Table of Contents
Abbreviations 8
Transliteration of Hebrew Consonants 9
Series Foreword 21
Introduction to 1-2 Kings 23
Composition 24
Occasion for Writing Kings 24
Objective of Kings 25
Authorship and Date 25
Structure and Purpose 27
Theological Themes 28
Justice 28
Idolatry 29
Covenant 29
Provoking the lord to Anger 29
Kings and History 30
History as Event 30
History as Report 31
History as Evaluation 32
Kings and the New Testament 32
The Relevance of Kings Today 34
Our Approach 35
Parts of the Commentary 36
Part 1 Solomon as King (1 Kings 1:1-11:43) 37
1:1-2:46: The Kingdom Established in the Hands of Solomon 40
Enthronement of Solomon, 1:1-53 42
Consolidation of Solomon's Kingdom, 2:1-46 47
* Joshua and Solomon 54
* Peaceful and Violent Transitions of Leadership 54
+ Impugned Motives 55
+ "Be Strong, Be Courageous" 55
+ Gender Violence 56
3:1-28: Wise Beginnings 57
Foundations of Solomon's Reign, 3:1-15 58
Solomon the Wise Judge, 3:16-28 63
* Solomon and the Garden of Eden 64
* Covenant: Conditional or Unconditional 65
* No One like Him 66
+ Model Prayer Pattern 67
+ Petitionary Prayer Aims 67
+ Political Office and Involvement 68
4:1-34: Solomon's Administration 69
Administrative Lists, 4:1-19 70
Catalog of Provisions, 4:20-28 72
Catalog of Solomon's Wisdom, 4:29-34 73
* Amos Criticizes Solomon 74
* Solomon and Wisdom 75
+ Wisdom of Solomon 76
+ Food justice 76
5:1-18: Solomon's Business with Hiram, King of Tyre 78
Solomon's Proposal to Hiram, 5:1-6 79
Hiram's Response, 5:7-12 80
Solomon's Conscripted Labor, 5:13-18 81
* Forced Labor 82
+ Claiming the Lord's Endorsement 83
+ Human Trafficking 84
6:1-7:51: Solomon's Construction Projects 85
Exterior Temple Structure, 6:1-10 86
Message of the Lord to Solomon, 6:11-13 87
Interior Temple Construction, 6:14-38 88
Palace Complex Construction, 7:1-12 88
Temple Furnishings, 7:13-51 89
* Finished the Work 91
* The Temple in Old Testament Theology 91
+ Discerning the Voice of God 93
8:1-66: Temple Dedication 95
Narrative Introduction, 8:1-13 96
Solomon's Blessing of the Assembly, 8:14-21 98
Solomon's Dedicatory Prayer, 8:22-53 99
Solomon's Blessing of the Assembly, 8:54-61 103
Narrative Conclusion, 8:62-66 103
* Temple in the History of Israel 105
* Covenant Love-Hesed 105
* Blessings and Curses in a Theology of Retribution 106
* Concern for the Foreigner 107
+ Church Facilities 108
+ House of Prayer 109
+ The Church: Holy Temple in the Lord 110
9:1-25: Temple Postscript 111
The Lord's Appearance to Solomon, 9:1-9 111
Narrative Report regarding Temple Building, 9:10-25 113
* The Shadow of Exile 116
+ Sensitivity to Social Marginalization 117
+ Mixed-Up Worship 118
9:26-10:29: Solomon's Commercial Enterprise 119
Maritime Trade, 9:26-28 120
Visit of the Queen of Sheba, 10:1-13 120
Solomon's Accumulation of Wealth, 10:14-29 122
* Unexpected Wisdom 124
* Accumulation and Hedonistic Lifestyles 125
+ For Such a Time as This 126
11:1-43: Solomon's Reign Assessed 128
Judgment of King Solomon, 11:1-13 129
Solomon's Opponents, 11:14-40 132
Concluding Royal Formula for the Reign of Solomon, 11:41-43 137
* Prophets as Kingmakers 137
+ Passion, Love, and Marriage 138
Part 2 The Divided Kingdom (1 Kings 12-2 Kings 17) 141
12:1-14:31: Rehoboam and Jeroboam 144
Israel's Rebellion against Rehoboam, 12:1-24 145
The Kingship of Jeroboam, 12:25-14:20 148
Summary of the Reign of Rehoboam in Judah, 14:21-31 163
* Women on the Threshold 164
* Donkeys and Prophets 165
+ Politics, Polarities, and Bluster 166
+ False Religious Forms 166
+ Idolatry 167
15:1-16:34: Kings in Turmoil 169
Abijam King of Judah, 15:1-8 170
Asa King of Judah, 15:9-24 172
