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1 & 2 Kings - July 24, 2007
Pauline Viviano has a bit of fun at my expense over on the America website(www.americamagazine.org/blogs/client). She's "reviewing" my commentary on 1 & 2 Kings, but instead of actually discussing my book, she mocks typological interpretation and my use of it...
Isaac Redux - September 19, 2006
The Shunammite woman sets Elisha up with a small sanctuary in an upper room, complete with menorah, table, throne-chair, and bed (= altar). When the woman's son dies, Elisha lays him on the bed/altar, and he revives. He is another...
David Grows Up - July 31, 2006
David's house dies and rises again several times in 1-2 Kings: After Athaliah kills the royal seed, Joash rises from the temple; after Samaria falls, the Lord saves Judah from Assyria through Hezekiah's prayer; after Nebuchadnezzar takes Judah into exile,...
Eucharistic Meditation, July 2 - July 02, 2006
2 Kings 24:4: also for the innocent blood which Manasseh shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; and Yahweh would not forgive. Manasseh's reign, as we saw some weeks ago, was the turning point for Judah. After Manasseh’s idolatries...
Exhortation, July 2 - July 02, 2006
Zedekiah was the last Davidic king in Judah, and like many of his predecessors he "did evil in the sight of Yahweh." We might imagine he oppressed the people, promoted idolatry, persecuted prophets, ignored God's commandments and His prophets. We...
Sermon Outline, July 2 - June 26, 2006
INTRODUCTION After Josiah, Judah unravels rapidly. Josiah's son is imprisoned by Pharaoh Neco (23:33), and before long Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonians are invading, destroying the temple and the city (24:1). It is Good Friday for Israel. THE TEXT "Jehoahaz was...
Strategies of Defilement - June 25, 2006
In the account of Josiah's reform in 2 Kings 23, there is frequent reference to "defiling" (vv 4, 6, 8, 10, 13, 14, 16, 20). Josiah defiles by scattering the ashes from a destroyed Asherah pole, by filling holy places...
Baptismal Meditation - June 25, 2006
2 Kings 23:12: The altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of Yahweh, the king broke down; and he smashed them there, and threw their dust into the brook Kidron. Josiah was one of the...
Eucharistic Meditation - June 25, 2006
2 Kings 23:21-23: Then the king commanded all the people, saying, Celebrate the Passover to Yahweh your God as it is written inn this book of the covenant. Surely such a Passover had not been celebrated from the days of...
Exhortation - June 25, 2006
The reform of King Josiah is one of the high points of the history of Judah, and Josiah one of the great heroes of the faith. But we should also consider what this story reveals about the condition of Judah....
Who's the Greatest? - June 24, 2006
Hezekiah is the greatest; 2 Kings 18:5 says so: "He trusted Yahweh, the God of Israel; so tyhat after him there was no like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him." Josiah is...
Sermon Outline, June 25 - June 22, 2006
INTRODUCTION After Hilkiah finds the book of the law in the temple, Josiah embarks on a thorough reform of Judah's worship. But his reformation extends beyond the borders of Judah; Josiah not only reverses the sins of the kinds of...
Sermon Outline, Seventh Sunday of Easter - May 22, 2006
INTRODUCTION Hezekiah is a new David, Manasseh an idolatrous Solomon. Josiah reverses the sins of Jeroboam by bringing an end to Jeroboam's liturgical experiments. Great as he is, he cannot save Judah from destruction. Huldah prophesies that Jerusalem, Judah, and...
Innocent blood - May 18, 2006
Manasseh filled Jerusalem with the blood of the innocent; in context, the blood appears to be the blood of prophets (2 Ki 21:10-16). This is one of the continuing charges against Manasseh after Josiah's reign is over (24:3-4). The blood...
Forgetful - May 18, 2006
"Manasseh" is derived from a causative form of the verb "forget" - hence, cause to forget. Manasseh causes Judah to forget by liturgical change - rebuilding high places, erecting altars and Asherahs, and so on. Memory is nourished by liturgy;...
Sermon Outline, Sixth Sunday of Easter - May 15, 2006
INTRODUCTION Manasseh undergoes a demonic "repentance": Verse 3 says "he turned, he built," using the Hebrew verb that normally designates repentance ("turn"). He "repents" of Hezekiah's reforms. Because of this, the Lord determines to repeat in Jerusalem what he did...
Death, Deeper Death, Resurrection - May 12, 2006
The story of the Bible is the death and resurrection of the Christ, but often there is an important nuance to this story-line. The house of Ahab is not destroyed during the reign of Ahab, but during the reign of...
Sermon Outline, Fifth Sunday of Easter - May 08, 2006
INTRODUCTION Hezekiah is one of the great heroes of Kings. His response to his sickness shows his faith in Yahweh, and Yahweh's favor to him. But he shows his treasures to a Babylonian delegation, a prelude to Babylon's later invasion....
