King James Version

Book of 1 Kings

Author: Unknown. Date: 6th Century BC.  Content: First and  Second Kings form one book in the Hebrew Bible and are considered to be prophetic literature, probably because a prophet put the books together. The two books together cover a period of approximately 350 years, when kings ruled over the land, hence the name of the book. First Kings begins with the death of David, followed by a description of Solomon's reign, including the building of the first Temple in Jerusalem. The split of the kingdom into Israel (North) and Judah (South) is described, ending with the great conflict between Elijah, the prophet, and Ahab, the king of Israel. Theme:  The fact that a history book is considered to be prophetic is important. It shows that God speaks to us from the past, as well as from the present experience of others. These events are recorded so that we will not make the same mistakes again. The conflict between Elijah and Ahab shows God's immediate involvement in human life and his concern for human affairs. First Kings particularly shows the disastrous effects of social evil upon the spiritual life of a nation.