The Strand Study Bible

I KINGS

Author: Unknown author (perhaps Jeremiah) Theme: How to Divide a Kingdom Book’s Main Characters: Solomon and Elijah

About the Book: The book of I Kings is a continuation of II Samuel . The first eleven chapters are devoted to the reign of King Solomon. The last eleven tell of the divided kingdom. After Solomon’s death, ten of the twelve tribes of Israel rejected Rehoboam (Solomon’s son) and choose Jeroboam I as their king. This brought about the divided kingdom. The Southern Kingdom (called Judah) consisted of two tribes: Judah and Benjamin. The Northern Kingdom (called Israel) consisted of the other ten tribes. The capital of Judah was Jerusalem and the capital of Israel was Samaria. The book of I Kings covers 124 years (from 1010-886 BC). Notes of Interest: 1. I Kings is quoted in the NT 2 times. 2. Prophecies are referred to 28 times in I Kings . 3. Prophecies concerning CHRIST are referred to 1 of those 28 times. 4. CHRIST appeared in a preincarnate physical form 1 time in I Kings (I Ki 19:1-7). 5. There are 24 inset maps used for the book of I Kings . They are numbered chronologically (#160,174-178,180-187, 190-198,201). Outline of I Kings :

1. The reign of Solomon (I Ki 1-11) 2. The divided Kingdom (I Ki 12-22) I Kings 1

3 So they sought for a fair damsel through outallthecoastsofIsrael,andfoundAbishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not. Adonijah, David’s son, exalts himself 5 Then 2 Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6 And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom. 7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him. 8 But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and 3 Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah. 9 And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants: 10 But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and 4 Solomon his brother, he called not. 11 Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bath- sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast

1. that is, “David could not keep warm” 2. II Sam 3:4

King David’s last days Date - 1010 BC/AM 2990

Note – Because his three older brothers (Amnon – II Sam 13:28-29; Chileab, who probably died in childhood; and Absalom – II Sam 18:14) had already died, Adonijah assumed that he had a legitimate right to the throne. He did not.

1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but 1 he gat no heat. 2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.

3. II Sam 12:1 4. II Sam 12:24

MED SEA

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Shunem

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Jerusalem

A young woman from Shunem is brought to King David in Jerusalem - Map #174

1:5 God was to choose who would be king over Israel (Deut 17:15), not Adonijah. 1:6 a Like Eli before him (I Sam 2:22-23 & 3:13), David failed to “stop” his son (Adonijah) from doing wrong. THE ADAGE IS TRUE: The alternative to discipline is disaster (Prov 13:24 & 22:15 & 23:13-14 & 29:15) 1:6 b Sadly, a man’s charisma ( and he also was a very goodly man ), be it his looks, his charm, or his talent, can often take him where his character cannot sustain him (I Ki 2:23-25). 576