The Divided Kingdom

1-2 Kings
 1st Kings
Structure and Outline
• The Reign of Solomon Chapters 1—11

• The Kingdom Divided Chapters 12—14

• Nadab to Ahab Chapters 15—16

• Elijah to Ahab Chapters 17:1—22:40

• Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah Chapters 22:41—53

 2nd Kings
Structure and Outline
• The Ministry of Elisha Chapters 1—8
• The Reigns of Various Kings Chapters 8—16
• The Fall of Northern Israel Chapter 17

• The Reign of Hezekiah Chapters 18—20

• Manasseh and Amon Chapter 21
• The Reign of Josiah Chapters 22—23
• The Fall of Southern Judah Chapters 23—25
 1st and 2nd Kings
• What Are 1-2 Kings?
1 & 2 Kings describe the reigns of Israel’s kings following
Saul and David, a period from about 970-586 B.C. 1 Kings
details the reign of Solomon and then discloses the events
leading to the kingdom being divided into two kingdoms: Israel
(Northern) and Judah (Southern). The remainder of the book
chronicles the reigns of Rehoboam through Jehoshaphat in
Judah and the reigns of Jeroboam I through Ahaziah in Israel,
devoting a significant portion to Ahab, including much of the
ministry of Elijah and the calling of Elisha.
2 Kings tells of Elijah’s transport to heaven and the ministry of
Elisha, his successor. It then details the downfall and ultimate end
of the Northern Kingdom, Israel (722 B.C.), as well as the later
fall and captivity of the Southern Kingdom, Judah (586 B.C.).
 1st and 2nd Kings
• Who Wrote 1-2 Kings?
The author of 1 & 2 Kings is anonymous. The author is
frequently referred to as a “Deuteronomist” due to the influence of
the book of Deuteronomy in the author’s use of language. There are
certain phrases from Deuteronomy that appear frequently throughout
the books, with almost every king being negatively evaluated
according to the Mosaic law. Some have suggested that the
Deuteronomists were Levites, priests, or prophets, but no definitive
identity exists. Because 2 Kings 25:27-30 describes the release of
Jehoiachin from a Babylonian prison in 561 B.C., the books could
not have been compiled prior to that date. Therefore, a compilation
date of mid- to late-sixth century B.C. is most likely.
 1st and 2nd Kings
• Why Were 1-2 Kings Written?
If 1 & 2 Kings were written during the latter part of the
exile, then it seems their purpose was to explain how the
Israelites arrived again into captivity. The books are narrative
in nature, as well as theological, explaining events in
theological terms.
1 Kings specifically details the division of the kingdom
and the slide of God’s people into idolatry.
2 Kings covers the continued downward spiral (with a few
bright spots) until the Babylonian captivity. For exiles
wondering how the kingdom had lost its former glory, the
author provides the explanation.
 Key Themes in 1-2 Kings
• Yahweh God Will Not Share His Glory
• Yahweh God Is Sovereign
• Yahweh God is Faithful to His Covenant(s)
– Covenant with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
– Covenant with Moses, Joshua
– Covenant with the Israelites (Mt. Sinai)
– Covenant with David
• Yahweh God Preserves A Remnant
 The Divided Kingdom (Major Events)
1 Kings 12—2 Kings 17
• Solomon dies and his son, Rehoboam, succeeds him as king.
• Rehoboam is crowned in Shechem rather than Jerusalem.
• The people ask Rehoboam to ease Solomon’s taxation burden.
– Rehoboam’s elders advise him to appease the will of the people
– Rehoboam’s peers/ friends tell him to react harshly with authority

• Rehoboam treats the people worse than his father, Solomon.

• As a result, 10 tribes break away to follow Jeroboam in 922 B.C.
– Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained to follow The Davidic kings
– The Northern Kingdom that followed Jeroboam is known as “Ephraim”
– The Southern Kingdom that followed the Davidic line is “Judah”
 The Kings of Israel (North) (“Ephraim”)
(Not one Northern King Did “Good” in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)

• Jeroboam 931-911 BC 1 Kings 12:16—14:20

• Nadab 911-910 BC 1 Kings 15:25—31
• Baasha 910-887 BC 1 Kings 15:25—16:5
• Elah 887-886 BC 1 Kings 16:6—14
• Zimri 886 BC 1 Kings 16:8—20
• Tibni 886 BC 1 Kings 18:21—22
After Zimri there was civil war. Some followed Tibni and others Omri.
Omri’s followers defeated Tbni’s. So Tibni’s kingship is unofficial.

