1 Kings

King David was old and cold, so his servants found a young virgin named Abishag to care for him, but he did not have a physical relationship with her. Meanwhile, Adonijah, one of David's sons, declared himself king and gathered support from some of David's officials, including Joab and Abiathar. However, Nathan the prophet, Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada remained loyal to David and supported Solomon as the rightful heir. Bathsheba and Nathan informed David of Adonijah's actions, and David reaffirmed his promise that Solomon would succeed him. David then ordered Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah to anoint Solomon as king, which they did, and Solomon was proclaimed king. Adonijah, realizing his mistake, fled to the altar and begged for mercy, and Solomon spared his life, but warned him that if he showed any wickedness, he would die.

David, nearing death, instructs Solomon to be strong, follow God's laws, and deal with Joab and Shimei for their past wrongdoings. After David's death, Solomon establishes his kingdom, and Adonijah asks Bathsheba to request Abishag as his wife from Solomon, who sees this as a threat to his throne and has Adonijah put to death. Solomon also removes Abiathar from the priesthood and has Joab killed for his past crimes. Additionally, Solomon restricts Shimei's movements, but when Shimei disobeys, he is also put to death, securing Solomon's kingdom.

Solomon married Pharaoh's daughter and built a house for her in the city of David. Solomon loved the Lord and walked in the statutes of his father David, but he also sacrificed in high places. The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and offered to grant him a wish, and Solomon asked for an understanding heart to judge the people. The Lord was pleased with Solomon's request and granted him wisdom, as well as riches and honor. Solomon then demonstrated his wisdom by resolving a dispute between two women who both claimed to be the mother of a living child, and his wise judgment caused the people to fear and respect him.

King Solomon's administration consisted of various officials, including priests, scribes, and officers who oversaw different regions of Israel and provided for the king's household. Solomon had twelve officers who each provided for the king and his household for one month of the year. The kingdom prospered under Solomon's rule, with Israel and Judah living safely and securely. Solomon's wisdom and understanding were renowned, exceeding that of the east country and Egypt, and people came from all over to hear his wisdom.

Hiram, the king of Tyre, sent his servants to Solomon after hearing of his anointing as king, and Solomon requested Hiram's assistance in obtaining cedar trees from Lebanon to build a house for the Lord. Hiram agreed to provide the trees and the two kings made a league, with Solomon giving Hiram 20,000 measures of wheat and 20 measures of pure oil each year. Solomon then raised a levy of 30,000 men from Israel to work on the construction project, with 70,000 men bearing burdens and 80,000 hewers in the mountains, and the foundation of the house was laid with great stones.

Solomon began building the house of the Lord in the fourth year of his reign, and the construction took seven years to complete. The house was built with stone, cedar, and other materials, with intricate carvings and gold overlay. The inner sanctuary, or oracle, was overlaid with gold and featured two large cherubim made of olive wood, with wings that touched the walls and each other. The house was built according to God's instructions, and God promised to dwell among the children of Israel if Solomon followed His statutes and commandments.

Solomon built his own house in thirteen years, and also built the house of the forest of Lebanon, a large structure with cedar pillars and beams. He then built a porch of pillars and another porch for the throne where he would judge. Solomon's house and the house he built for Pharaoh's daughter were made of costly stones and cedar. King Solomon then sent for Hiram, a skilled worker in brass, who made two pillars of brass, a molten sea, ten bases of brass, and ten lavers of brass for the house of the Lord. Hiram also made various other vessels, including pots, shovels, and basons, all of bright brass. Solomon made all the vessels for the house of the Lord, including the altar of gold, the table of gold, and the candlesticks of pure gold.

Solomon assembled the elders of Israel to bring the ark of the covenant to the newly built temple in Jerusalem. The priests placed the ark in the most holy place, and Solomon offered a prayer of dedication, asking God to dwell in the temple and to hear the prayers of his people. He also asked for forgiveness for his people's sins and for God's continued presence with them. After the prayer, Solomon blessed the congregation and offered sacrifices, and the people celebrated the dedication of the temple for 14 days.

The Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, promising to establish his kingdom forever if he walked in integrity and kept God's commandments, but warning that if he or his children turned away from God, Israel would be cut off and the temple would be cast out of God's sight. After 20 years, Solomon gave 20 cities in Galilee to Hiram, king of Tyre, who was displeased with them. Solomon built many cities, including Gezer, which Pharaoh had given to him as a wedding gift, and levied a tribute of bondservice on the remaining Canaanites. Solomon also built a navy and sent ships to Ophir, where they obtained 420 talents of gold.

The queen of Sheba visited Solomon to test his wisdom and was impressed by his answers and the grandeur of his kingdom. She praised God for setting Solomon on the throne of Israel and gave him many gifts, including gold, spices, and precious stones. Solomon also gave her gifts and she returned to her own country. Solomon's wealth and wisdom continued to grow, with a large annual income of gold and many valuable possessions, including a great throne of ivory and gold. He also had a large navy and many chariots and horsemen, and his kingdom was renowned for its wealth and wisdom.

King Solomon's many foreign wives led him to worship their gods, turning his heart away from the Lord. The Lord was angry with Solomon and told him that He would tear the kingdom away from him, but for David's sake, He would not do it during Solomon's lifetime. Instead, the kingdom would be divided, with one tribe remaining with Solomon's son. The Lord also stirred up adversaries against Solomon, including Hadad the Edomite and Rezon the son of Eliadah. Additionally, the prophet Ahijah told Jeroboam that he would become king over ten tribes, while Solomon's son would retain one tribe.