What Did Sennacherib Hear? - May 06, 2006
In response to Hezekiah's query, Isaiah promises that the Lord will "put a spirit" in the Assyrian king and that Sennacherib will "hear a rumor and return to his own land" (2 Kings 19:7). The following verse tells us that...
Hezekiah's prayer, and ours - May 06, 2006
Because of Hezekiah's prayer (2 Kings 19:14-19), the Lord delivers Jerusalem, kills 185,000 Assyrians, and sends Sennacherib packing back to Nineveh. That's what one calls an effective prayer. What made it so effective? Among other things, it is firmly based...
Sermon Outline, Fourth Sunday of Easter - May 01, 2006
INTRODUCTION Hezekiah reverses the work of his father, Ahaz. As a result, the two kingdoms reunite under Hezekiah, who gathers people from "Beersheba even to Dan" to his Passover (2 Chronicles 30:6). In Hezekiah's reign, the Davidic line experiences another...
Sermon outline, Third Sunday of Easter - April 24, 2006
INTRODUCTION Because of Israel's faithlessness, and her hardness toward Yahweh's prophets, He sends Assyria in to remove Israel and resettle the land with Gentiles. The arc of Israel's history comes to a great, tragic conclusion, with Israel removed from her...
No King But Caesar - April 22, 2006
Thanks to Toby Sumpter, Peter Roise, and Joshua Appel for the discussion that led to these observations. How should we take the phrase "because of the king of Assyria" in v. 18? It has sometimes been taken to mean that...
"The King" - April 20, 2006
2 Kings 16:12 describes Ahaz's consecration of the altar built from the prototype in Damascus. Three times in that verse he is called "the king," and in this designation, the author of Kings picks up the technique employed in 1...
Sermon Outline, First Sunday After Easter - April 17, 2006
INTRODUCTION During the reign of wicked Ahaz, Judah moves closer to Israelite and Gentile idolatry. Ahaz foolishly jumps onboard the ship of Israel just as it begins to sink. THE TEXT "In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of...
Sermon Outline - March 21, 2006
INTRODUCTION Through several chapters, the author of Kings has emphasized Yahweh's faithfulness and mercy to the Northern kingdom. He sent prophets to the Omride kings, and gives Jehu's dynasty four generations. But when they’ve persisted in sin, their time is...
Sermon Outline, First Sunday of Lent - February 27, 2006
INTRODUCTION As the history of Israel begins to wind to a close, history begins to repeat itself. After the reign of Solomon, the united kingdom divided in two, Jeroboam established a separate kingdom, Rehoboam planned an attack but refrained because...
Jehoahaz/Ahaziah - February 25, 2006
Though not altogether obvious in English, the names Jehoahaz and Ahaziah are variations of the same name (cf. 2 Kings 13). Jeho = iah, both references to Yahweh's name, and the verb "ahaz" is common to both. "Ahaz" means "to...
Sermon Outline - February 20, 2006
INTRODUCTION The Omride dynasty had a long-lasting impact on both the Northern and Southern kingdoms. Though the two kingdoms are no longer ruled by a single dynasty, they are very similar, twin prostitutes, as Ezekiel 23 describes it. THE TEXT...
Return to Routine - February 19, 2006
Some thoughts inspired by Dale Ralph Davis' commentary on 2 Kings 12. The opening verses of 2 Kings 12 are formulaic. We have heard these words before, again and again, ad nausea in the history of 1-2 Kings: In the...
Exhortation - February 19, 2006
Joash was a faithful king, but his faithfulness was not complete. He remained faithful, the writer of Kings tells us, "all his days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him." The parallel in 2 Chronicles 24 is more explicit: "Joash...
Sermon Outline - February 13, 2006
INTRODUCTION Joash's story is an ironic tragedy of Shakespearean dimensions. His reign begins well, with a dramatic and surprising renewal of the Davidic line, and he pays his dues by repairing the temple. Before the end of his life, he...
Exhortation, Sixth After Epiphany - February 12, 2006
Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, knew she had to protect herself. She was related to the Davidic line only by marriage, and knew that many in Judah would be suspicious of her. A live Davidic prince could become the...
Eye for Eye - February 11, 2006
Athaliah the murderous mother is undone by Jehosheba the protective mother. To be specific: Athaliah renounces her blood ties with her grandchildren and slaughters the royal seed (2 Kings 11). Jehosheba renounces her blood ties with her own mother, Athaliah,...
Sermon outline, Sixth After Epiphany - February 09, 2006
INTRODUCTION Yahweh's promise to David (2 Samuel 7) about an eternal dynasty overshadows the whole book of Kings, and the story of Kings is about Yahweh's faithfulness to David in the face of all threats and challenges. Here, David's dynasty...
