Journey Through the Bible

Solomon began building the temple 480 years after the Exodus took place (1 Kings 6:1).
Because of his many pagan wives, Solomon began worshipping idols in his later years (1 Kings 11:1–8).
After Solomon died, the kingdom of Israel became divided (1 Kings 12:1–20).
Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, became a worshiper of the one true God after Elisha healed him of his leprosy (2 Kings 5:1–19).
When the Syrian army was close to capturing Samaria, the Lord scared the Syrians away with the sound of a great army (2 Kings 7:6–7).

In 1 and 2 Kings, God is glorifying Himself through a kingdom divided against itself, so that He might demonstrate His superior goodness in the salvation sinners, the damnation of the wicked, and for the preservation of His people for His eternal glory, and their eternal joy.

The Scriptures are silent on the authorship of 1 & 2 Kings, though Jewish tradition attributes the book to Jeremiah.

Jehoiachin’s release from prison (561 B.C.) is the last event recorded in the book of Kings, and Cyrus’ decree to return and build the temple (538 B.C.) is not recorded, making it likely that the book of Kings was completed sometime

“Then Solomon rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.”

1 Kings 11:43

“And Elijah came to all the people, and said, ‘How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’ But the people answered him not a word.”

1 Kings 18:21

“Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said: ‘O Lord God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone.’ ”

2 Kings 19:15–19

God judges those who commit idolatry.
God blesses those who obey His commands.
God is faithful to keep His covenant.
God judges nations that rebel against His commands.
Prophets have a responsibility to speak to civil leaders.
We should look at history in a distinctly biblical way.

David
David is a type of Christ. Like David, Christ is a King who conquers all His enemies.
Solomon
Solomon is a type of Christ. Like Solomon, Christ is the Son of David. Like Solomon, Christ is a King who is full of wisdom.

The United Kingdom under Solomon (1 Kings 1–11)
The Divided Kingdom—Judah and Israel (1 Kings 12 – 2 Kings 17)
The Remaining Kingdom—Judah (2 Kings 18–25)

1 Kings

Which chapters of 1 Kings cover the united kingdom under Solomon?
1 Kings 1–11.

What was the capital city of the northern kingdom?
Samaria.

What was the capital of the southern kingdom?
Jerusalem.

Who did David appoint as king over Israel before his death?
His son Solomon (1 Kings 1:32–35).

How did the people of Israel respond at Solomon’s inauguration?
They rejoiced with great joy (1 Kings 1:40).

What five things did David’s final charge to Solomon include?

To be strong and prove himself a man (1 Kings 2:2).
To walk in the ways of the Lord (v. 3–4).
To punish Joab (v. 5–6)
To show kindness to the sons of Barzillai (v. 7).
To punish Shimei (v. 8–9).

How long did David reign as king over Israel?
40 years (1 Kings 2:11).

When the Lord appeared to Solomon at Gibeon, what did Solomon ask for?
An understanding heart (1 Kings 3:9).

What was the conflict between the two harlots?
They both claimed to be the mother of the living son (1 Kings 3:16–22).

How did Solomon resolve the conflict?
He commanded his men to divide the living child in two. When one woman begged that he spare the child’s life, Solomon knew that she was the real mother (1 Kings 3:23–28).

How is the wisdom of Solomon compared to the wisdom of other men in the book of Kings?
The author says that Solomon “was wiser than all men” (1 Kings 4:29–31).

How many years after the Exodus from Egypt did Solomon start building the temple?
480 years (1 Kings 6:1).

Why was the stone for the temple finished in the quarry?
So the sound of tools would not be heard in the temple (1 Kings 6:7).

Which parts of the temple did Solomon overlay with gold?
The whole temple (1 Kings 6:22).

How many years did it take Solomon to build the temple?
Seven years (1 Kings 6:38).

What was the name of the skilled craftsman who worked for King Solomon?
Huram (1 Kings 7:13–14).

How did Solomon see his life as a fulfillment of the promises that the Lord had made to David?
He built the temple, just as the Lord had promised David his father
(1 Kings 8:17–21).

When Solomon prayed at the dedication of the temple, what did he say about the promises of God?
Not one word had failed (1 Kings 8:56).

What did the Lord say to Solomon when He appeared to him a second time?
The Lord promised to establish Solomon’s throne forever if he and his sons obeyed, and cut off Israel from the land if they disobeyed (1 Kings 9:1–9).

What did Solomon give to Hiram, king of Tyre?
Twenty cities in the land of Galilee (1 Kings 9:10–11).

