I Kings

1. I Kings
I. Solomon- 2:12-11
1. The first thing we read of him as king shows his wisdom - in the form of
seeing through Adonijah’s motives in seeking Bathsheba’s support to
promote his ambitions through a marriage that might inadvertently give
him claim to the throne. Solomonhonors his mother as she
approaches. Yet, Solomoninstantly sees what is happening as a
continuing threat from a man he had once put “on probation,” sees it is
at odds with God’s choice of him as king, and acts on it immediately (by
having him killed).
2. Solomonbanishes (but does not kill) Abiathar, who, though complicit,
had performed riskyand loyal duty to his father.
3. Joab apparently had supported Adonijah. David had advised Solomonin
some way to punish Joab (out of their very complexrelationship). Benaiah,
who would be his successor as head of the army, was sent to kill him, he
says for the deaths of Abner and Amasa. He does so,as Joab insists, while
on the Altar. (This whole saga with Joab, who did so much for David and
the Israelites yet was involved in questionable activity, is very odd and
deep.)

2. 4. Solomoncontinues to deal with oppositionand likely rebellion by going
after the scholarly but disloyal Shimei, to isolate him. Shimei violates the
terms of his isolation, his oath, and is killed as a result.
5. “The kingdom was thus established in the hand of Solomon.” As with
David, even though the king is selected and anointed, it is not settled until
oppositionis removed and authority settled.
6. Solomonsets out to solidifyhis reign in three respects: 1) marrying
women from surrounding nations to help establish peace and positive
relationships (some say through which he spread holiness into bearers of
idolatry), 2) a grant from God of wisdom to govern, and c) judgment, as he
showed in the case of the two women and the baby.
A. It begins with Pharaoh’s daughter. (Lots of debate throughout the ages
over the appropriateness of this, but it helps the text says Solomon
loved HaShem and the people brought offerings fora great high place
to be offered to God.At this time, he went to Gibeonand offered up
1000 elevation offerings onthe Altar. Sages say one who does olah
also elevates himself to higher degrees of service.
B. God appears to Solomonand asks him to ask for what he needs. This
seems so much easier for him than it was for David, whose whole lifetime
was devoted to perfecting himself in service of God. Solomonrecognizes
this is partly an extension of love of David, who “walked before You with
truth and justice and with uprightness of heart with You.” 3:6.
C. Solomonprays for an understanding heart, to judge the people, to
distinguish between good and evil. God responds with favor, delighted that
Solomonrequested this, understanding judgment, instead of many years or

3. riches or the lives of enemies, God grants him a wise and understanding
heart.
This includes accumulation of knowledge and ability to apply knowledge
and reason and deduce facts in service to God and to judge based on right
and wrong. Wisdom is achieved through effort, study, and concentration,
and I think, too, this gift/blessing of God.More than bookknowledge,
including understanding of others’ character and needs.
God distinguishes Solomonas unique in these respects, grants him riches
and honor, too, and pledges that so long as he walks in His ways, his days
will be prolonged.
This happened in a prophetic vision. Solomonthen came to Jerusalem with
both elevation offerings and peace offerings, and a feastfor servants.
Tradition sees celebrationupon receiving gift of wisdom, as in learning and
getting some mastery in Torah, which may explain Solomon’s coming back
to the Ark in Jerusalem to make these offerings.
D. The famous story of the two women, in which Solomonproves his
wisdom. 16-28.The two women tell their tale, the first in greater detail. As a
judge should, Solomonrepeats their contending arguments. He plays out
his strategy, and on the basis of one woman’s demonstrated compassion
and his wisdom in seeing it through to justice, the right result obtained. The
people see this, which contributes to better behavior on the people’s part
and a deterrence to sin.
7. Solomon’s chief ministers: scribes, appointments secretary, census
keeping of the army, overseer of regional commissioners, chamberlain,