Baptismal meditation, Fifth After Epiphany - February 05, 2006
2 Kings 10:16: And Jehu said, Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord. Jehu leads a bloody revolution that overthrows the house of Ahab. He kills Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah. He has...
Exhortation, Fifth After Epiphany - February 05, 2006
As Jehu marched toward the capital city of Samaria, he encountered 42 men from the house of David. Jehu took them alive, killed them at a pit at a place called Beth-eked, and then continued on toward Samaria. This incident...
Sermon outline, Fifth Epiphany - January 30, 2006
INTRODUCTION Jehu has destroyed the leaders of the house of Ahab. But Elijah prophesied that the house of Ahab would be totally destroyed, and now Jehu sets out on a war of utter destruction, a war like the original conquest...
Ahaz of Judah - January 18, 2006
The fraternal conflicts between Israel and Judah foreshadow later conflicts between Israel and the true Jew, Jesus. And so, when the Northern Kingdom allies with Aram (its traditional enemy) against Ahaz of Judah, it foreshadows the alliance of Jew and...
The gospel of 1-2 Kings - January 11, 2006
INTRODUCTION Christians usually think of the book of 1-2 Kings as "historical," and Jews have long classified it as "prophetic." For Christians, 1-2 Kings is above all about the gospel. FORMER PROPHET Because the Jewish classification of Kings may be...
Chronology in 2 Kings 15 - December 23, 2005
There's a chronological problem in 2 Kings 15:1. Here's the issue: Amaziah of Judah reigned for 29 years (14:2). Jeroboam II became king in the 15th year of Amaziah (14:23). Yet, Azariah, the son of Amaziah, does not become king...
Moses in 1-2 Kings - December 22, 2005
Moses is mentioned 10 times in Kings, and there are some tantalizing connections with the 10 Words that Moses delivered to Israel. For instance: 1. 1 Kings 2:3: David exhorts Solomon to guard the Lord's commandments and walk in his...
Sermon Outline, November 13 - November 07, 2005
INTRODUCTION The Omride dynasty ends in a bloodbath, and will shortly see the Baal temple in Samaria destroyed. This is a warning for the house of David: Omri's house began with a David-like hero, and ended disastrously. David's house too...
Communion Meditation, November 6 - November 06, 2005
2 Kings 8:6: So the king appointed for her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers and all the produce of the field from the day that she left the land even until now. Israel's land was a...
Exhortation, November 6 - November 06, 2005
We often put our minds into automatic pilot when reading the "boring bits" of the Bible. The details of sacrificial ritual in Leviticus, the rules of uncleanness, genealogies, the repetitive accounts of kings – these are not the juiciest bits...
True and False Union - November 05, 2005
There are a number of "ecumenical" movements in 1-2 Kings. The first is pursued by Rehoboam, who attempts to reunite the 12 tribes by force and is warned off by a prophet. The second, more successful and elaborate example is...
Renewal and the Death of the Mainline - November 05, 2005
Elisha's ministry of life was, according to 1 Kings 19, a ministry of judgment. Elisha, after all, was a force of destabilization. By giving life and freedom to the faithful poor, the loyal sons of the prophets, he upset the...
Sermon outline, November 6 - October 31, 2005
INTRODUCTION Prophets were involved from the beginning of the monarchy, but Israel’s prophets did not interfere with Gentile politics during the days of Saul, David and Solomon. Now, for the first time, a prophet anoints a Gentile king, and this...
Elisha and the Mainline - October 30, 2005
One of the intriguing aspects of Elisha' ministry is his attitude toward Jehoram. The house of Ahab was doomed before Jehoram ever became king. Their fate was sealed during the lifetime of Ahab. And Jehoram shows few signs of repentance....
Kings and Reformers - October 30, 2005
Apart from a few suggestive comments in Ephraim Radner's The End of the Church, I know of no study that examines the Reformers' use of Israel's history as a paradigm for understanding the Reformation itself and as a program for...
Trickster God - October 27, 2005
Yahweh is the trickster God of 1-2 Kings. He tricks the Moabites into thinking that the three kings have slaughtered each other (2 Kings 3), and Israel rises from their camp and slaughters them. He tricks the Arameans in the...
Delayed Parousia - October 27, 2005
Why the delay of judgment throughout 1-2 Kings? Two reasons: First, judgment is passed, but Yahweh waits for the sin of the Amorites to come to completion, for sin to ripen to be utterly sinful. Second, Yahweh gives time for...
Before kings, before prophets - October 27, 2005
Another aspect of the "satire" of royal power in 1-2 Kings comes out when we examine scenes of womena appealing for help before an authority. Early in Kings, women appeal to Kings and receive what they need (Bath-sheba and David;...