• Omri 886-875 BC 1 Kings 16:15—28

• Ahab 875-853 BC 1 Kings 16:28—22:40
 The Kings of Israel Continued
(Not one Northern King Did “Good” in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)
• Ahaziah 853-852 BC 1 Kings 22:41— 2 Kings 1:18
• Jehoram 852-841 BC 2 Kings 1:17— 9:24
• Jehu 841-814 BC 2 Kings 9:1—10:36
• Jehoahaz 814-798 BC 2 Kings 13:1—9
• Jehoash 798-782 BC 2 Kings 13:10—14:15
• Jereboam II 782-753 BC 2 Kings 14:15—29
• Zechariah 753-752 BC 2 King 14:28—15:12
• Shallum 752 BC 2 Kings 15:8-16
• Menahem 752-742 BC 2 Kings 15:13-22
• Pekahiah 742-740 BC 2 Kings 15:22-26
• Pekah 740-732 BC 2 Kings 15:25-31
• Hoshea 732-722 BC 2 Kings 17:1-6
 The Kings of Israel (North) (Ephraim)
(Not one Northern King Did “Good” in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)

• Jeroboam I 931-911 BC 1 Kings 12:16—14:20

– Did not like the idea of his people paying tithes to Jerusalem
– Erected 2 golden calves in Bethel and Dan to counter the Ark and Mercy
Seat in Jerusalem.
– Since Levites were in Jerusalem, Jeroboam allowed for anyone to be a priest
• Nadab 911-910 BC 1 Kings 15:25—31
– Did evil and worshiped idol like his father, Jeroboam
– Assassinated by Baasha during a battle against Philistines
• Baasha 910-887 BC 1 Kings 15:25—16:5
– Murdered entire house of Jeroboam (prophesied by Ahijah)
– Constantly at war against Asa, king of Judah
– Prophesied by Jehu that his entire family would be killed & unburied
 The Kings of Israel
(Not one Northern King Did “Good” in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)
• Elah 887-886 BC 1 Kings 16:6—14
– Baasha’s son, assasinated while drunk by Zimri, his general
• Zimri 886 BC 1 Kings 16:8—20
– Known as the “7 day king”
– The people learn of Zimri’s murder of Elah and recognize Omri as king
– Omri leads an army to overtake Zimri
– Zimri sees his imminent defeat and burns down his house, while inside.
– Northern Kingdom then splits into 2 groups: Followers of Omri and Tibni
• Omri 886-875 BC 1 Kings 16:15—28
– Takes 6 yers to fully be recognized as king
– Tries to lead like David; captures land from Southern Kingdom of Judah
– Bought a hill from Shemer and named it Samaria; makes it the capital
– Was more evil than any king before him.
 The Kings of Israel
(Not one Northern King Did “Good” in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)
• Ahab 875-853 BC 1 Kings 16:28—22:40
– Married Jezebel, daughter of king of Tyre
– Led Israel into its lowest period of moral depravity
– Best known for his dispute with the prophet, Elijah, on Mt. Carmel
• Ahaziah 853-852 BC 1 Kings 22:41— 2 Kings 1:18
– Son of Ahab and Jezebel, did evil just as his father did
– Became ill after falling, sought word from Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, so
Elijah prophesied his death because he did not trust in the LORD.
• Jehoram 852-841 BC 2 Kings 1:17— 9:24
– Ahaziah’s brother, served during the time of Elisha the prophet
– Fought against Moab alongside Jehoshaphat, king of Judah
– Killed by Jehu in Jehu’s purge
 The Kings of Israel
(Not one Northern King Did “Good” in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)
• Jehu 841-814 BC 2 Kings 9:1—10:36
