Outline
Since the division of 1 and 2 Kings arbitrarily takes place in the middle of the narrative concerning King Ahaziah in Israel, the following outline is for both 1 and 2 Kings.
I. The United Kingdom: The Reign of Solomon (1 Kin. 1:1-11:43)
A. The Rise of Solomon (1 Kin. 1:1-2:46)
B. The Beginning of Solomon’s Wisdom and Wealth (1 Kin. 3:1-4:34)
C. The Preparations for the Building of the Temple (1 Kin. 5:1-18)
D. The Building of the Temple and Solomon’s House (1 Kin. 6:1-9:9)
E. The Further Building Projects of Solomon (1 Kin. 9:10-28)
F. The Culmination of Solomon’s Wisdom and Wealth (1 Kin. 10:1-29)
G. The Decline of Solomon (1 Kin. 11:1-43)
II. The Divided Kingdom: The Kings of Israel and Judah (1 Kin. 12:1-2 Kin. 17:41)
A. The Rise of Idolatry: Jeroboam of Israel/Rehoboam of Judah (1 Kin. 12:1-14:31)
B. Kings of Judah/Israel (1 Kin. 15:1-16:22)
C. The Dynasty of Omri and Its Influence: The Rise and Fall of Baal Worship in Israel and Judah (1 Kin. 16:23-2 Kin. 13:25)
1. The introduction of Baal worship (1 Kin. 16:23–34)
2. The opposition of Elijah to Baal worship (1 Kin. 17:1–2 Kin. 1:18)
3. The influence of Elisha concerning the true God (2 Kin. 2:1—9:13)
4. The overthrow of Baal worship in Israel (2 Kin. 9:14—10:36)
5. The overthrow of Baal worship in Judah (2 Kin. 11:1—12:21)
6. The death of Elisha (2 Kin. 13:1–25)
D. Kings of Judah/Israel (2 Kin. 14:1-15:38)
E. The Defeat and Exile of Israel by Assyria (2 Kin. 16:1-17:41)
III. The Surviving Kingdom: The Kings of Judah (2 Kin. 18:1-25:21)
A. Hezekiah’s Righteous Reign (2 Kin. 18:1-20:21)
B. Manasseh’s and Amon’s Wicked Reigns (2 Kin. 21:1-26)
C. Josiah’s Righteous Reign (2 Kin. 22:1-23:30)
D. The Defeat and Exile of Judah by Babylon (2 Kin. 23:31-25:21)
IV. Epilogue: The People’s Continued Rebellion and the Lord’s Continued Mercy (2 Kin. 25:22-30)
The Kings of Israel and Judah
KING SCRIPTURE
United Kingdom
Saul 1 Samuel 9:1-31:13; 1 Chronicles 10:1-14
David 2 Samuel; 1 Kings 1:1-2:9; 1 Chronicles 11:1-29:30
Solomon 1 Kings 2:10-11:43; 2 Chronicles 1:1-9:31
Northern Kingdom (Israel)
Jeroboam I 1 Kings 12:25-14:20
Nadab 1 Kings 15:25-31
Baasha 1 Kings 15:32-16:7
Elah 1 Kings 16:8-14
Zimri 1 Kings 16:15-20
Tibni 1 Kings 16:21, 22
Omri 1 Kings 16:21-28
Ahab 1 Kings 16:29-22:40
Ahaziah 1 Kings 22:51-53; 2 Kings 1:1-18
Jehoram (Joram) 2 Kings 2:1-8:15
Jehu 2 Kings 9:1-10:36
Jehoahaz 2 Kings 13:1-9
Jehoash (Joash) 2 Kings 13:10-25
Jeroboam II 2 Kings 14:23-29
Zechariah 2 Kings 15:8-12
Shallum 2 Kings 15:13-15
Menahem 2 Kings 15:16-22
Pekahiah 2 Kings 15:23-26
Pekah 2 Kings 15:27-31
Hoshea 2 Kings 17:1-41
Southern Kingdom (Judah)
Rehoboam 1 Kings 12:1-14:31; 2 Chronicles 10:1-12:16
Abijam (Abijah) 1 Kings 15:1-8; 2 Chronicles 13:1-22
Asa 1 Kings 15:9-24; 2 Chronicles 14:1-16:14
Jehoshaphat 1 Kings 22:41-50; 2 Chronicles 17:1-20:37
Joram (Jehoram) 2 Kings 8:16-24; 2 Chronicles 21:1-20
Ahaziah 2 Kings 8:25-29; 2 Chronicles 22:1-9
Athaliah (queen) 2 Kings 11:1-16; 2 Chronicles 22:1-23:21
Joash (Jehoash) 2 Kings 11:17-12:21; 2 Chronicles 23:16-24:27
Amaziah 2 Kings 14:1-22; 2 Chronicles 25:1-28
Uzziah (Azariah) 2 Kings 15:1-7; 2 Chronicles 26:1-23
Jotham 2 Kings 15:32-38; 2 Chronicles 27:1-9
Ahaz 2 Kings 16:1-20; 2 Chronicles 28:1-27
Hezekiah 2 Kings 18:1-20:21; 2 Chronicles 29:1-32:33
Manasseh 2 Kings 21:1-18; 2 Chronicles 33:1-20
Amon 2 Kings 21:19-26; 2 Chronicles 33:21-25
Josiah 2 Kings 22:1-23:30; 2 Chronicles 34:1-35:27
Jehoahaz 2 Kings 23:31-33; 2 Chronicles 36:1-4
Jehoiakim 2 Kings 23:34-24:7; 2 Chronicles 36:5-8
Jehoiachin 2 Kings 24:8-16; 2 Chronicles 36:9, 10
Zedekiah 2 Kings 24:18-25:21; 2 Chronicles 36:11-21
The First Book of the
KINGS
1 Kings 1
Solomon Made King
1Now King David was aold, 1advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm.
2Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her 2stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.”