4. head of taxes, commissioners who had a variety of assignments including
collectionof monies and goods. 4. Judah and israel were numerous and
profitable and prosperous.
8. Extent of kingdom. 5. Most powerful monarch of time, with wide-ranging
kingdom and needs. (One does wonder about how one is to square
obvious violations of Torah intent as to women and horses, for example,
with God’s blessing of Solomon(?). Some sages argue they were
necessaryfor national security, thus, ok. We’ll see how this plays out.
9. A. God gave Solomongreat WISDOM(hochma) and CONSIDERABLE
UNDERSTANDING (tevunah), the formerto choose between conflicting
character traits, and the latter to assimilate and utilize knowledge and
general understanding (binah) to compare and draw right conclusions.
B. He also gave SolomonBREADTHOF HEART, which means expertise
as immense as the number of grains of sand on the seashore (Radak).
Bamidbar Rabbah 19:3 says that just as the sand prevents the ocean from
flooding the land, Solomon’s wisdom restrained him (and others?) from
indulging wishes opposedby God. Haamek She’eilah says sands restrain
the sea from excess as a wise person does not flaunt what he knows and
only shows it as needed.
C. Solomonwas exceedinglywise, the wisest of all. Or is that Solomon, as
the Maggid of Mezritch said, acquired wisdom from all men and took from
all the nations the “sparks” their knowledge might have contained.

5. D. In 12, we get the source for the idea that Solomonwas the author of
much of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs. He communicated
in a way all could understand, bridging all gaps in a way all could
understand.
E. He spoke of the trees and the animals. He had vast knowledge of living
things and their differences, and how they fit into God’s world in nature and
in Torah, and ultimately further evidence that wisdom, too, comes from
God.
F. All came to hear his wisdom, which has the feel of “being a light to the
nations.”
10. Solomonbegins to build the Temple as a fulfillment of God’s
expectations and David’s desire, now that there is peace and the people
are settled and secure, and with involvement of Hiram, king of Tyre, and
source of the cedars of Lebanon. This is a Temple forGod, not a palace for
himself!
It’s a house for the Name of God.19. Purpose is not for God to be confined
in a residence, but rather its purpose is to be a place where God might be
served. Metzudos to II Chronicles. 2:5
The details of the arrangement betweenHiram and Solomon, as well as
their peace, and the manner of organizing of resources and work, to

6. achieve the aim, in last verses of 5, are worthy of study. (Were the stones
hewn by metal implements, forexample?)
11. 6. The Temple is built in 832 BCE, over 7 years, based on plans David
provided him, based as well generally on descriptionsin Torah for the
Tabernacle.
12. 11-13.In the midst of all the riches and detail, God’s word comes to
Solomon: “This Temple that you build - if you follow My decrees, perform
My statutes, and observe all My commandments, to follow them, I shall
uphold My word with you that I spoke with David, your father. I shall dwell
among the Children of Israel, and I shall not forsake My people Israel.”
Artscroll: God wanted Solomonto realize the physical temple must be a
reflectionof the nation’s spiritual being. Only if people are in accord with
God’s way does God’s spirit reside with them; otherwise, this is just a
palace for a human king.
Talmud: to be a builder of God’s Temple, one must be zealous of living true
to the mitzvot, because only if one is loyal to Torah will the Temple be
“built” in a permanent sense.
13. Solomonbuilds a grand palace that is described in rich detail. 7.

7. 14. a. Solomonand the nation dedicate the Temple and bring the Ark to the
Temple.This apparently occurred around Succot. They brought the
Tabernacle from the wilderness journey as well, and it was stored in the
Temple precincts. Procession. Many offerings. Notion that staves would still
be attached, thought the Ark would not be moved.The traditional view was
that once God’s glory filled the Temple in the cloud offeringscould only be
made here forever.
b. Solomonmakes a statement of gratitude to God, mentioning his role and
that of David. Solomonthen gives a long and moving prayer, including a
plea for God’s continued support of the royal line and the people and the
king’s and the people’s continuing to preserve their way.
i. Solomoncites words of the various aspects of prayer in his plea, as to
say that all will be forthcoming from the people in the Temple and the hope
that God will hear and respond to them: the tefilah, the supplication, and
the cry. He appears as well to be talking about prayers that will be offered
“toward this place,” as if to plea that prayers from anywhere directed here
(or to God?)would be heard, and the person, if appropriate, forgiven. 27
ii. Solomonprays that God condemnthe wicked and vindicate the
righteous. If the people sin and are punished but seek to return in prayer,
repentance, and supplication that God hear, forgive, and allow return,
sending rain. 32-35
iii. Solomonpleads that God be opento the prayer of a non-Jew, so, for
among other purposes, all the peoples of the world may know Your
Name…. 41