Why did the Queen of Sheba come to see Solomon?
She wanted to test him with hard questions (1 Kings 10:1).

What caused Solomon’s heart to turn away to other gods?
His pagan wives (1 Kings 11:1–8).

Who were the enemies that God raised up against Solomon?
Hadad, Rezon, and Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:14, 23, 26).

What did Shemaiah say to Rehoboam?
That he should not go up and fight against the children of Israel (1 Kings 12:22–24).

How did God feed Elijah at the Brook Cherith?
Elijah drank from the brook, and was fed there by the ravens (1 Kings 17:2–6).

Where did God send Elijah when the brook dried up?
To a widow who lived in Zarephath (1 Kings 17:7–9).

How did Elijah raise the widow’s son from the dead?
He stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the Lord, and the Lord revived the widow’s son (1 Kings 17:17–24).

When Elijah claimed that he was the only faithful Israelite remaining, what was the Lord’s response?
He told Elijah that there were still 7,000 in Israel who had refused to worship Baal (1 Kings 19:10–18).

What happened to Naboth when he refused to give Ahab his vineyard?
He threw Micaiah into prison (1 Kings 22:26–27).

2 Kings

What did Elisha ask Elijah to give him?
A double portion of Elijah’s spirit (2 Kings 2:9).

How did God take Elijah up to heaven?
By a chariot of fire in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11).

What miracle did Elisha perform in Jericho after Elijah’s death?
He healed the bad water that was there (2 Kings 2:19–22).

How were the youths punished for mocking Elisha?
Two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of them (2 Kings 2:23–24).

What happened to the widow who was unable to pay her dead husband’s creditor?
The Lord multiplied her jar of oil, so she could sell the extra oil and pay the debt (2 Kings 4:1–7).

How did Elisha revive the Shunammite’s son?
He prayed to the Lord, and warmed the child’s flesh with his own body
(2 Kings 4:32–35).

Who was Naaman?
The commander of the Syrian army (2 Kings 5:1).

What disease did he have?
Leprosy (2 Kings 5:1).

How did Naaman learn about Elisha?
An Israelite slave girl told Naaman’s wife about him (2 Kings 5:2–3).

What was Naaman’s response when Elisha told him to bathe in the Jordan seven times?
He was furious (2 Kings 5:9–12).

What happened when Naaman dipped seven times in the Jordan?
His flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child (2 Kings 5:14).

What did Gehazi obtain from Naaman by lying?
Two talents of silver and two changes of garments (2 Kings 5:20–24).

What curse did Elisha pronounce on Gehazi for his sin?
He put the leprosy of Naaman on Gehazi and his descendants forever (2 Kings 5:25–27).

Why did the Syrians retreat when they were so close to capturing Samaria?
The Lord caused them to hear the noise of a great army, so they fled for their lives (2 Kings 7:6–7).

Who drove chariots furiously?
Jehu the son of Nimshi (2 Kings 9:20).

How did Jezebel die?
Her eunuchs threw her out of a window, and Jehu trampled her underfoot
(2 Kings 9:30–33).

What happened when a dead man came into contact with the bones of Elisha?
He revived and stood on his feet (2 Kings 13:21).

What was the Rabshakeh’s message to Hezekiah?
He mocked Hezekiah’s trust in God and urged him to give a pledge to the king of Assyria (2 Kings 18:17–25).

What did Isaiah predict would happen to the king of Assyria?
He would hear a rumor, return to his own land, and fall by the sword there (2 Kings 19:7).

How many of Sennacherib’s men did the Angel of the Lord kill?
185,000 (2 Kings 19:35).

Who murdered Sennacherib while he was worshiping his false god?
Two of his sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer (2 Kings 19:37).

What did Hezekiah say in his prayer when he was sick and near death?
He asked the Lord to remember how he had walked before Him in truth and with a loyal heart, and had done what was good in His sight. (2 Kings 20:1–3).

What was Manasseh’s character like when he reigned over Judah?
He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and committed abominations (2 Kings 21:1–2).

How old was Josiah when he became king?
Eight years old (2 Kings 22:1).

Why did God promise Josiah that he would not see Israel’s calamity?
Because his heart was tender, and because he had humbled himself, torn his clothes, and wept before the Lord (2 Kings 22:18–19).

What did Josiah do to all the idols and places of idol worship?
He destroyed them (2 Kings 23:4–20).

What made Josiah’s reign unique?
No king before him or after him turned to the Lord like he did, with all his heart, soul, and might (2 Kings 23:25).