Geography of Elijah and Elisha - October 27, 2005
Why does Yahweh send two prophets to the Omrides? Two witnesses no doubt. But their ministries are so similar in many respects; why double it? And what, if any, are the differences between them? One difference is geography. Elijah spends...
Jehoram and Elisha - October 27, 2005
The history of the Omrides during the ministry of Elisha takes a curious turn. Instead of confronting the king with his sin, as Elijah generally did, Elisha instead repeatedly gives assistance to the son of Ahab (2 Kings 3; 6-7)....
New Joseph - October 27, 2005
Dothan is mentioned in only two places in the Old Testament: Gen 37, at the beginning of the Joseph narrative, and 2 Kings 6, the place where the Aramean king attempts to find Elisha. Jacob sends Joseph to take food...
Things that are not - October 27, 2005
Jacques Ellul helpfully points out that God frightens away the Arameans in 2 Kings 7 by a mere sound, and it is a sound that has no physical cause. God overcomes things that are, Ellul says, through things that are...
Food in 1-2 Kings - October 27, 2005
A critical issue throughout 1-2 Kings is the question of who provides bread. Early on, it's Solomon, whose table overflows with good things and who rules an Israel that is continuously rejoicing and feasting. Kings continue to supply tables after...
Puns in 2 Kings 7 - October 27, 2005
Iain Provan points to two entertaining puns in the story of the siege of Samaria in 2 Kings 6-7. The first puns on "lepers" (Heb. MISORAIM) and "Egypt" (Heb. MIZRAIM): The Arameans become frightened by the sound of an army,...
Staying put - October 25, 2005
Elijah goes to Gilgal, and Elijah tells him to stay. Elisha refuses, and together they move on to Bethel. Elijah tells Elisha to stay put again, but again he refuses and the move on to Jericho. When Elijah has departed...
Sermon outline, October 30 - October 24, 2005
INTRODUCTION All cultures draw lines between who is "inside" and who is "outside," and between different classes of people within the culture. Cultures lift some people up "high" and consider some people "low." The gospel confounds the boundaries of all...
Aunt Jezebel - October 22, 2005
For those inclined to have some sympathy with Dido, Wiseman offers a jarring bit of genealogical information: "according to Josephus . . . , [Ethbaal] was priest of the gods Astarte and Melquart. He ruled [Tyre] for thirty-two years. His...
David the ark - October 22, 2005
Donald Wiseman points out that the word for the "coverings" over David in 1 Kings 1 is the same as the word for the coverings of the tabernacle. Perhaps David is being implicitly compared to the ark of the covenant;...
What the Law Can't Do - October 20, 2005
Would Adam have escaped the curse if he had repented when the Lord confronted him in the garden? To answer with a question: Did Josiah's repentance save Israel? The threat of the covenant is, "dying you shall die," and that...
Exhortation, October 16 - October 16, 2005
Unlike pre-modern Christians, we think and talk little about angels. We are often functional empiricists, who instinctively believe that only visible things are real. Of course, there's God up there somewhere, but we don't think we have to press through...
Structure of Elijah narratives - October 10, 2005
A possible chiastic ouline for the stories of Elijah: A. Elijah appears suddenly, and leaves the land, 1 Kings 17 B. Fire from heaven in a contest of gods, 1 Kings 18 C. Elijah complains to Yahweh on Horeb, and...
Sermon Outline, October 16 - October 10, 2005
INTRODUCTION Since the early church, Christians have struggled against "Marcionism," the heretical idea that the Creator-God of the Old Testament is different from the Redeemer-God of the New. The Old Testament reveals a God of wrath and law, the New...
Making Judah sin - October 05, 2005
Why did Yahweh determine that Judah had to be punished after the reign of Manasseh? Other kings of Judah, beginning with Solomon, had promoted idolatries of various sorts. Manasseh was uniquely evil, but there is another factor. Throughout 1-2 Kings,...
Structure of Kings - October 05, 2005
There is a recurring pattern in Kings, one that matches the structure of embedded narratives I've discussed in a forthcoming article in the Tyndale Bulletin: Solomon builds and dedicates the temple, 1 Ki 6-9 Lord appears to Solomon, warning about...
Pillars - September 29, 2005
Why so much attention to the pillars of Solomon's temple in 2 Kings 25? It is likely that these were the last major items left. Ahaz had already dismantled the bronze sea and the water chariots. King after king plundered...
Beds and Altars - September 28, 2005
The woman of Shunem sets Elisha up with a table, a chair, a menorah - and a bed. The first three are clearly linked with temple furniture, but a bed? I submit that the bed is an altar, and hence...
God's War - September 27, 2005
Israel's calling was to be the focal point of Yahweh's battle against sin. This is evident from the context of Abraham's call in Gen. 12. Yahweh promised earlier He would no longer flood the earth. After Babel the nations have...
