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The Blue Letter Bible
Aa

Keith Essex
Part XII: Kings


Keith Essex's correlating video lecture(s) from The Master's Seminary:


  1. Kings [MSB, 459-61; ESVSB, 585-90, 645; 541-4, 597; BTSB, 534-42; NIVSB, 524-32, 590-92; HWSOT, 278-306; WOTA, 218-37; LDIOT, 167-89]
    1. Introduction
      1. Title [W&W, 319]
        1. Hebrew: "Kings"
        2. LXX: "III & IV Books of Kingdoms"
        3. Vulgate: "III & IV Kings"
      2. Date of Events:
        • From the Death of David (970 BC)
        • to the Release of Jehoiachin (561 BC)
      3. The Continuing Impact: "to this day" (1Ki 8:8; 9:13, 21; 10:12; 12:19; 2Ki 8:22; 10:27; 14:7; 16:6; 17:23, 34, 41; 21:15)
      4. The History of Interpretation (ACCSOT, vol. V)
    2. Major Themes [see W&W, 327-8; NIDOTTE, 4:846-55]
      1. The Kings
        1. Solomon (1Ki 1:1-11:43; 12:2, 6, 21, 23; 14:21, 26; 2Ki 21:7; 23:13; 24:13; 25:16) [see NIDOTTE; 4:1232-6; DOTHB, 921-9]
          1. The Requirement of Obedience (1Ki 2:2-4; 6:11-13; 8:56-61; 9:3-9)
          2. Solomon Claimed to Be the "Seed" (1Ki 5:5; 8:12-21)
          3. Solomon Was Not the "Seed" (1Ki 8:46-53; 10:26-11:13; 11:14, 23, 26)
        2. The Kings of Israel (1Ki 12; 2Ki 17) [CBCOT, 31, 32, 42-3; see NIDOTTE, 4:733-8; DOTHB, 514-20]
          1. Jeroboam I (1Ki 11:26-40; 12:1-14:20) [see NIDOTTE, 4:769-71; DOTHB, 544-7]
          2. Ahab (1Ki 16:29-22:40) [see NIDOTTE, 4:364-6; DOTHB, 755-64]
          3. Jehu (2Ki 9:1-10:36) [see NIDOTTE, 4:749-50; DOTHB, 534-8]
        3. The Kings of Judah (1Ki 12; 2Ki 25) [CBCOT, 30, 44-5; see NIDOTTE; 4:822-5]
          1. Hezekiah (2Ki 18:1-20:21) [see NIDOTTE, 4:703-7; DOTHB, 407-13]
          2. Josiah (2Ki 22:1-23:30) [see NIDOTTE, 4:819-22; DOTHB, 575-9]
        4. The Kings of Comparison
          1. David (1Ki 1; 2; 3; 5-9; 11-15; 22; 2Ki 8; 9; 12; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18; 20; 21; 22)
          2. Jeroboam I (1Ki 11-14; 15; 16; 21; 22; 2Ki 3; 9; 10; 13; 14; 15; 17; 23)
      2. The Prophets
        1. The Ministry of Prophets (1Ki 11; 13; 14; 16; 18-20; 22; 2Ki 2-6; 9; 17; 20; 21; 23; 24)
        2. The Individual Prophets
          1. Nathan (1Ki 1) [see DOTHB, 715-8]
          2. Ahijah (1Ki 11; 12; 14; 15)
          3. Shemaiah (1Ki 12)
          4. Jehu (1Ki 16); [Hanani, cf. 2 Chron. 16:7; 19:2]
          5. Elijah (1Ki 17-19; 21; 2Ki 1-2) [see NIDOTTE, 4:572-8; DOTHB, 249-54]
          6. Micaiah (1Ki 22) [see NIDOTTE, 4:940, #3]
          7. Elisha (1Ki 19; 2Ki 2-9; 13) [see NIDOTTE, 4:572-8; DOTHB, 254-8]
          8. Jonah (2Ki 14)
          9. Isaiah (2Ki 19-20) [see DOTHB, 509-14]
          10. Huldah (2Ki 22)
      3. The Temple (1Ki 5-9; 2Ki 18; 23; 24) [see DOTHB, 929-35]
      4. The Sovereignty of Yahweh: The Fulfilled Word of the Prophets
        THE PROPHET
        PROPHECY
        FULFILLMENT
        A Man of God from Judah
        A Man of God from Judah
        A Man of God from Judah
        A Prophet
        A Prophet
        A Man of God
        A Man of the Sons of the Prophets
        A Man of the Sons of the Prophets
    3. Purpose:
      • The human monarchy, including the Davidic house, failed to follow Yahweh with the result that Israel and Judah were taken from the Land in fulfillment of the prophetic Word.
    4. The Literary Structure (W&W, 321-3; DOTHB, 623-34)
      1. The Literary Chart for Kings
        UNITED KINGDOM
        DIVIDED KINGDOM
        SURVIVING KINGDOM
        EPILOGUE
        Solomon,
        Temple Built
        Israel and Judah
        [Elijah, Elisha]
        Judah,
        Temple Destroyed
        Continuation of the House of David
        27%
        57%
        15%
        1%
      2. The Major Divisions of Kings
        A
        The Rise of Solomon
        B
        Solomon's Wisdom and Wealth
        C
        Building Procedure
        D
        The Building and Dedica-tion of the Temple
        C'
        Building Procedure
        B'
        Solomon's Wisdom and Wealth
        A'
        The Decline of Solomon
        21 Years
        A
        The Rise of Idolatry in Israel and Judah
        28 Years
        B
        Kings of Judah and Israel
        90 Years
        C
        Baal Worship and Elijah and Elisha
