in Canon English Hebrew [Historical Books] [Torah] Joshua Judges Ruth Samuel Kings Chronicles Ezra/Neh/Est [Former Prophets] Joshua Judges Samuel Kings [Latter Prophets] (Isa, Jer, Ezek, 12) [Writings] (e.g., E/N, Esth, Dan, Psa, Prov)

Location of Kings in Canon Pentateuch (esp. Deuteronomy) Joshua Judges Samuel Kings

Noahic to Abrahamic Covenant Promise – Noahic Covenant (Gen 9) Failure – Tower of Babel (Gen 11) Renewal – Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 15 -> 17) [note the historical prologue in 15:7] Theophany – Smoking Oven and Flaming Torch (Gen 15) Concern – Disobedience will result in cutting off (Gen 17) Waiting – Abraham grows old (Gen 16) Impatience – Abraham takes Hagar (Gen 16) Fulfillment Begins – Isaac born (Gen 21) “Now it came about after the death of Abraham…” (Genesis 25:11)

Abrahamic to Mosaic Covenant Promise – Abrahamic Covenant Failure – Israel in Egypt (Gen 37 - Exod 12) Renewal – Mosaic Covenant (Exod 19-31 -> Lev) [note the historical prologue in 19:4] Theophany – God thundering from Sinai (Exod 19) Concern – Boundaries to obey (Exod)! God is holy (Lev)! Waiting – For Moses to return (Exod 32:1) Impatience – Golden Calf (Exod 32) Fulfillment Begins – Tabernacle Finished (Exod 34-40) “…after the death of the two sons of Aaron…” (Leviticus 16:1)

Mosaic to Deuteronomic Covenant Promise – Mosaic Covenant Failure – All of Numbers; but esp. at Kadesh (Num 13) Renewal – Deut. Covenant (Num 14 -> Deut 1-30) [note the historical prologue in Deut 1-4] Theophany – God appears in tent (Num 14 -> Deut 31:15) Concern – Israel won’t obey! (Num 14 -> Deut 31:16-32:52) Waiting – 40 years in the wilderness (Num 13-19) Impatience – Moses strikes the rock (Num 20) Fulfillment Begins – East of the Jordan (Num 21-36) “Now it came about after the death of Moses…” (Joshua 1:1)

Deuteronomic to Joshua’s Covenant Promise – Deuteronomic Covenant Failure – No Herem at Ai (Josh 7) Renewal – Renewed Covenant (Josh 8 -> 24) [note the historical prologue in Josh 24:1-13] Theophany – ??? Concern – Israel will not obey, has idols (Josh 24) Waiting – As opponents assemble (Josh 9:1) Impatience – Not inquiring of Yahweh (Josh 9) Fulfillment Begins – Israel starts to take land (Josh 12) “Now it came about after the death of Joshua…” (Judges 1:1)

Joshua’s to Samuel’s Covenant Promise – Joshua’s Covenant (i.e., renewed by Joshua) Failure – Judges through 1 Samuel 8, esp. 1 Samuel 8 Renewal – Samuel’s Covenant (1 Sam 10 -> 12) [note the historical prologue in 1 Sam 12:6-11] Theophany – 1 Sam 12:16-19 Concern – Sin will lead to God’s opposition (1 Sam 12:15) Waiting – Saul for Samuel (1 Sam 13:8) Impatience – Acting before Samuel’s arrival (1 Sam 13:9-10) Fulfillment Begins – David anointed as king (1 Sam 16) “Now it came about after the death of Saul…” (2 Sam 1:1)

Samuel to David’s Covenant Promise – Samuel’s Covenant (i.e., renewed by Samuel) Failure – Righteous king not reigning (1 Sam 18 - 2 Sam 4) Renewal – David’s Covenant (2 Sam 7; 1 Kings ???) [note the historical prologue in 2 Sam 7:8-9] Theophany – 1 Kings ??? Concern – Sin brings discipline (2 Sam 7:14; 1 Kings ???) Waiting – David waiting for army’s return (2 Sam 11:1-3) Impatience(?) – Taking of Bathsheba (2 Sam 11) Fulfillment Begins – Solomon is born (2 Sam 12:24-25)