Rehoboam, Solomon's son, became king and the people of Israel asked him to lighten the heavy yoke his father had placed on them, but Rehoboam, following the advice of his young friends, refused and instead threatened to increase their burden. The people rejected Rehoboam and instead made Jeroboam their king, with only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin remaining loyal to Rehoboam. God intervened, telling Rehoboam not to fight against the Israelites, and Jeroboam established his own places of worship, creating golden calves and appointing non-Levite priests, leading the people into sin.

A man of God from Judah prophesied against the altar at Bethel, saying a future king named Josiah would sacrifice the priests of the high places on it. The man of God gave a sign that the altar would be rent and the ashes poured out, which immediately occurred. King Jeroboam tried to seize the man of God but was thwarted when his hand withered, only to be restored after the man of God prayed for him. The man of God refused the king's offer to stay and was later deceived by an old prophet into eating and drinking, despite being told by God not to. As a result, the man of God was killed by a lion, and the old prophet later buried him and requested to be buried beside him.

Jeroboam's son Abijah fell ill, and Jeroboam sent his wife to the prophet Ahijah to inquire about the child's fate. Ahijah, despite being blind, recognized the queen and delivered a message from God, condemning Jeroboam's idolatry and announcing the downfall of his dynasty. The child died as soon as the queen returned home, and the rest of Jeroboam's family would meet a similar fate. Meanwhile, Rehoboam, the king of Judah, also did evil in God's sight, and in the fifth year of his reign, the Egyptian king Shishak invaded Jerusalem and plundered the temple and the palace.

Abijam, the son of Rehoboam, reigned over Judah for three years, but he followed in his father's sinful ways and did not have a perfect heart with the Lord. Despite this, the Lord allowed Abijam to maintain a presence in Jerusalem for the sake of David. Abijam's son Asa then reigned over Judah for 41 years, and he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, removing idols and the high places, although not completely. Asa also formed an alliance with the king of Syria to counter the threat of Baasha, the king of Israel, and was able to defeat him. Meanwhile, in Israel, Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, reigned for two years before being overthrown and killed by Baasha, who then reigned over Israel for 24 years and continued in the sinful ways of Jeroboam.

The Lord condemned Baasha for following in the ways of Jeroboam and making Israel sin, and prophesied that his house would be destroyed. Baasha's son Elah succeeded him but was killed by his servant Zimri, who then killed all of Baasha's family and took the throne. However, Zimri's reign was short-lived, as he was overthrown by Omri, who then became king. Omri's reign was marked by evil deeds, and he was succeeded by his son Ahab, who did even more evil in the sight of the Lord, marrying Jezebel and serving Baal.

Elijah prophesied a drought to King Ahab, then hid by the brook Cherith where he was fed by ravens until the brook dried up. The Lord then instructed Elijah to go to Zarephath, where a widow woman was commanded to sustain him, and Elijah miraculously provided for her and her son by multiplying her meal and oil. When the widow's son fell ill and died, Elijah prayed and the Lord revived the child, confirming Elijah's status as a man of God.

The Lord instructs Elijah to present himself to Ahab, and Elijah meets Obadiah, who is searching for grass to save the king's horses during a severe famine. Elijah tells Obadiah to inform Ahab that he is present, and Obadiah is hesitant, fearing for his life. Elijah reassures Obadiah and meets Ahab, who accuses Elijah of troubling Israel. Elijah responds that Ahab's family has forsaken the Lord's commandments and challenges the prophets of Baal to a contest on Mount Carmel. The prophets of Baal fail to summon fire, but Elijah successfully calls upon the Lord, and fire consumes his sacrifice. The people acknowledge the Lord as God, and Elijah has the prophets of Baal killed. Elijah then predicts a great rain and runs before Ahab's chariot to the entrance of Jezreel.

Ahab told Jezebel about Elijah's actions, prompting Jezebel to threaten Elijah's life, causing him to flee to the wilderness. Elijah became despondent and asked God to take his life, but an angel appeared and provided him with food and water, giving him the strength to travel to Mount Horeb. There, Elijah expressed his concerns to God about the Israelites' disobedience, and God instructed him to anoint new leaders, including Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha, and assured him that 7,000 faithful Israelites remained. Elijah then found Elisha and called him to be his successor, and Elisha left his life as a farmer to follow Elijah.

Benhadad, the king of Syria, gathered his army and besieged Samaria, demanding that Ahab, the king of Israel, surrender his silver, gold, wives, and children. Ahab initially agreed, but when Benhadad's demands became more excessive, Ahab refused. A prophet told Ahab that God would deliver the Syrian army into his hands, and Ahab's small army defeated the Syrians. Benhadad escaped, but the prophet warned Ahab that Benhadad would return the following year. Benhadad did return, but was again defeated, and he fled to Aphek. Benhadad's servants convinced him to surrender to Ahab, who spared his life and made a covenant with him. However, a prophet of God condemned Ahab for letting Benhadad go, prophesying that Ahab's life would be forfeit for sparing Benhadad's.

Ahab, the king of Israel, wanted to buy Naboth's vineyard but Naboth refused to sell, citing it as his family's inheritance. Ahab's wife, Jezebel, conspired against Naboth, falsely accusing him of blasphemy, and had him stoned to death. Ahab then took possession of the vineyard, but Elijah prophesied that Ahab and his family would be punished for their evil deeds, with Ahab's blood being licked by dogs in the same place where Naboth's blood was spilled. However, when Ahab humbled himself before God, the punishment was delayed until the days of his son.

The king of Israel, Ahab, and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, formed an alliance to retake Ramoth-gilead from the Syrians. Ahab's prophets predicted victory, but Jehoshaphat requested a second opinion from Micaiah, who prophesied defeat and the death of Ahab. Ahab ignored Micaiah's warning and disguised himself to enter the battle, but was fatally wounded by a stray arrow. The king of Israel died, and his body was brought back to Samaria, where his blood was licked by dogs, fulfilling a prophecy.