Exodus in Kings - September 24, 2005
Amos Frisch has a very good article in the JSOT (2000) where he examines the allusions to the Exodus in 1 Kings 1-14. There are many excellent and fruitful insights here: 1) Hadad the Edomite lives through an exodus story,...
Shimei's slaves - September 24, 2005
I don't believe in the existence of a "Succession Narrative" (2 Sam 9-1 Kings 2), but James Ackerman, who does believe in a succession narrative, makes this interesting connection between Shimei's execution and the earlier history of David (which does...
Purpose of Kings - September 24, 2005
In an article in Biblica, JG McConville points out that Kings does not offer much hope based on reforming kings. On the contrary, the books shows that the efforts of reforming kings are regularly undermined by their successors. Manasseh is...
Beds and Bedchambers - September 24, 2005
The word "bed" is used nearly a dozen times in 1-2 Kings, and the uses represent a significant minor motif in these books. The following are some reflections on this motif, in large measure inspired by my students' work. 1)...
1 Kings 13 again - September 21, 2005
James K. Mead has a fine article on 1 Kings 13 from an issue of VT several years ago. He proposes a parallel structure for the whole chapter: Scene 1 (vv. 1-10) matches scene 3 (vv. 20-25); in both there...
Amos and 1 Kings 13 - September 21, 2005
In an article on 1 Kings 13, Werner Lemke noted a number of parallels with the prophecy of Amos, specifically parallels between the man of God from Judah and Amos himself. 1) Both are from Judah and prophesy at Bethel....
Bones - August 03, 2005
Bones are the last part of a person to decay, and so in Scripture they are often used to designate the person in a state of death or a continuing existence after death (cf. Joseph's bones). The bones of a...
Structure in 2 Kings 16 - July 13, 2005
2 Kings 16 is organized chiastically: 1. Formulaic introduction, 16:1-4 2. Threat to Jerusalem, and bribe of Tiglath-pileser, 16:5-9 3. State visit to Damascus, 16:10-11 (altar) 4. Ahaz ministers at the altar, 16:12-14 3'. Continuing worship at the altar, 16:15-16...
Faithfulness to Israel - July 13, 2005
Through much of Kings, the parallel of North and South has been deigned to emphasize the South’s apostasy. When the South becomes a mirror-image of the idolatrous North, it's a sign of Judah's doom. Here, the mirroring goes the other...
Of Kline and Kings - July 11, 2005
In his book on the Deuteronomistic history, Terence Fretheim notes the marked differences between God's dealings with Israel and the expectations suggested by suzereignty treaties: "the historian makes it abundantly clear that God is not bound to react to the...
Parabolic history - July 11, 2005
Jesus comes telling parables, so that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not understand. Yahweh does the same in Kings; He tells and enacts parables that are understood only by those who have received the wisdom that...
Translation, 2 Kings 14 - July 06, 2005
In the second year to Yo'ash son of Yo'achaz king of Yisrael Reigned-as-king 'Amatzyahu son of Yo'ash king of Yehudah. A son of twenty-five years he was in his reigning-as-king And twenty-nine years he reigned-as-king in Yrushalaim. Now the name...
Amaziah of Judah, Jehoash of Israel - July 06, 2005
There are some confusing twists in 2 Kings 14:1-16. The chapter begins by announcing the beginning of the reign of Amaziah son of Joash of Judah. He is described as an upright king, walking in the ways of his father...
Translation, 2 Kings 13 - July 04, 2005
In the twenty-third year to Yo'ash son of 'Achazyahu king of Yehudah Reigned-as-king Yeho'achaz son of Yehu' over Yisrael in Shomron seventeen years. And he did the evil in the eyes of Yahweh And the walked after the sins of...
The exodus of Jehoahaz - July 04, 2005
During the reign of Jehoahaz of Israel, the northern kingdom experienced an exodus (2 Kings 13:1-6): 1) Israel had sinned and therefore the Lord became angry and gave them into the hand of Aram, as often happened during the times...
Translation, 2 Kings 12 - July 02, 2005
Son of seven years [was] Yeho'ash in his reigning-as-king. In the seventh year to Yehu' reigned-as-king Yeho'ash And forty years he reigned-as-king in Yrushalaim. And the name of his mother was Tzivyah from Be'er-sheva'. And did Yeho'ash the upright-thing in...
Translation, 2 Kings 11 - July 01, 2005
Now 'Atalyah mother of 'Achazyahu And she saw that her son died And she arose and she destroyed all the see of the kingdom. And took Yehosheva' daughter of the king Yoram sisterof 'Achazyahu Yo'ash son of 'Achazyah and stole...
Translation, 2 Kings 10 - June 29, 2005
Now to 'Achav [were] seventy sons in Shomron And wrote Jehu' scrolls And he sent [to] Shomron to the princes of Yizre'e'l, the elders And to the trustees of 'Achav, saying, "Now you yourselves according to the entering of this...