        62 Years
        B'
        Kings of Judah and Israel
        13 Years
        A'
        Idolatry in Judah and the Exile of Israel
        25 Years
        A
        Reform:
        The Reign of Hezekiah
        57 Years
        B
        Apostasy:
        The Reigns of Manasseh, Amon
        31 Years
        A'
        Reform:
        The Reign of Josiah
        23 Years
        B'
        Apostasy:
        The Reigns ofJehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah
      3. The Outline of Kings
        1. The United Kingdom: The Reign of Solomon (1 Kgs 1:1–1 Kgs 11:43)
          1. The Rise of Solomon (1Ki 1:1–1Ki 2:46)
          2. The Beginning of Solomon's Wisdom and Wealth (1Ki 3:1–1Ki 4:34)
          3. The Preparation for the Building of the Temple (1Ki 5:1-18)
          4. The Building of the Temple and Solomon's House (1Ki 6:1–1Ki 9:9)
          5. The Further Building Projects of Solomon (1Ki 9:10-28)
          6. The Culmination of Solomon's Wisdom and Wealth (1Ki 10:1-29)
          7. The Decline of Solomon (1Ki 11:1-43)
        2. The Divided Kingdom: The Kings of Israel and Judah (1 Kgs 12:1–2 Kgs 17:41)
          1. The Rise of Idolatry: Jeroboam I of Israel / Rehoboam of Judah (1Ki 12:1–1Ki 14:31)
          2. Kings of Judah / Israel (1Ki 15:1–1Ki 16:22)
          3. The Dynasty of Omri in Israel and Its Influence: The Rise and Fall of Baal Worship in Israel and Judah (1 Kin 16:23–2 Kin 13:25)
            1. The Introduction of Baal Worship (1Ki 16:23-34)
            2. The Opposition of Elijah to Baal Worship (1 Kin 17:1–2 Kin 1:18)
            3. The Influence of Elisha concerning the True God (2Ki 2:1–2Ki 9:13)
            4. The Overthrow of Baal Worship in Israel (2Ki 9:14–2Ki 10:36)
            5. The Overthrow of Baal Worship in Judah (2Ki 11:1–2Ki 12:21)
            6. The Death of Elisha (2Ki 13:1-25)
          4. Kings of Judah / Israel (2Ki 14:1–2Ki 15:38)
          5. The Defeat and Exile of Israel by Assyria (2Ki 16:1–2Ki 17:41)
        3. . The Surviving Kingdom: The Kings of Judah (2 Kgs 18:1–2 Kgs 25:21)
          1. Hezekiah's Righteous Reign (2Ki 18:1–2Ki 20:21)
          2. Manassah and Amons' Wicked Reigns (2Ki 21:1-26)
          3. Josiah's Righteous Reign (2Ki 22:1–2Ki 23:30)
          4. The Defeat and Exile of Judah by Babylon (2Ki 23:31–2Ki 25:21)
        4. Appendices: The People's Continued Rebellion and the Lord's Continued Mercy (2 Kgs 25:22-30)
    5. Bibliography
      1. Exegetical:
        • Beal, 1 & 2 Kings (AOTC).
      2. English Interpretation:
        • Wiseman, 1 & 2 Kings (TOTC).
        • Provan, 1 & 2 Kings (NIBCOT).
      3. Expositional:
        • *House, 1 & 2 Kings (NAC).
        • *Davis, 1 Kings: The Wisdom and the Folly.
        • *Davis, 2 Kings: The Power and the Fury.
    6. Selected Interpretive Problems
      1. The Chronology of the Kings [CBCOT, 30-1, 60-1, 64-7; DOTHB, 183-7; 452-85]
        1. The Data Is Inaccurate
        2. The Data Is Accurate, But Unsolvable
        3. The Data Is Accurate and Generally Solvable [Wiseman; House; EBC; BKC]
        Kings of Judah
        Years
        Rehoboam
        17
        Abijah
        3
        Asa
        41
        Jehoshaphat
        25
        Jehoram
        8
        Ahaziah
        1
        [Athaliah]
        7
        Joash (Jehoash)
        40
        Amaziah
        29
        Azariah (Uzziah)
        52
        Jotham
        16
        Ahaz
        16
        Hezekiah
        29
        Manasseh
        55
        Amon
        2
        Josiah
        31
        Jehoahaz
        .25
        Jehoiakim
        11
        Jehoiachin
        .25
        Zedekiah
        11
        Total
        394.5
        Kings of Israel
        Years
        Jeroboam
        22
        Nadab
        2
        Baasha
        24
        Elah
        2
        Zimri
        7 Days
        Omri
        12
        Ahab
        22
        Ahaziah
        2
        Jehoram (Joram)
        12
        Jehu
        28
        Jehoahaz
        17
        Jehoash (Joash)
        16
        Jeroboam II
        41
        Zechariah
        .5
        Shallum
        1 Month
        Menahem
        10
        Pekahiah
        2
        Pekah
        20
        Hoshea
        9
         