Samuel to David’s Covenant Promise – Samuel’s Covenant (i.e., renewed by Samuel) Failure – Righteous king not reigning (1 Sam 18 - 2 Sam 4) Renewal – David’s Covenant (2 Sam 7; 1 Kings 9:1-9) [note the historical prologue in 2 Sam 7:8-9] Theophany – 1 Kings 8:10-11 Concern – Sin brings discipline (2 Sam 7:14; 1 Kings 9:6-9) Waiting – David waiting for army’s return (2 Sam 11:1-3) Impatience(?) – Taking of Bathsheba (2 Sam 11) Fulfillment Begins – Solomon is born (2 Sam 12:24-25)

Solomon and the Davidic Covenant (Hope) Expecting him as initial fulfillment (2 Sam 12:25) Selected instead of older brother 1st: Amnon has died (2 Sam 3:2; 13:28-29) 2nd: Kileab never again mentioned (2 Sam 3:3) 3rd: Absalom has died (2 Sam 3:3; 18:15) 4th: Adonijah, son of Haggith (2 Sam 3:4; 1 Kgs 1:5) David’s instruction (1 Kgs 2:1-4) Adonijah’s demise (1 Kgs 2:23-25) Abiathar’s dismissal (1 Kgs 2:26-27) Joab’s demise (1 Kgs 2:31-34) Shimei’s demise (1 Kgs 2:44-46) *** 1 Kings 1-2 really completes the story of Samuel

Solomon and the Davidic Covenant (Fulfillment) Warning to the reader (foreign wife, but loves God)! (3:1-4) God appears to Solomon Wisdom requested and granted (3:5-12) Glory not requested but granted (3:13) Requirement [and concern?] (3:14) Story of women, Wisdom of Solomon (3:15-28) Government of Solomon (4:1-34) [note 4:20-25!] Works of Solomon (with Hiram) (5:1-18) [note 5:4, 7!] Temple of Solomon (6:1-7:51) KEY CHAPTER: God dwells in temple! (8:1-66) Renewal! (9:1-5) Concern! (9:6-9)

Solomon and the Davidic Covenant (Failure) Hiram unpleased with cities given to him (9:10-14) Gov’t of Solomon (Canaanites still there!) (9:15-28) Story of woman, Wisdom of Solomon (10:1-13) Glory of Solomon (10:14-22) Wisdom of Solomon (10:23-25) Failure of Solomon (10:26-11:43) Involves foreign wives, loves them, not God. Deuteronomy 17! See David Dorsey, Literary Structure of the Old Testament

Samuel to David’s Covenant Promise – Samuel’s Covenant (i.e., renewed by Samuel) Failure – Righteous king not reigning (1 Sam 18 - 2 Sam 4) Renewal – David’s Covenant (2 Sam 7; 1 Kings 9:1-9) [note the historical prologue in 2 Sam 7:8-9] Theophany – 1 Kings 8:10-11 Concern – Sin brings discipline (2 Sam 7:14; 1 Kings 9:6-9) Waiting – David waiting for army’s return (2 Sam 11:1-3) Impatience(?) – Taking of Bathsheba (2 Sam 11) Fulfillment Begins – Solomon is born (2 Sam 12:24-25)

Now it came about after the death of… And it came about after the death of Abraham . . . (Gen 25:11) [Hebrew is the same] Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD . . . (Joshua 1:1) Now it came about after the death of Joshua . . (Judges 1:1) Now it came about after the death of Saul . . . (2 Samuel 1:1) . . . after the death of the two sons of Aaron. (Lev 16:1) [Similar Hebrew] . . . after the death of Ahab. (2 Kings 1:1)

Samuel to David’s Covenant Promise – Samuel’s Covenant (i.e., renewed by Samuel) Failure – Righteous king not reigning (1 Sam 18 - 2 Sam 4) Renewal – David’s Covenant (2 Sam 7; 1 Kings 9:1-9) [note the historical prologue in 2 Sam 7:8-9] Theophany – 1 Kings 8:10-11 Concern – Sin brings discipline (2 Sam 7:14; 1 Kings 9:6-9) Waiting – David waiting for army’s return (2 Sam 11:1-3) Impatience(?) – Taking of Bathsheba (2 Sam 11) Fulfillment Begins – Solomon is born (2 Sam 12:24-25) “Now Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab” (2 Kings 1:1)

David to Elisha’s Covenant Promise – David’s Covenant Failure – Northern kingdom not recognizing Davidic king Davidic kings not ruling in righteousness Renewal – Elisha’s Covenant (2 Kings ???) Theophany – 2 Kings ??? Concern – Sin brings discipline (2 Kings ???) 2 Kings 17, 25!