3So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found bAbishag the cShunammite, and brought her to the king.
4The young woman was very lovely; and she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not know her.
5Then dAdonijah the 3son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will 4be king”; and ehe prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
6(And his father had not 5rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?” He was also very good-looking. fHis mother had borne him after Absalom’s.)
7Then he conferred with gJoab the son of Zeruiah and with hAbiathar the priest, and ithey followed and helped Adonijah.
8But jZadok the priest, kBenaiah the son of Jehoiada, lNathan the prophet, mShimei, Rei, and nthe mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah.
9And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of 6Zoheleth, which is by oEn Rogel;7 he also invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants.
10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or pSolomon his brother.
11So Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of qHaggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it?
12“Come, please, let me now give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.
13“Go immediately to King David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your maidservant, saying, r“Assuredly your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’
14“Then, while you are still talking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.”
15So Bathsheba went into the chamber to the king. (Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.)
16And Bathsheba bowed and did homage to the king. Then the king said, “What is your wish?”
17Then she said to him, “My lord, syou swore by the LORD your God to your maidservant, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’
18“So now, look! Adonijah has become king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know about it.
19t“He has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but Solomon your servant he has not invited.
20“And as for you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
21“Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king urests with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders.”
22And just then, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.
23So they told the king, saying, “Here is Nathan the pro
phet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.
24And Nathan said, “My lord, O king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’?
25v“For he has gone down today, and has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and look! They are eating and drinking before him; and they say, w‘Long8 live King Adonijah!’
26“But he has not invited me—me your servant—nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon.
27“Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not told your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
David Proclaims Solomon King
(1 Chr. 29:22–25)
28Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king.
29And the king took an oath and said, x“As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress,
30y“just as I swore to you by the LORD God of Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ so I certainly will do this day.”
31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and paid homage to the king, and said, z“Let my lord King David live forever!”
32And King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king.
33The king also said to them, a“Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own bmule, and take him down to cGihon.9
34“There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet danoint him king over Israel; and eblow the horn, and say, 10‘Long live King Solomon!’
35“Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.”
36Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, f“Amen! May the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.
37g“As the LORD has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and hmake his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”
38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, iBenaiah the son of Jehoiada, the jCherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and took him to Gihon.
39Then Zadok the priest took a horn of koil from the tabernacle and lanointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, mand all the people said, 11“Long live King Solomon!”
40And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound.
41Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, “Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?”
42While he was still speaking, there came nJonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest. And Adonijah said to him, “Come in, for oyou are a prominent man, and bring good news.”
43Then Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king.
44“The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king’s mule.
45“So Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon; and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard.
46“Also Solomon psits on the throne of the kingdom.
47“And moreover the king’s servants have gone to bless our lord King David, saying, q‘May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.’ rThen the king bowed himself on the bed.
48“Also the king said thus, ‘Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has sgiven one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see tit!’ ”
49So all the guests who were with Adonijah were afraid, and arose, and each one went his way.
50Now Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; so he arose, and went and utook hold of the horns of the altar.
51And it was told Solomon, saying, “Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for look, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’ ”
52Then Solomon said, “If he proves himself a worthy man, vnot one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.”
53So King Solomon sent them to bring him down from the altar. And he came and fell down before King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
1 Kings 2
David’s Instructions to Solomon
1Now athe days of David drew near that he should die, and he 1charged Solomon his son, saying:
2b“I go the way of all the earth; cbe strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man.
3“And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may dprosper in all that you do and wherever you turn;
4“that the LORD may efulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, f‘If your sons take heed to their way, to gwalk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, h‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’
5“Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah idid to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to jAbner the son of Ner and kAmasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet.
6“Therefore do laccording to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace.
7“But show kindness to the sons of mBarzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who neat at your table, for so othey came to me when I fled from Absalom’s your brother.
8“And see, you have with you pShimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But qhe came down to meet me at the Jordan, and rI swore to him by the LORD, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’
9“Now therefore, sdo not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but tbring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.”
Death of David
(1 Chr. 3:4; 29:26–28)
10So uDavid 2rested with his fathers, and was buried in vthe City of David.
11The period that David wreigned over Israel was forty years; seven years he reigned in Hebron, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years.
12xThen Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was yfirmly established.
Solomon Executes Adonijah
13Now Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. So she said, z“Do you come peaceably?” And he said, “Peaceably.”
14Moreover he said, “I have something to say to you.” And she said, “Say it.”
15Then he said, “You know that the kingdom was amine, and all Israel had set their expectations on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom has been turned over, and has become my brother’s; for bit was his from the LORD.
16“Now I ask one petition of you; do not 3deny me.” And she said to him, “Say it.”
17Then he said, “Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not refuse you, that he may give me cAbishag the Shunammite as wife.”
18So Bathsheba said, “Very well, I will speak for you to the king.”
19Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet
her and dbowed down to her, and sat down on his throne and had a throne set for the king’s mother; eso she sat at his right hand.
20Then she said, “I desire one small petition of you; do not 4refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Ask it, my mother, for I will not refuse you.”
21So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as wife.”
22And King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “Now why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also—for he is my folder brother—for him, and for gAbiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.”
23Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, h“May God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life!
24“Now therefore, as the LORD lives, who has confirmed me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has established a 5house for me, as He ipromised, Adonijah shall be put to death today!”
25So King Solomon sent by the hand of jBenaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he struck him down, and he died.
Abiathar Exiled, Joab Executed
26And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to kAnathoth, to your own fields, for 6you are deserving of death; but I will not put you to death at this time, lbecause you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and because you were afflicted every time my father was afflicted.”
27So Solomon removed Abiathar from being priest to the LORD, that he might mfulfill the word of the LORD which He spoke concerning the house of Eli at Shiloh.
28Then news came to Joab, for Joab nhad defected to Adonijah, though he had not defected to Absalom’s. So Joab fled to the tabernacle of the LORD, and otook hold of the horns of the altar.
29And King Solomon was told, “Joab has fled to the tabernacle of the LORD; there he is, by the altar.” Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, pstrike him down.”
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV Page 166