         
        Total
        241.5
        • The Problem:
          • There is not enough time for consecutive Kingships in either Judah/Israel
        Israel (ca. 931-722 BC)
        210 Years
        Judah (ca. 931-586 BC)
        345 Years
        • The Solution (MSB, 460; BTSB, 537, 573; Thiele, The Mysterious Number of the Hebrew Kings):
          1. Separate Calendars:
            • Generally, Israel began its year in Nisan (March / April);
            • Judah began its year in Tishri (September / October).
          2. "Accession / Nonaccession" Year Dating:
            • The accession year (the time from the beginning of the reign until the New Year) was not counted in the total reign for dating purposes [used in Judah until Jehoram and in both Judah and Israel after Amaziah(J) / Jehoash(I)] /
            • The accession year was counted in the total reign for dating purposes [used in Judah from Jehoram to Joash and Israel from Jeroboam to Jehoahaz].
          3. National Dating:
            • Each country used its dating system to determine the reigns of the other nation.
          4. Coregencies:
            • At times, two (or three) kings reigned at the same time.
          5. Dual Dating:
            • When a king ruled when a rival ruler controlled part of the land, the total years of the reign were counted from when he first came to the throne, but the year of his accession was the year when the overlapping reign ended and the sole reign began.
      2. The High Places (1Ki 3:2) [MSB, 468; ESVSB, 597; BTSB, 547-48; NIDOTTE, 1:670; DOTHB, 413-8]
        1. Excusable, if not associated with Canaanite practices, until the Building of the Temple [Wiseman; House; Davis; EBC1 & 2]
        2. Inexcusable both before and after the Building of the Temple (cf. Deut. 12:2-14; 2Ki 17:9) [Provan; BKC (?)]
      3. The Portrayal of Solomon [MKP, 327-30]
        1. A Flawed Lover and Follower of Yahweh (1Ki 3:3a; 1Ki 11:4-6) [House; Davis; EBC1 & 2]
        2. An Apostate Who Turned away from Following Yahweh (1Ki 11:9-10) [Provan]
        3. The Record Is Inconclusive, but Solomon Is a(n imperfect) Type of Christ [Provan]
    7. Preaching Kings

Used with permission by Dr. Keith Essex. Redistribution without express permission from Dr. Keith Essex is prohibited.

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