8. iv. Solomonpleads for God’s responsiveness to help in time of war. 44.
v. Solomonpleads that God will accept repentance of those (individuals
and the nation) who sin (“for there is no man who never sins”), with special
emphasis on those who have been punished and taken captive but still
seek to return, with all their heart and soul, though far away. This
anticipates such great sin that there will be an exile from which a person
can’t come to the Temple to pray in forgiveness. As in our confession
today, Solomonmentions unintentional sin, deliberate iniquity, and
wickedness (rebellious, defiant) - the three forms of sinfulness in increasing
severity. 46
vi. Solomonstressesthat this mercy should be shown because “You made
them Yours.”
c. Solomonpraises God and blessesthe people. “May HASHEM, our God,
be with us as He was with our forefathers, may He not forsake us nor cast
us off,to turn our hearts to Him, to walk in all His ways and to observe His
commandments…”And to the people: “May your hearts remain perfect with
HASHEM our God, to follow his decreesand to observe His
commandments as on this very day.” 57-61
d. Offerings were made. Celebration for 14 days.

9. 15. God responds to Solomonaffirming covenant commitment to him and
the people so long as people remain loyal in Torah. 9. God specifically calls
upon Solomonto live as David did with wholeheartedness and uprightness
in following God’s commands.
Much discussionof the funds and laborers it took to build the Temple.
Solomonmaintains the system of offerings at both special and ordinary
times and the orders of the priests and Levites.
16. Solomonbuilds a navy.
17. Visit of Queen of Sheba to meet this wise man (and perhaps to find the
sort of answers all nations will one day seek when they come to Zion. 10.
She brings riddles. She sees all the wisdom of Solomon- in his solutions to
her problems, in ways and designs of the palace, the food and seating of
his servants, the place of attendants, drinks, passageways to the Temple.
(This suggests that wisdom can be seenin what we do as much as in what
we say, and in what we build. Solomonhad both theoretical and practical
wisdom, philosophical as well as pragmatic.)
This calls to mind the mitzvot of tzara’at of garments and houses. Our
surroundings reveal a great deal about us, all the way from sin to wisdom.
It also brings to mind the idea that holiness can be found in the ways we
approach food,as with the mitzvot regarding kashrut.

10. The ordering of the servants hints of the ordering of the priests and the
Levites.
The Queen acknowledges his excellence and wishes that God be praised
for putting him on the throne, in love for Israel, to establish him as king to
do justice and righteousness. Artscroll: “A nation rises or falls according to
the quality of its leaders.” She gives Solomonmany fine gifts. He gives her
gifts. She returns.
The stories of Solomonwith Hiram and Sheba demonstrate leadership,
especiallyby a head of state with other nations and peoples. He had no
enemies. Also, he had no inner enemy in that he conquered his own evil
inclinations (so say most sages). Wealth, yes, (and it is richly described in
this chapter), but it’s to be all in service of God.We should be lavish, but
true to God’s ways in it, thus rich in celebrating Torah and our fealty to
God.
But, perhaps, even more important, it foreshadows the way the world will
come together on that day when God’s sovereignty is to spread across the
world. “And the whole world wanted to see Solomonto hear his wisdom,
which God had put in his heart. And each of them would bring his
gift…eachyear’s due in its year.” 10:25

11. Akiba says that Solomonwas holy. Only a holy person could have
composedSong of Songs, the holy of holies.
18. Solomondeclines. 11.
a) Solomonbegins to fall below his high standard. Is this because of
violating the 3 mitzvot - not having too many wives, too many horses, too
much gold and silver? Some sages think so.
Did he go astray? Was “too much” corrupting? Did he think he could stay
above the problems these limits sought to avoid and that being basically
righteous was sufficient? Did he think these were special or messianic
times, permitting exceptions? Did he think his expansive ambitions for God
required or permitted all this? Did it require a lot, yes, but did it also, in
excess, corrupt him? Where’s the balance? Hard to say, but he exceeded
it. “So it was that when Solomongrew old his wives swayed his heart after
the gods of others, and his heart was not as perfectwith HASHEM, his
God, as it had been with the heart of his father David. 4.