Nadab King of Israel, 15:25-32 176
Baasha King of Israel, 15:33-16:7 178
Elah King of Israel, 16:8-14 179
Zimri King of Israel, 16:15-20 179
Omri King of Israel, 16:21-28 180
Ahab King of Israel, 16:29-34 181
* What's the Real Story about Asa? 183
* Idols or Vanities? 183
+ Old Testament Violence 184
+ Urbanus Rhegius 185
17:1-18:46: Elijah against Baal Worship 186
Elijah in Exile, 17:1-24 187
Elijah Confronts Ahab, 18:1-46 190
* Elijah, Elisha, and Jesus 197
* Foreign Women 197
* Contested Deity 198
* Sin and Punishment 199
* Critique of Elijah's Violence 200
+ Extreme Poverty 200
+ A Troubler of Israel 201
19:1-21: Elijah after Mount Carmel 202
Jezebel's Threat, 19:1-3 203
Elijah at Horeb, 19:4-18 204
Elijah and Elisha, 19:19-21 211
* Fear 212
* Questions 212
+ Effectual Fervent Prayer 213
+ Avoiding Persecution and Martyrdom 214
+ The Sounds of Silence 215
20:1-43: Ben-hadad of Aram against the Lord of Israel 217
Battle of the Mountains, 20:1-21 218
Battle of the Plains, 20:22-34 221
Judgment against the King of Israel, 20:35-43 223
* Prophets, Lions, and Acted-Out Parables 225
* "Know That I Am the LORD" 226
+ Knowing the Lord 226
21:1-29: Naboth's Vineyard 228
Act 1 Possession of the Vineyard, 21:1-16 229
Act 2 Judgment against Ahab, 21:17-29 231
* The Land Is the Lord's 234
* Ahab, Ezra, and Nehemiah 235
* The Sins of the Fathers 235
+ Latifundialization 236
+ Palestinian Christian Reading of 1 Kings 21 237
22:1-53: Ahab's Last Battle 238
Ahab Consults with Jehoshaphat and the Prophets, 22:1-28 239
Battle Narrative, 22:29-38 243
Closing Royal File of Ahab, 22:39-40 244
The Reigns of Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah, 22:41-53 244
* Divine Deception 246
* False Prophets 247
+ Peacemakers and "Manly Men" 247
+ Early Anabaptists and False Prophecy 248
2 Kings 1:1-18: The Prophet Elijah and King Ahaziah 250
Narrative Report: Ahaziah Faces Moab's Rebellion, 1:1 251
Ahaziah Is 111 and Inquires about His Future, 1:2-17a 251
Ahaziah's Closing Royal Formula, 1:17b-18 253
* Whose Kingdom Will Prevail? 255
* Slow to Judge and Quick to Save? 256
+ Cruciform Hermeneutic 257
2:1-25: Elisha Invested with Elijah's Spirit 258
Elijah Ascends in a Whirlwind, 2:1-18 259
Miracle of the Water Supply, 2:19-22 262
Boys and Bears, 2:23-25 262
* Leadership Transition 263
+ Life, Death, New Life 264
+ Mystery and the Numinous 265
3:1-27: War with Moab 266
The File on King Jehoram of Israel, 3:1-3 267
War against Moab, 3:4-27 268
* Sacred Pillars 271
* Fighting Moab 272
+ Environment and War 273
4:1-44: Elisha's Miracles 274
Miracle Story: A Widow Facing Bankruptcy, 4:1-7 275
Short Story about the Woman of Shunem, 4:8-37 276
Miracle Stories: Death in the Pot and Leftover Bread, 4:38-44 278
* Women Characters in Kings 279
* Bread of the Firstfruits 280
+ Powers for Death and Life 281
5:1-27: Naaman the Leper, Elisha, and Gehazi 283
Act 1 The Cure, 5:1-14 284
Act 2 The Conversion, 5:15-19a 287
Act 3 The Contamination, 5:19b-27 288
* Leprosy as Punishment 289
* Healing for the Nations 290
+ Pursue the Lord: 5eek First the Kingdom 291
+ Menno's Example 292
+ Anonymous Christians 293
6:1-7:20: Elisha's Final Three Acts of Deliverance 294
Miracle of the Ax Head, 6:1-7 295
Seeing Horses and Chariots, 6:8-23 296
The Siege of Samaria, 6:24-7:20 299
* Opened Eyes, Seers, and Apocalyptic Visions 302
* Feeding Enemies 303
+ Underdog Churches 303
8:1-29: Interlude 305
Protecting the Shunammite Woman, 8:1-6 305
Anointing Hazael as King of Aram, 8:7-15 307
Royal Transition in Judah, 8:16-29 307
* Divine Agency through the Prophetic Word 309
* Family Feud 310
+ Single Bloodlines and Shadow Selves 310
