Hebrew Bible: 1 Kings

10/17/2011

1 Kings

last of the Deuteronomistic History...

Four Topics:

1. Rise and Reign of Solomon:  Why and How
2. The Building of the Temple
3. Division of the United Monarchy
4. New Class of People, the Prophets of YHWH

The books of the Kings gives strong evidence that the (D) authors incorporated other sources:

• Books of the Acts of Solomon
• Books of the Annals of the Kings of Judah
• Books of the Annals of the Kings of Israel
• The Annals are different due to the types of formulas given for each of the kings.  See page 486 in NRSV
• e.g. see 1 Kings 15 with Abijam and Nadab

Solomon:

• Illegitimate heir--not the oldest; son of Bathsheba
• Bathsheba wants her son to be king, especially with Nathan's encouragement (godly council)
• Solomon battles his opponents to become king
• What (D) liked about Solomon (and the related issues)
• He built the Temple
• centralization of worship
• not until Solomon's time is a reason given for why David couldn't build the temple--Solomon had "peace on all sides;" David didn't
• The temple's plan is much like the tabernacle, but smaller (and smaller than palace)
• the cedar came from Lebanon, and Solomon gave away 20 cities for the wood
• Solomon conscripted labor form "all Israel" (see 5:13-17)
• Wisdom
• the wisdom genre of literature was popular in the region during Solomon's time
• wisdom literature was written by sophisticated scribes normally in literature schools
• authorship for wisdom literature (Ecclesiastes and Proverbs)
• possible origin of J and E sources 
• Diplomacy
• marrying foreign women brought prosperity and peace
• with foreign women came foreign gods
• Solomon was "evil" because of those gods
• it was his fault that God tore the kingdom in half

Division:  Jeroboam verses Rehoboam

Jeroboam builds two calves to worship the Lord (where He could dwell) at high places in Israel.  In later generations, kings are reprimanded in following after the "sin of Jeroboam."

Rehoboam decides to be even harsher on the conscripted laborers and thus loses most of the kingdom.

The nation was united for about 100 years.