12. (As wise as he was and as noble as his intentions may have been, this
tradition says that no one, including the loftiest, can exceed the boundaries
specified by God.Isn’t this the theme of Ecclesiastes, the last book
purported to be written by Solomon, in which the author laments that
wisdom is not the be-all-and-end-all. It’s God’s will.)
b) Solomonbuilds a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab.
God becomesangry with him and tells him of the consequences, the
tearing away of the kingship. The kingdom would be split, but (in deference
to David) not in Solomon’s lifetime,or entirely. God builds up an antagonist
to Solomon, in Hadad, the Edomite,as well as Rezon.
c) Then Jeroboam, a mighty man of valor, rises up in protestas well,
specificallyaround the Millo. An Ephraimite, with a complaint. He ends up
leading the 10 tribes north and will later secede from Solomon’s son.
Rebellious. Seditious, though supposedlya scholar and strong leader.
Some sages see his action as justified in that they effected God’s
punishment of the wayward Solomon. But others see it as extreme.
d) Ahijah’s prophecyof the split to Jeroboam. This strengthened his hand
to act. Solomonseeks to kill him, but he escapes.
19. After 40 years of reign, Solomondies. Abarbanel: three sources of
Solomon’s power: wisdom, power, and wealth. Tragedy at the end was that
all diminished. These had been God’s blessings, but, when he fell from the

13. pinnacle of righteousness, he remained king, but God diminished the
blessings.
Another view: the diminution began at the beginning when he sowed the
seeds of excess in all he did. He was set on a path of excess and crossing
the line and ultimately did.
The Two Kingdoms - Rehoboam in Judah and Jeroboam in Israel. 12.
1. This division was one of our greatest tragedies.
2. Rehoboam is anointed in Shechem amidst complaints about burdens left
over from Solomon’s reign. He seeks but ignores the counsel of his elders
and instead listened to peers who were largely flatterers. They advised him
to be even tougher with the people. This was both disrespectful to the
approach of his father and inflammatory to the people. He dispatches a
despised official, who, of course, is pelted with stones and is killed. The
situation is ripe for rebellion, as Jeroboam returns.

14. There is a sense in which this split had been ordained by God, as indicated
at the end of Solomon’s life.
3. The word of God comes through a man of God,Shemaiah, that there
should be no war but instead the split. Benjamin and Judah remained. The
other 10 tribes becomethe Northern Kingdom.
4. Jeroboam established idolworship, mainly to keep the people from
deciding to return to God and unitary rule under the designated king from
the House of David. He makes it easier for them by creating two sites,one
in the north and one in the south of his kingdom. The priests and Levites
were stripped of their authority in the north. He invents a new holiday a
month after Sukkot and changes the dates of all festivals even that of
Shabbat. He proclaims himself a priest.
5. How could the people turn to idolatry just a generation after dedicating
the Temple? Oh how fast things can shift! Recall how quick it was after Mt.
Sinai or in the garden? Was it the opulence and less study, spirituality, a
body without a soul? The poorleadership? A popular king here and an
unpopular king in Jerusalem? The appeal of novelty? Coercion? Satan?
The result of God’s banishment, if you will?
6. God sends a man of God, Jeddo, to warn Jeroboam, just as he is
violating the altar, saying a Josiah of the House of David will overthrow him

15. and his ways. (Yet, this king doesn’tarise for another three centuries.)
Jeroboam is punished immediately by a miracle from God as he seeks to
have Jeddo grabbed, but his arm is restored at the appeal of Jeddo. He
ignores the prophecyand is on a course from which he will not vary,
however.
7. A false prophet tries to discredit the true prophet and succeeds to a
tragic end. Even perhaps given the chance, Jeroboam does not repent his
evil way and appoints commoners as priests, etc.
Double Tragedies - Chapter 14
1. Jeroboam’s family is doomed. Son becomes ill.Ahijah’s prophesies on
end, based on new lows of sinfulness, pride, overarching desire for
power beyond what was due. Jeroboam’s sondies. Jeroboam dies.
Baasa usurp the kingship in the North, killing Jeroboam’scrown prince.
2. Israel will continue to suffer, too.