– Anointed by Elisha as king while Jehoram was still alive
– Commanded by God to destroy Ahab’s descendants
– Killed Jehoram and Ahaziah (Judah’s King) in valley of Jezreel
– Ordered Jezebel to be thrown from a tower where she died
– “Built a temple to Baal” in Jezreel and lured the prophets for slaughter
– Eradicated Baal worship from Israel, but did not remove the golden calves
• Jehoahaz 814-798 BC 2 Kings 13:1—9
– Jehu’s son, sought the Lord when Aram was oppressing Israel & He helped
• Jehoash 798-782 BC 2 Kings 13:10—14:15
– Son of Jehoahaz; reigned during time of Elisha’s death
– fought against Ben-hadad of Aram and defeated him
– Fought aainst Amaziah of Judah and destroyed parts of Jerusalem’s wall
 The Kings of Israel
(Not one Northern King Did “Good” in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)
• Jereboam II 782-753 BC 2 Kings 14:15—29
– Time of great prosperity; same time as Uzziah in Judah
– Extended boundaries of Northern Kingdom to where they were w/ Solomon
• Zechariah 753-752 BC 2 King 14:28—15:12
– Last of the lineage of Jehu’s dynasty; reigned only 6 months
• Shallum 752 BC 2 Kings 15:8-16
– Killed Zechariah; reigned 30 days; killed by Menahem
• Menahem 752-742 BC 2 Kings 15:13-22
– Killed Shallum; attacked tipsah and ripped open the pregnant women
– Made treaty with Tiglath Pileser III of Assyria for protection
– Unclear whether he was murdered or died of natural causes
 The Kings of Israel
(Not one Northern King Did “Good” in the Eyes of the Lord for 200 years)
• Pekahiah 742-740 BC 2 Kings 15:22-26
– Son of Menahem; kept relations with Tiglath Pileser III
– Killed by Pekah
• Pekah 740-732 BC 2 Kings 15:25-31
– Ruled during the Syro-Ephraimatic Crisis where TP III captured and took
captive much of Israel
• Hoshea 732-722 BC 2 Kings 17:1-6
– Killed Pekah
– Paid tribute to Shalmaneser of Assyria but conspired with Egypt to rise
against Assyria
– Shalmaneser of Assyria learned ofthe plan and took Hoshea and all of
Israel captive
 Elijah the Prophet
• Elijah prophesies a drought to King Ahab until Elijah would
call for it to rain again.
• God calls for Elijah to hide away, and God provided for his
needs by sending ravens to carry him food.
• Elijah next goes to live away from Israel with a widow and
raises her son from the dead.
• In the 3rd year, God calls for Elijah to return to Ahab. Elijah
meets Obadiah, who has hidden 100 prophets from Jezebel.
• When Elijah finally meets Ahab, he challenges him to a
“prophet’s duel” on Mt. Carmel. (1 Kings 18)
 Elijah the Prophet
• Elijah and the LORD defeat the 400 prophets of Baal.
• After this, the prophets were slaughtered and Elijah called
for rain to fall….and it did.
• Ahab returns to tell his wife, Jezebel, about Elijah, and she
vows to kill Elijah.
• Elijah flees for his life down to Judah, and he was in despair,
wanting to die, feeling totally alone.
• God cares for Elijah and reminds him that He has stored
away other prophets who are faithful to the LORD.
• God sends Elijah to return to Israel & anoint Jehu king.
• Elijah was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire.
 The Kings of Judah
(David’s Descendants through Solomon)

