1 Kings

Definition and Meaning

1 Kings is the eleventh book of the Old Testament and consists of 22 chapters. Its Korean title, Yeolwanggi (列王記), means "the record of the kings." In the Hebrew Bible it formed a single book with 2 Kings. It was divided into two books in the Septuagint, the Greek translation, and this division has carried over into modern Bibles. In the Protestant classification of the biblical books, it belongs to the historical books.

Biblical and Historical Background

The contents fall broadly into three parts:

• Chapters 1–11: the final years of David, the accession and wisdom of Solomon, the building and dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem, and Solomon's idolatry in his later years
• Chapters 12–16: the division of the kingdom into the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel after Solomon's death, followed by accounts of the kings of both nations
• Chapters 17–22: the ministry of the prophet Elijah during the reign of King Ahab

The book cites older records as its sources, such as "the book of the acts of Solomon" (1 Kings 11:41). The text does not identify its author; Jewish tradition ascribes the book to Jeremiah. In scholarship, a widely known view regards it as part of the "Deuteronomistic History," a body of writings that recounts Israel's history from the theological perspective of Deuteronomy, though conservative theologians differ in the extent to which they accept this view. The book evaluates each king by whether he did what was right in the sight of God or served idols.

Practice in the Korean Church

• The account of Solomon offering a thousand burnt offerings at Gibeon and asking for wisdom (1 Kings 3:4–15) is frequently used in preaching. A burnt offering is a sacrifice in which the offering is burned. Some churches, modeling their practice on this passage, hold "thousand burnt offering" (ilcheon beonje) offerings or thousand-day prayer commitments. Within the church, there is also criticism that such practices stray from the meaning of the text and reflect a prosperity-oriented (gibok) faith.
• Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple (chapter 8) is often read at church dedication services.
• The scene on Mount Carmel in which Elijah receives an answer by fire from heaven (chapter 18) is frequently preached at revival meetings and at gatherings held at prayer retreat centers. Interpretations differ in emphasis according to tradition:
• Churches in the Pentecostal tradition tend to connect this fire with the power of the Holy Spirit.
• The Reformed tradition tends to emphasize the passage's redemptive-historical context, in which it reveals God's faithfulness to His covenant. Redemptive-historical interpretation reads the whole of Scripture within the unfolding history of God's salvation.
• The scene in which the exhausted Elijah finds rest under a juniper tree (19:4–8) is often cited in sermons and counseling that address burnout and recovery.