16. 3. Rehoboam reigns in Judah. The people did evil, which the king either
tolerated or supported. God becomes angry. Egypt loots the kingdom,
including treasures of the Temple. First case since Saul of a successful
invasion. Rehoboam dies.Abijam becomesking in Judah. 15. He goes in
way of sin, too, according to Kings (though not in Chronicles), and dies.
4. Asa, a righteous king, rules in Judah for the duration of all Jeroboam’s
successors inIsrael. Removes prostitutes and idols. Whole with God,
though he did not act with faith in failing to take down the high places or
going after the North against Baasa, as he could have (w/o foreignally).
Asa dies, w/ Jehoshaphat becoming king. Nadab, son of Jeroboam,
becomes king of Israel and does evil. Baasa strikes down house of
Jeroboam.
5. Baasa ends up a failure. He is wicked, as were those who preceded him.
He gets rid of Jeroboam’s evil, but he will go, too. Elah becomes king over
Israel, but he is quickly cut down by Zimri, who assassinates the house of
Baasa, but is taken down by Omri.
6. Omri wasn’t righteous but survived as king of Israel, only to pass on the
throne to his son, the notorious Ahab, the mostevil of all. He married
Jezebel and worshipped Baal.

17. The Prophet Elijah - Chapter 17 (Note literary quality of Elijah showing up
in the text after these many chapters of gross, selfish, materialistic, power-
driven, anti-God kings. The reader feels saved! Then to go to the oasis of
the story of lovingkindness with the widow - this is mercy!)
1. Elijah arrives to chastise Ahab and Jezebel. Rambam said he was a
disciple of Ahijah. Assemblesthousands to Mount Carmel where he
decries false prophets and priests, “HASHEM, He is the God.” “As
HASHEM, God of Israel lives….” Ascends to heaven alive, leaving
Elisha to bringing word of God to recalcitrant kings of Israel. Elijah
prays for God’s mercy, helps God’s people, teaches His most righteous
servants, and will proclaim the arrival of the Messiah.
2. Elijah propheciesno rain and then goes into hiding to be safe, with God’s
help. Lack of water - appropriate metaphor for this spiritually arid world.
(10) A simply gorgeous story about a very poorwidow (with a child) there
who gives him drink and food,though it seems as if she might die without it.
Yet, because of Elijah and what she does for him, God performs amiracle
for her in the form of a continuing supply of food.This little chamber story is
such a contrast with the weight and ugliness of all the power, greed,self-
seeking of the preceding chapters. This little world is God’s world, what an
oasis in the text, full of sweetness, our living as God wants, and God’s

18. salvation. As the story ends, Elijah calls upon God to save her son, and the
son is saved.
3.Elijah appears before Ahab to declare God is ending drought, as restorer
of waters. 18. Ahab accuses him as “troubler of Israel.”
But a main purpose is that Elijah challenges all to come to Mount Carmel,
as a test for false prophets, and a sanctification of God’s name. Both sides
put forward bulls. Which would be lit? Those for Baal must choose. They
cut themselves, go into ecstasy (proving they were frauds). Elijah makes an
altar there for God, put the bull on, and asks for God’s response. After
delay and anxiety for Elijah, it seems, God sends the fire that takes up the
offering. They seize the prophets of Baal. Elijah appeals to God that the
drought end. Rain comes.
4. Jezebel forcesElijah to flee,and he goes to Judah, in Beer-sheba, and
then, lonely, into the wilderness. It seems like he was for quite awhile
without direction from God.He is afraid of Jezebel. He falls asleep under a
tree. An angel of God touches him and tells him to eat and then again and
then to move on. For 40 days and nights, he goes to Mt. Sinai, where he
stays in the cleft(the cave) where Moses was. This is a remarkable piece
of literature, putting Elijah back in the place of Moses, where Moses
learned of the Divine Attributes. It’s as if there’s a new dimensionto the
vision of God.Now at the site of the smoke and the thunder for Moses and
the people way back in the past, we’re to learn a more profound notion of
God’s presence and nearness through Elijah’s experience. This is a major
moment in sacred text. 19.

