1 Kings

Aged David kept warm by Abishag. Adonijah proclaims himself king; supported by Joab & Abiathar. Nathan & Bathsheba alert David who has Solomon anointed at Gihon. People rejoice; Adonijah’s guests scatter. Solomon spares Adonijah conditionally.

David charges Solomon to obey God and deal with Joab & Shimei kindly to Barzillai’s sons. David dies. Adonijah requests Abishag—executed. Abiathar banished, Joab executed, Benaiah promoted. Shimei confined, breaks oath, executed.

Solomon marries Pharaoh’s daughter; worships at Gibeon. God offers gift—Solomon asks wisdom; receives wisdom, riches, honor. Judges between two harlots by proposing to divide the living child—true mother revealed.

Lists Solomon’s officials & 12 monthly supply officers. Judah & Israel dwell safely. Solomon’s daily provisions, stables, unparalleled wisdom—3,000 proverbs, 1,005 songs—people from all nations come to hear.

Hiram king of Tyre allies with Solomon to supply cedar & fir for the temple. Solomon provides food. 30,000 forced laborers plus 150,000 workers and 3,300 overseers prepare great stones & timber.

Temple begun 480 years after Exodus in Solomon’s 4th year. Dimensions & details: cedar-lined, gold-overlay, inner oracle with two huge cherubim. God’s promise of presence if Solomon obeys. Built in 7 years.

Solomon builds his palace complex (13 yrs) inc. House of Forest of Lebanon. Hiram crafts bronze pillars Jachin & Boaz, molten sea, lavers, bases. Solomon makes all gold temple vessels; dedicates David’s treasures.

Ark brought to temple; cloud fills house. Solomon blesses people, prays dedicatory prayer asking God’s attention to prayers toward this place. Sacrifices 22k oxen, 120k sheep. Fourteen-day feast; people depart joyful.

God appears again: temple consecrated; obedience keeps dynasty, apostasy brings ruin. Solomon gives Hiram 20 disliked Galilean towns. Builds cities, fortifies kingdom, uses non-Israelite labor. Navy with Hiram fetches gold from Ophir.

Queen of Sheba tests Solomon; overwhelmed by wisdom & wealth, gives 120 talents gold & spices. Solomon’s annual gold 666 talents; makes golden shields, ivory-gold throne. Silver common as stones; imports horses, apes, peacocks.

Solomon’s 700 wives & 300 concubines turn him to idolatry (Ashtoreth, Chemosh, Molech). God vows to tear kingdom from his son, leaving one tribe for David’s sake. Adversaries raised: Hadad, Rezon, Jeroboam. Ahijah promises 10 tribes to Jeroboam. Solomon reigns 40 yrs, dies; Rehoboam succeeds.

At Shechem Israel asks Rehoboam to lighten yoke. He heeds young advisers, increases burden; 10 tribes revolt under Jeroboam. God forbids Judah’s war. Jeroboam sets up golden calves at Bethel & Dan with non-Levitical priests.

Man of God from Judah prophesies Bethel altar will split; Jeroboam’s hand withers, restored after prayer. Prophet disobeys God’s command not to eat; deceived by old prophet, is killed by lion. Jeroboam persists in sin.

Jeroboam’s sick son; wife consults blind prophet Ahijah—prophecy: boy dies, house of Jeroboam cut off, Israel scattered. Boy dies. Rehoboam’s Judah practices idolatry; Shishak of Egypt plunders temple. Rehoboam dies; Abijam reigns.

Abijam reigns wickedly 3 yrs. Asa reigns 41 yrs, reforms Judah, removes idols & grandmother’s image, but high places remain. Allies with Ben-hadad to repel Baasha. In Israel: Nadab murdered by Baasha, who then rules 24 yrs in evil.

Jehu prophesies Baasha’s doom; Elah (Baasha’s son) killed by Zimri who exterminates Baasha’s house; Zimri reigns 7 days, dies in palace fire. Civil war: Omri vs. Tibni; Omri prevails, founds Samaria, sins worse than predecessors. Ahab succeeds, marries Jezebel, serves Baal; Hiel rebuilds Jericho at cost of sons.

Elijah proclaims drought to Ahab; fed by ravens at Cherith brook. Sent to Zarephath—miracle of meal & oil for widow. Raises widow’s son from death; she acknowledges him as God’s prophet.

In 3rd drought year Elijah confronts Ahab, challenges 450 Baal prophets on Carmel. Fire from heaven consumes Elijah’s sacrifice; people declare the Lord God; Baal prophets slain. Elijah prays; rain returns; outruns Ahab to Jezreel.

Jezebel threatens Elijah; he flees to Horeb, desiring death. Angel feeds him; God reveals Himself not in wind, earthquake, fire, but gentle whisper; commissions Elijah to anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha; 7,000 reserved who haven’t bowed to Baal. Elijah calls Elisha.

Ben-hadad besieges Samaria, but Israel wins two battles by prophetic promise. Ahab spares Ben-hadad, making covenant; prophet condemns Ahab—his life for the Syrian king’s life. Ahab returns heavy and displeased.

Ahab covets Naboth’s vineyard; Jezebel arranges Naboth’s execution; Ahab takes vineyard. Elijah prophesies doom: dogs lick Ahab’s blood; Jezebel eaten by dogs. Ahab humbles himself; God delays judgment to his son’s days.

Ahab & Jehoshaphat ally to retake Ramoth-gilead. 400 prophets predict success; Micaiah foretells defeat & Ahab’s death via lying spirit. In battle Ahab, in disguise, mortally wounded by random arrow; dies, dogs lick blood. Jehoshaphat’s good reign noted; Ahaziah follows Ahab, does evil.