Naaman the convert - June 23, 2005
Naaman is the epitome of the natural man: Powerful, successful, and convinced that he can use his clout and wealth to purchase just about anything. He believes that Syria has the best rivers. He is also a leper, estranged from...
Translation, 2 Kings 9 - June 21, 2005
Now 'Eliysha' the prophet called to one from the sons of the prophets And he said to him, "Tie your loins And take a flask of this oil in your hand And go/walk to Ramot Gil'ad. And you enter there...
Exhortation, June 19 - June 19, 2005
In our sermon text, an indebted widow appeals to Elisha for deliverance from creditors, and he responds by telling her to fill vessels with oil from a single jar. The supply of oil lasts as long as she has vessels...
Festivals in 2 Kings 4 - June 18, 2005
There are a number of verbal links between 2 Kings 4:42-44 and the festivals of first fruits in Leviticus 23. First, Leviticus 23:14 prohibits Israel from eating bread or roasted grain or "new growth" (Heb. CARMEL) until the gift of...
Translation, 2 Kings 8 - June 15, 2005
Now 'Eliysha' spoke to the woman which he had restored her son to life, saying, "Arise, and go/walk, you yourself and your house And sojourn in which you sojourn. For Yahweh called for famine, And also it will enter to...
Sermon outline, June 19 - June 15, 2005
INTRODUCTION As a nation, Israel is in trouble. In the war against Moab, Yahweh turned away against Israel and allowed Mesha to escape Israel’s lordship. Far from the palace and the army camp, however, Yahweh is still at work. Behind...
Exhortation, June 12 - June 15, 2005
Jehoram the son of Ahab is a whiner. He musters his army to fight against rebellious Moab, forges an alliance with Jehoshaphat of Judah and the king of Edom, and then marches South to attack Moab. When they get into...
Translation, 2 Kings 6 - June 08, 2005
And said the sons of the prophets to 'Eliysha' "Look, please! The place which we ourselves [are] living there before your face [is too] confined for us. Let us go/walk, please, unto the Yarden, and let us take from there...
Sermon outline, June 12 - June 07, 2005
INTRODUCTION Jehoram, the second son of Ahab to reign over Israel, was a somewhat more faithful king than his father (2:2). Unlike his brother, Ahaziah, he attempts to re-conquer Moab. He succeeds because Yahweh provides water miraculously. THE TEXT Now...
Translation, 2 Kings 5 - June 07, 2005
Now Na'aman chief of the host of the king of 'Aram was a great man before the face of his master. And he lifted his faces for in him Yahweh gave salvation to 'Aram. Now the man was a mighty-man...
Translation, 2 Kings 4 - June 02, 2005
Now a woman, one from the women of the sons of the prophets cried out to 'Eliysha' saying "Your servant my man is dead. Now you yourself know that your servant was fearing Yahweh And the creditor/forgetful-one has entered to...
2 Kings 4 - June 02, 2005
Random and inconclusive notes on 2 Kings 4:8ff. 1) The woman at Shunem has a husband, in contrast to the woman at the beginning of the story who was a widow. Both, though, need Elisha as a fatherEwho will give...
Elisha and the widow - June 01, 2005
The story of the widow and her sons moves from death to life: the dead man of verse 1 is exchanged for the live on the remainderEin verse 7. The story is also a Passover: Children are saved from slavery,...
Translation, 2 Kings 3 - May 30, 2005
Now Yhoram son of 'Achav reigned-as-king over Yisrael in Shimron in the year, the 18th, to Yhoshafat king of Yehudah. And he reigned-as-king two and ten years. And he did the evil in the eyes of Yahweh only not as...
Mother-land - May 30, 2005
In 2 Kings 2, Elisha heals a "barren land," a land described as "causing miscarriage" or as "abortive" itself. The land is mother, and the new "father" of the prophets sows salt to heal the land and make it fruitful....
Whiners - May 30, 2005
Jehoram goes out into the wilderness with Jehoshaphat, and as soon as he encounters a bit of difficulty, he crumples, blaming his bad fortune on Yahweh's perfidy: "Yahweh has called these three kings to give them into the hand of...
Jericho and Moab - May 30, 2005
Jehoram the son of Ahab wants to suppress the rebellion of Mesha, king of Moab (2 Kings 3). He gains the support of Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom, and then marches into the wilderness. They "go around" seven days...
Exhortation, May 29 - May 29, 2005
The first two chapters of 2 Kings match in many ways. In both, Elijah is seen going upEEfirst to the top of a hill, and then to heaven. In both passages, things happen in threes Ethe oracle of Elijah is...