• Rehoboam 931-915 BC 1 Kings 12:1—14:31

• Abijah 915-912 BC 1 Kings 15:1—8
• Asa 912-871 BC 1 Kings 15:9—24
• Jehoshaphat 871-849 BC 1 Kings 22:41—50
• Jehoram 849-842 BC 2 Kings 8:16—24
• Ahaziah 842-841 BC 2 Kings 8:25—29
• Athaliah* (queen) 841-835 BC 2 Kings 11:1—20
• Joash 835-796 BC 2 Kings 12:1—21
• Amaziah 796-767 BC 2 Kings 14:1—22
• Uzziah 792-740 BC 2 Kings 15:1—7
 The Kings of Judah continued
(David’s Descendants through Solomon)

• Jotham 750-735 BC 2 Kings 15:32—38

• Ahaz 735-715 BC 2 Kings 16:1—20
• Hezekiah 715-687 BC 2 Kings 18—20
• Manasseh 687-642 BC 2 Kings 21:1—18
• Amon 642-640 BC 2 Kings 21:19—26
• Josiah 640-609 BC 2 Kings 22:1—23:30
• Jehoahaz 609 BC 2 Kings 23:31—34
• Jehoiakim 609-598 BC 2 Kings 23:35—24:7
• Jehoiachin 598-597 BC 2 Kings 24:8-17, 25:27-30
• Zedekiah 597-586 BC 2 Kings 24:18—20
 The Kings of Judah
(The Descendants of King David through Solomon)
• Rehoboam 931-915 BC 1 Kings 12:1—14:31
– Son of Solomon; had many wives like his father
– Chose to treat people more harshly than Solomon causing the 10 tribes to
follow Jeroboam and form a separate kingdom.
• Abijah 915-912 BC 1 Kings 15:1—8
– Had 14 wives, committedsame sin as his father and grandfather.
– Trusted God in battle against Jeroboam of Israel and led Judah to slay
500,000 men.
• Asa 912-871 BC 1 Kings 15:9—24
– Reigned 40 yearsand did right in the eyes of God; removed idols.
– Trusted the King of Aram when blockaded by Baasha of Israel
– Remained in war the final years of his reign
– Died from a foot disease; stubbornly did not seek the Lord’s help
 The Kings of Judah
(The Descendants of King David through Solomon)
• Jehoshaphat 871-849 BC 1 Kings 22:41—50
– Sent priests & prophets into cities to teach people the Law of the Lord
– Allied with Ahab and Ahaziah, kings of Israel; viewed as sinful by God
• Jehoram 849-842 BC 2 Kings 8:16—24
– Killed all his brothers and some rulers of Israel
– Married Ahab’s (King of Israel) daughter; was evil just as Ahab was
– Mentioned as buried in city of David but not said to “rest with his fathers.”
• Ahaziah 842-841 BC 2 Kings 8:25—29
– Youngest son of Jehoram; all other siblingshad been murdered
– Killed by Jehu in the Valley of Jezreel alogn with Jehoram, the King of
Israel
 The Kings of Judah
(The Descendants of King David through Solomon)
• Athaliah* (queen) 841-835 BC 2 Kings 11:1—20
– Mother of Ahaziah and daughter of Ahab, former wicked king of Israel
– Took throne after murdering all of Ahaziah’s children…or so she thought
• Joash 835-796 BC 2 Kings 12:1—21
– Hidden in the Temple and spared from Athalia’s murders
– Crowned at age 7; refurbished Temple and did good in God’s sight
– Later in life agreed to murder the son of the man who raised him
• Amaziah 796-767 BC 2 Kings 14:1—22
– Did right in God’s eyes but not with his whole heart
– Burned insense to the gods of Edom after defeating Edomites in battle
– Defeated by Joash of Israel and spent final days in hiding until he was
killed in Lachish
 The Kings of Judah
(The Descendants of King David through Solomon)
• Uzziah 792-740 BC 2 Kings 15:1—7
– Reigned 52 years in Judah
– Did what was right but did not remove the high places
– Consumed with pride and stricken by God with leprosy late in his life
• Jotham 750-735 BC 2 Kings 15:32—38
– Walked in the ways of Uzziah but did not enter the Temple of the LORD
– King atthe beginning of the Syro-Ephraimitic Crisis
• Ahaz 735-715 BC 2 Kings 16:1—20
– Did not do what was right before God; he even sacrificed his son
– Asked Tiglath Pileser III for help against Aram, and paid tribute to him
by taking gold and silver from the Temple
– Called for Urijah, the priest, to build an altar like the one at Damascus
 The Kings of Judah
(The Descendants of King David through Solomon)
• Hezekiah 715-687 BC 2 Kings 18—20
– Did right before God like David; tore down high places
– Shattered the bronze serpent of Moses because people burnt incense to it
– Is king during Israel’s fall and also during Sennachrib Crisis
• Manasseh 687-642 BC 2 Kings 21:1—18
– Most evil and longest ruling king; Worshiped Molech/ child sacrifices
– Rebuilt all the high places his father had torn down
– His leadership is credited as leading to Judah’s downfall
– 2 Chonicles 33 gives reference to a deathbed conversion
• Amon 642-640 BC 2 Kings 21:19—26
– Evil just as his father, Manasseh.
– Killed after 2 years by his servants in his own house
 The Kings of Judah
(The Descendants of King David through Solomon)
• Josiah 640-609 BC 2 Kings 22:1—23:30
– Became king at 8 years of age; did right before God as David
– Refurbished the Temple and discovers the Book of the Law in 621 BC
– Reinstitutes proper worship and the celebration of the Passover
– Breaks ties with Assyria; Killed in battle by Pharaoh Necho at Megiddo
• Jehoahaz 609 BC 2 Kings 23:31—34
– Rules 3 months in Jerusalem; did evil in the sight of the Lord
– Taken captive by Pharaoh Necho to Egyptian prison
• Jehoiakim 609-598 BC 2 Kings 23:35—24:7
– Actual name is Eliakim, a son of Josiah;
– Named king by Necho after removing Jehoahaz and his name was changed.
– King of Judah at the time that Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon defeated Necho
 The Kings of Judah
(The Descendants of King David through Solomon)
• Jehoiachin 598-597 BC 2 Kings 24:8-17, 25:27-30
– Reigned only 3 months in Jerusalem; did evil before the Lord
– Carried away into exile along with all the mighty men and high-ranking
people of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon
• Zedekiah 597-586 BC 2 Kings 24:18—20
– Originally names Mattaniah; Josiah’s youngest son; Jehoiachin’s uncle
– Name changed by Nebuchadnezzar
– Rebelled against Neb. and Jerusalem was laid seige for 2 years
– Zedekiah tried to escape but was captured.
– His children were killed before him, then his eyes were gouged out.
– Then he was taken to Babylon