Location of Kings in Canon English Hebrew [Historical Books] [Torah] Joshua Judges Ruth Samuel Kings Chronicles Ezra/Neh/Est [Former Prophets] Joshua Judges Samuel Kings [Latter Prophets] (Isa, Jer, Ezek, 12) [Writings] (e.g., E/N, Esth, Dan, Psa, Prov)

Structure of Kings* 1 Kings 1 -11** – Beginning of Davidic kingdom 1 Kings 12-16 – Beginning of northern kingdom 1 Kings 17- 2 Kings 1 – Beginning of Ahab’s kingdom 2 Kings 2-8 – The prophet Elisha 2 Kings 9-13 – End of Ahab’s kingdom 2 Kings 14-17 – End of northern kingdom 2 Kings 18-25 – End of Davidic kingdom ** 1 Kings 1-2 actually ends section of 2 Samuel * Modified from Literary Structure of the OT by David Dorsey

Purpose Statement of Kings Because of the wickedness of Israel's leadership and populace, God severely disciplines them in accordance with the covenant curses. but, there is more . . . In addition, true prophets are exhibited to the remnant as God’s spokesmen to listen to while awaiting the ushering in of a new covenant.

Major Themes Kings David – Pattern for the kings Solomon – What heights and depths! Jeroboam – Pattern for the northern kings Ahab – As low as you can go Jehu – Exterminator turned worshipper Hezekiah – A deliverer for the remnant Manasseh – As low as you can go Josiah – Loved God with all his heart, but not even Noah, Daniel, and Job would do (Ezek 14). Jehoiachin – Not much to hope in

Major Themes (continued…) Prophets Examples Elisha – At the center of the book Elijah – The forerunner of Elisha Nathan, Ahijah, Jehu, Micaiah, Huldah Isaiah, Jonah True vs. lying Prediction, fulfillment Israel’s current need to repent, future hope The Temple A glorious site to behold Diminishing in glory A sure defense? Its destruction

Time Period Bible does not give absolute dates but rather relative ones We can determine absolute dates for biblical events by looking at other documents Battle of Qarqar, involving Ahab Jehu paying tribute to Shalmaneser From this, we can move forward and backwards to establish the following time period: 970 BC – Death of King David 561 BC – Release of Jehoiachin from prison

Interpretative Issues 1 Kings 6:1 Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD. 966 + 480 = 1446 BC for the date of the Exodus

Interpretative Issues (continued . . .) “Every Old Testament scholar knows of the many chronological details in the biblical record that seem to be in hopeless disagreement with each other and with the chronological pattern of neighboring states. In spite of almost endless research and discussion, biblical chronology remained in a state of almost hopeless confusion.” Edwin Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings, p. 33

Interpretative Issues (continued . . .) 2 Kings 9:29 Now in the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, Ahaziah became king over Judah. 2 Kings 8:25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign.

Interpretative Issues (continued . . .) Jeroboam & Rehoboam began the same year (1 Kings 12). Joram & Ahaziah died the same year (2 Kings 9) ISRAEL JUDAH Jeroboam 22 Rehoboam 17 Nadab 2 Abijah 3 Baasha 24 Asa 41 Elah 2 Jehoshaphat 25 Zimri (7 days) Jehoram 8 Omri 12 Ahaziah 1 Ahab 22 Ahaziah 2 Joram 12 ----------------- --------------------- 98 years, 7 days 95 years

Interpretative Issues (continued . . .) How do we reconcile these? Again, see Edwin Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings. A summary (taken from House, NAC, p. 41) Judah used accession-year system, Israel didn’t During one period, both used the same system! Israel and Judah had a different new year (six months apart) The difficulty of coregencies

Two Canonical Links 1) John 21:25 “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books which were written.” Compare with, for example, 1 Kings 11:41 “Now the rest of the acts of Solomon and whatever he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?” (see also 1 Kings 14:29; 15:7, 23, 31; 16:5, 14, 20, 27; 22:39, 45; 2 Kings 1:18; 8:23; 10:34; 12:19; 13:8, 12; 14:15, 18, 28; 15:6, 21, 36; 16:19; 20:20; 21:17, 25; 23:28; 24:5)

Two Canonical Links (continued . . .) 2) Kings is indeed a very sobering and negative book. It exhibits the ‘end’ of God’s promises and does not fulfill our longing for another covenant. But, remember, the idea of true prophets over against false prophets is important in Kings One prophet in this regard was Jeremiah Jeremiah 29:1-11 – A letter to those in exile “When seventy years have been completed . . .” Daniel 9 – “observed in the books the number of years . . .” When will a new covenant be cut???

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