Sermon outline, 2 Kings 2 - May 25, 2005
INTRODUCTION Elisha has been introduced earlier as Elijahs successor (1 Kings 19), one of Yahwehs instruments of judgment against the house of Omri. As Joshua succeeded Moses, and as the Spirit working with the apostles succeeded Jesus, so Elisha carries...
Translation, 2 Kings 2 - May 23, 2005
And it was in Yahweh's causing-to-ascend 'Eliyyahu in a windstorm to the heavens. And walked 'Eliyyahu and 'Eliysha' from the Gilgal. And said 'Eliyyahu to 'Eliysha', "Dwell here please, for Yahweh sends me unto Beyt-'El." And said 'Eliysha', "Life of...
Exhortation, May 22 - May 22, 2005
A week and a half ago, Newsweek published a story alleging that U.S. interrogators at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, Cuba, desecrated the Koran by flushing pages down the toilet. The report touched off riots throughout the Middle East that killed...
No God in Israel? - May 21, 2005
I am indebted to Peter Roise for the following NT Wrightian comments. In the OT, the name "Baal-zebub" occurs only in 2 Kings 1. But the name reappears as a title for Satan in the gospels, when the leaders of...
Ups and Downs - May 21, 2005
What's with all the up-down talk in 2 Kings 1? The Angel of Yahweh sends Elijah to "ascend to call" the messengers/angels of Ahaziah (v. 3), and Elijah's message is that Ahaziah will never "come down" from the bed where...
The Humor of 2 Kings 1 - May 19, 2005
The story of 2 Kings 1 is undoubtedly meant humorously. Ahaziah falls ill and sends messengers off to consult with Baal-zebub, baal of the flies. On the way, his messengers meet a "baal of hair," Elijah - right title, wrong...
Sermon Outline, First Sunday of Trinity - May 16, 2005
INTRODUCTION Ahabs son continues in his fathers ways, worshiping Baal and seeking Baals aid rather than looking to Yahweh. But there is a God in Israel, and Elijah is His prophet. And Elijah is like the flame of God burning...
Translation, 2 Kings 22:41-2 Kings 1:18 - May 16, 2005
Now Yehoshafat son of 'Asa' reigned-as-king over Yehudah in the fourth year to 'Achav king of Yisrael. Yehoshafat [was] a son of third and five years in his reigning-as-king. And twenty and give years he reigned-as-king in Yerushalam. Now the...
Exhortation, Second Sunday After Easter - April 10, 2005
Micaiah is a prophet of Yahweh, the only prophet of Yahweh available to advise Ahab and Jehoshaphat as they plan to recover the city of Ramoth-gilead from the Arameans. As Ahab expects, Micaiah prophesies evil, warning that Ahab will die...
Structure of Kings - April 05, 2005
In his fascinating, if sometimes eccentric book, The Unity of the Bible: Exploring the Beauty and Structure of the Bible, Duane Christensen suggests that 1-2 Kings (like much of the Bible) is structured by a series of embedded heptamerous chiasms...
Sermon Outline, 1 Kings 22 - April 05, 2005
INTRODUCTION Ahabs life ends in a battle with the Arameans, but the story of Ahabs death includes another, deeper battle Ethe battle between true and false prophecy. Ahabs life ends the way it began, with Ahab ignoring Yahwehs prophet. But...
Translation, 1 Kings 22:1-40 - April 04, 2005
And they dwelt three years. There was not war between Aram and between Yisrael. And it was in the third year And came down Yehoshafat king of Yehudah to king of Yisrael. And said the king of Yisrael to his...
Spirit in 1 Kings 22:21 - April 04, 2005
The NASB translates 1 Kings 22:21 as "then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said, 'I will entice him.'" But the Hebrew has the definite article with "spirit" (RUACH), and the mentioned in v 23 is...
Exhortation, April 3 - April 03, 2005
Ahab and Jezebel had little interest in Torah, the commandments that Yahweh had delivered to Israel on Sinai. Ahab continued to promote the idolatry of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. He discovered that Jeroboams idolatry was not robust enough for...
Naboth's Refusal - March 30, 2005
Why did Naboth refuse to sell his vineyard to Ahab? Ray Dillard pointed to Leviticus 25 for the answer: "Because the land represented the fruit of the nation's redemption, God commanded that it remain in the hands of the families...
Sermon Notes, April 3 - March 29, 2005
INTRODUCTION Ahabs sin begins in idolatry. But his sin is not a privateEsin, nor is it confined to a religiousEarea of life. In 1 Kings, as in all the prophets, idolatry always leads to social oppression and injustice. The sin...
Translation, 1 Kings 21 - March 28, 2005
And it was after these things A vineyard was to Navoth the Yizre�e�li, Which [was] in Yizre�e�l near the palace of Achav king of Shomron. And spoke Achav to Navoth saying �Give to me your vineyard. And it will be...