19. 5. God asks him why he’s there. He says he’s fought for God and against
the people’s evil ways and his life is in danger. Lots of interpretations of the
gem that follows in 11-12,which really takes our understanding of the
Divine to a new and more advanced place.
a) I think it’s designed to comfort and instruct Elijah and all of us as to the
principal place where we can go to get God’s support. It’s not in the
wind or the fire, though God does bring them about, and there are
earlier conceptions of Him in them, both in other and our traditions.
God’s presence is in the still, small voice (kol demahmah dahkah) after
the fire. God’s presence is in those places where He is served through
Torah, prayer, offerings, and performance of the mitzvot.
b) What does this mean to Elijah? Does it guide him on how to be with the
people, too, as to what works and what doesn’t? Do we bestteach by love
and calmness and nearness, not anger and force, and that God did not
principally seek the punishment of the people?Was this a lessonto Elijah
who may have had that emotion associated with striking the rock? And/or is
it simply a blessing for him, them, and us as to the way we can find God’s
nearness and where?
c) Yet, Elijah stays; God asks the same question; and Elijah answers the
same! This tells me the Q&A was all re-staged with Elijah being re-oriented
to listen to the still, small voice. Now he could receive God’s direction
properly. (In other words, I largely disagree with the sages who think this
has to do mostly with whether to punish the people. But there may have
been a weakness in Elijah’s response.) God gives Elijah the mission of
whom to appoint as kings and Elisha, his successor prophet, though, as
we’ll see,he serves in some ways for many more years.

20. Battles Between Ahab and Ben-hadad of Aram. 20. Some evidence that as
evil as Ahab was, he and the people refused to handle the Torah scroll
over, even under great duress. Some see this as cause of a saving (though
temporary) miracle for him from God,victory in the battle, though against
overwhelming odds. Ahab, mistakenly, lets Ben-hadad off. Artscroll:
“misplacedmercy is cruelty in disguise.” God will punish him for not
following through. Ahab was either too weak or unwilling to follow through
as directed, so the miracles cease for him. Michtav MeEliyahu” “God helps
people realize their potential only as long as they do not close the doors to
possibilityof growth.”
Ahab and Jezebel Remain Wicked.21.
1. Dispute over Nahoth’s vineyard. Jezebel schemesto get it,
surreptitiously has Nahoth killed, and gets the property for Ahab.
2. Elijah appears to rebuke Ahab on behalf of God for murdering and
inheriting. 17-28.The stated punishment for both Ahab and Jezebel is
severe, ugly deaths and annihilation of their descendants. Ahab appears to
repent and submit to God, so God postpones the punishment.

21. Jehoshaphat and Ahab ally. 22.
1. Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, was righteous but allies with Ahab, for
which Jehu condemns him for consorting with evildoers. They agree to
fight again with Aram, though Jehoshaphat wants God’s assent first
and insists upon help of a true prophet, Micaiahu. Prophet tells of
Ahab’s demise.Ahab has him jailed.
2. Both kings go forward with war, with Jehoshaphat apparently thinking the
prophecydidn’t apply to him. Ahab tricks him, trying to directhis fate to the
the other king. He cries out (in prayer?), saving himself. Ahab was killed.
3. Ahaziah will reign in Israel, emulating Ahab and Jezebel (and
Jeroboam), evil in the eyes of HASHEM. Jehoshaphat rules in Judah,
generally righteously, acting in ways properin the eyes of HASHEM, as did
his father, Asa, but he did make peace with Ahab and still does not remove
the high places. He dies, and his son, Jehoram takes the reign in Judah,
only to go in wicked direction.