1 Kings 4:29-34 | Bible Study The Wisest King Who Ever Lived Solomon’s Wisdom Some passages in 1 Kings 1-11 mix positive and negative statements about Solomon. (Check out these passages.) 1 Kings 4:29-34 is not one of those passages. The whole passage describes Solomon as the wisest king who ever lived. Let’s see what […]

1 Kings 4:21-28 | Bible Study Studying Vines and Horses Can Tell You a Lot Solomon’s Prosperity We have firmly moved into a new era of Solomon’s reign. The battle for the kingship is over and God has gifted Solomon unparalleled wisdom and wealth (see previous studies on 1 Kings 1-3). 1 Kings 4:21-28 details […]

1 Kings 4:1-20 | Bible Study Solomon’s Political Structure The First Dynasty After God grants Solomon wisdom (1 Kings 3:1-15), the next several chapters put that wisdom on display. 1 Kings 4:1-20 describes the political structure Solomon puts in place. The passage is full of complicated names and confusing geographic references. It’s one of those […]

1 Kings 3:1-15 | Bible Study Solomon Asks for Wisdom Solomon’s Dream After the drama of the first two chapters, the story in 1-2 Kings takes a turn in 1 Kings 3. 1 Kings 3:1-15 is a famous story. Solomon asks God for wisdom when he is given a blank check. As a result, God […]

1 Kings 2:36-46 | Bible Study The Kingdom is Solomon’s Solomon’s Final Enemy This passage concludes the first section of 1-2 Kings. Every story has had one main objective: show how Solomon became king of Israel. After executing Adonijah (1 Kings 2:13-25) and Joab and exiling Abiathar (1 Kings 2:26-35), Solomon turns his attention to […]

1 Kings 2:26-35 | Bible Study Solomon Eliminates His Rivals Solomon’s First Moves After Solomon eliminates Adonijah (1 Kings 2:13-25), he moves to consolidate his power with two more political maneuvers. As readers, though, we must grapple with an important question: were Solomon’s actions necessay From a political perspective, Solomon’s moves make sense. From the […]