9:1-12:21: Royal Transitions 312
Coup in Israel, 9:1-10:36 313
Coup in Jerusalem, 11:1-12:21 325
* Comparing Regime Change in Israel and Judah 331
* Jehoash, a Second Solomon 332
+ Shalom with Justice, Not Violence 333
+ Early Anabaptist Commentary 334
13:1-14:29: Kings of Israel and Judah during Jehu's Dynasty 335
Jehoahaz of Israel, 13:1-9 336
Jehoash of Israel, 13:10-13 337
Death of Elisha, 13:14-21 338
Relief from Hazael of Aram, 13:22-25 339
Amaziah of Judah, 14:1-22 340
Jeroboam II of Israel, 14:23-29 341
* Deuteronomic Torah 343
* Prophetic Voices: Hosea, Amos, Isaiah 344
+ Remembering Fallen Heroes 345
+ Mercy Triumphs over Judgment 345
15:1-17:41: The Fall of Samaria 347
Azariah of Judah, 15:1-7 348
Zechariah of Israel, 15:8-12 349
Shallum of Israel, 15:13-16 349
Menahem of Israel, 15:17-22 350
Pekahiah of Israel, 15:23-26 351
Pekah of Israel, 15:27-31 351
Jotham of Judah, 15:32-38 352
Ahaz of Judah, 16:1-20 352
Hoshea of Israel, 17:1-6 356
Summary: Israel's Final Kings 357
Israel Exiled to Assyria, 17:7-23 357
Others Settled in the Land of Israel, 17:24-41 361
* Exile and Return: Deuteronomy 30 and Isaiah 40-55 364
* Lamentations 364
+ Solidarity in Suffering 365
+ Refugees 366
Part 3 The Southern Kingdom to Judah's Exile (2 Kings 18-25) 369
18:1-20:21: The Reign of Hezekiah 372
Opening Royal Formula, 18:1-8 373
Reprise: Report of Israel's Exile, 18:9-12 374
Sennacherib's Invasion of Judah, 18:13-19:37 374
Hezekiah's Prayer for Healing, 20:1-11 382
Envoys from Babylon, 20:12-19 384
Closing Royal Formula, 20:20-21 386
* Parallel Versions of Hezekiah's Reign (Isa 36-39; 2 Chron 29-32) 386
* Isaiah and the Plans of God 387
* Reliance on the Lord 387
* Sennacherib and Solomon under the Vine and Fig Tree 388
+ Model Prayer for the Nation 389
+ Renewal 390
21:1-26: The Reigns of Manasseh and Amon 392
Reign of Manasseh, 21:1-18 393
Reign of Amon, 21:19-26 397
* Remnant 398
* Manasseh in Chronicles 398
+ Innocent Blood 399
22:1-23:30: The Reign of Josiah 401
Opening Royal Formula for Josiah's Reign, 22:1-2 402
Discovery of the Scroll, 22:3-11 403
Inquiry of the Prophetess, 22:12-20 403
Covenant Renewal, 23:1-3 405
Cultic Reforms, 23:4-20 405
Celebration of Passover, Reform, Judgment, 23:21-27 407
Closing Royal Formula for Josiah, 23:28-30 409
* Josiah and Joshua 410
* Jehoash and Josiah 411
* Do Not Trust Deceptive Words (Jer 7; 2 Kings 22:20) 412
* Josiah's Reform and Jeremiah 413
+ Cultic Iconoclasm 414
+ Women in Ministry 414
+ People of the Book 415
23:31-25:30: The Reign of Josiah's Descendants 417
Reign of Jehoahaz, 23:31-34 418
Reign of Jehoiakim, 23:35-24:7 418
Reign of Jehoiachin, 24:8-17 419
Reign of Zedekiah, 24:18-25:7 420
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, 25:8-21 421
Appointment of Gedaliah and Flight to Egypt, 25:22-26 422
Release of Jehoiachin, 25:27-30 422
* Jeremiah and Kings 423
+ Speaking Prophetically to Powerful Politicians 424
+ Divine Judgment or YHWH War? 424
Acknowledgments 426
Outline of 1-2 Kings 427
Essays 435
All His Heart 435
Archaeology 436
Chronology 439
Covenant in Kings 443
Economics in Ancient Israel 444
Egypt 445
Evil 446
Horses and Chariots 447
House for the Name 449
Idolatry 449
Kings in the Hebrew Canon 453
Law of the King 456
Literary Criticism 457
Mišpat 461
People of the Land 464
Prophets 465
Provoke the Lord to Anger 470
Queen Mother 472
Reading Strategies 473
Send 476
Sins of Jeroboam 476
Temple Theology 477
Theology of Exile 479
Violence in Kings 480
Wisdom in Kings 484
Women in Kings 485
Bibliography 488
Selected Resources 508
Maps 513
Index of Ancient Sources 515
The Author 527
