First Kings or The Third Book of Kingdoms

1. The Hebrew title of this book is Melkim or Kings.

2. First Kings recounts how Israel was divided into two kingdoms.

3. The Northern Kingdom---Israel became idolatrous while the Southern Kingdom---Judah waivered between good and evil.

4. First Kings helped the Israelite community while they were in captivity. It helped them to understand the why behind the exile if Solomon’s reign had been so great.

5. First Kings explains how the Assyrians captured the Northern Kingdom and how the Babylonians captured the Southern Kingdom.

6. First Kings also gives us a rundown regarding various kings in each kingdom. Did they do well or did they fail?

7. The main theme of First Kings is to prove history moves forwarding according to God’s plan over the span of 120 years the narrative covers.

8. The message is clear…..God’s people should have one God and one temple.

9. When you read First Kings notice how the author was interested in chronological data and notice how the information is cross-referenced between the North and South Kingdoms. Though God’s people were divided they were still both God’s children.

10. Most of the information is given in the following format: “in the year of ____ son of ______, ______ became king over Judah (or Israel); he reigned ____years”.

11. Events in First Kings cover the time period from 970-848 B.C.

12. Everything that occurs in First Kings happened in either Judah or Israel with the exception of Elijah’s travels outside the land.

13. The book has three sections: Solomon and his reign (chapters 1-11); the early period of the divided monarchy (chapters 12-16); and Elijah and the events surrounding his ministry (chapters 17-22).

You can see other 13s HERE.

You can see more fact lists about the various books of the Bible HERE.