1-2 Kings in nuce

This is a gloss and summary of the overview I offer in my Brazos commentary on 1-2 Kings. Though the book is detailed and sometimes convoluted, the overall shape is neatly symmetrical.

A. David and Solomon found the United Kingdom; Solomon builds a house.

B. Jeroboam founds the Northern Kingdom; he builds shrines for golden calves.

C. Omri founds a dynasty in the Northern Kingdom; he builds a capital, and his son Ahab builds houses for Baal.

This a descent into idolatry – from Solomon who turns from Yahweh late in life, to Jeroboam who introduces calf-worship of Yahweh to hold his kingdom together, to Ahab who promotes worship of the false god, Baal.

At the center of the book is:

D. Elijah and Elisha.

Then the three foundings are undone, in reverse order.

C’. Jehu destroys the house of Ahab, dismantles the houses of Baal. 

B’. The Assyrians capture Samaria and take Israel into exile. Some time later, Josiah destroys Jeroboam’s calf shrines.

A’. The Babylonians capture Jerusalem, take Judah into exile, and destroy Solomon’s temple.

Each narrative thread begins with a David-like founding king, one who is also a Solomon-like builder of temple. Each ends with the destruction of a kingdom or a dynasty, and a destruction of the associated temple.

The punch line, though, is that in the midst of all the destruction, Yahweh preserves one royal house. Even when the Davidic kingdom is interrupted, Yahweh rescues the house of David. In the coda to 2 Kings 25, the Davidic king Jechoiachin is elevated from prison, set over other kings in exile, and given a place at the table of the king of Babylon. 

Here is one indestructible dynasty, sometimes hanging by a thread, but always recalled to life by the faithful promise of God.