Like the previous two books of Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings were originally one book covering the nation of Israel from the death of David to the fall of Jerusalem and the Babylonian captivity (970-587 B.C.). The basic story can be summed up as Solomon’s accession and reign (1 Kings 1-11), the story of the two separate kingdoms of Judah and Israel (1 Kings 12-2 Kings 17), and the story of Judah by itself (2 Kings 18-25).

It’s important for readers to understand what happens here regarding the name “Israel” because it can be very confusing. Originally it referred to all twelve tribes as they entered the promised land and conquered portions of it. During the time period of 1 and 2 Kings, however, it became the title of ten northern tribes who split away from the remaining two southern tribes, Judah and Benjamin.

One other item that may cause confusion is the reference to the temple built by Solomon. There are three temples mentioned in the Bible. Solomon’s is the first. After its destruction at the hands of the Babylonians in 587 B.C., a second one was built by Zerubbabel (see Ezra 5:2, 6:15-18) when some Jews returned from their captivity. But it was a poor copy of the original, so Herod rebuilt and refurbished it in 20 B.C. It was this temple that Jesus was associated with. It too was destroyed, this time by the Romans in 70 A.D. The site is now occupied by the Dome of the Rock, a Moslem mosque.

These two books are tragic to read. At the beginning there is King David, a beautiful temple, and a wide-spread kingdom. At the end there is a foreign king, a destroyed temple, and a people led into captivity as their promised land falls into the hands of unbelievers.