Exhortation, March 6 - March 06, 2005
God has enemies. You need only pick up the Psalter to discover this. The enemies of Yahweh will be like the glory of the pastures, they vanish Elike smoke they vanish awayE(Psalm 37). Because of the greatness of Your power...
Some Notes on 1 Kings 20 - March 02, 2005
1) Ben-Hadad comes to Ahab with a thus saith Ben-Hadad,Eand Ahab responds more readily to his claim than he has to the claims of any thus saith Yahweh.EAfter consulting with the elders, however, he is told not to hearE(Heb. shema)...
Translation, 1 Kings 20 - March 02, 2005
Now Son-of-Hadad, king of Aram gathered all his strength Now thirty and two kings with him, and horse and chariotry And he ascended and tied up around Shomron and fought against her. And he send angel-messengers to Achav king of...
Sermon Outline, March 6 - March 02, 2005
INTRODUCTION The final three chapters of 1 Kings tell a series of stories about Ahab. We see Ahab sinning in relationship to the Gentiles (1 Kings 20), in relation to a fellow Israelite (1 Kings 21), and finally in relation...
Yahweh's Field of Battle - February 26, 2005
In his commentary on 1 Kings 17-19, M. B. Van't Veer has this insightful comment about the difference between OT and NT: "We could say that the Lord attacked the powers of darkness, the kingdom of satan on earth [in...
Some Notes on 1 Kings 19 - February 23, 2005
1) Jezebel sends a messenger, a malak, which in Hebrew is the same word as angel, anticipating the angel of Yahweh later in the chapter. The chapter shows us contrasting angels, an angel of death and an angel that raises...
Translation, 1 Kings 19 - February 23, 2005
And announced Achav to Iyzevel all which did Eliyyahu And all which he killed all the prophets by the sword. And send Iyzevel an angel to Eliyyahu saying, Thus may the Elohim do And thus may they add If according...
Sermon Outline, February 27 - February 23, 2005
INTRODUCTION At the end of the previous chapter, Elijah ran beforeEAhab back to Jezreel. This is not just a sign of the Lords empowerment of Elijah; it is an offer to Ahab to receive Elijah as his chief advisor. As...
Translation, 1 Kings 18 - February 16, 2005
And it was many days. Now the word of Yahweh was to �Eliyyahu in the third year, saying, �Walk, cause-yourself-to-be-seen to �Achav And I will give rain on the face of the earth.�E And walked �Eliyyahu to cause-himself-to-be-seen to �Achav...
Notes on 1 Kings 18 - February 16, 2005
1) There are repeated verbal links between the opening of 1 Kings 17 and the opening of chapter 18. The word of Yahweh comes to Elijah, telling him to goE(17:2; 18:1). In both chapters, the word cut offEis used (the...
Sermon Outline, February 20 - February 16, 2005
INTRODUCTION Elijah is a new Moses, and like Moses he confronts the PharaohEAhab and his hundreds of magicians.EBy his victory in this context, Yahweh not only humiliates the gods of the Canaanites, and the Israelites who act like Canaanites. He...
Exhortation, First of Lent - February 13, 2005
So what? So what if Jeroboam made golden calves and worshiped them at Dan and Bethel? So what if the house of Jeroboam was destroyed by Baasha, and the house of Baasha destroyed by Zimri, and Zimri destroyed by Omri,...
Translation, 1 Kings 17 - February 09, 2005
And said Eliyyahu the Settler from the Settlers of Gilad to Achav, Life of Yahweh, Elohim of Yisrael Which I stand before Him If (surely not) there will be these years dew or rain Except to my mouth, my word.E...
Death and Resurrection - February 09, 2005
Some notes on the death and resurrection of the widow's son in 1 Kings 17. 1) This is not the first time we've seen a sick son in Kings. In chapter 14, Jeroboam sends his wife to a prophet to...
Water to a Prophet - February 09, 2005
Elijah listened to the word of Yahweh and obeyed, and the ravens provided him with food. The widow of Zarephath gives water to Elijah, and also follows the word of Yahweh that comes through Elijah, and the very same thing...
Counter-Temple Movement - February 09, 2005
Elijah is leading a counter-temple movement in 1 Kings 17-18. Israel's worship has become so corrupt that a new temple is needed. Elijah is setting up the new temple; in fact, he is the new temple, a human, mobile, tabernacular...
Sermon Notes, February 13 - February 09, 2005
INTRODUCTION When Israel is pursuing Canaanite worship and culture with full force, Yahweh acts. Elijah, a new Moses, bursts into Israels history and single-handedly leads the people to renew the covenant they had made at Sinai (1 Kings 17-19). Then...
Exhortation, February 6 - February 06, 2005
The author of Kings tells us that Ahab considered it a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.ENo wonder. Israel has been worshiping golden calves at Dan and Bethel for generations. Its...
Translation, 1 King 16:15-34 - February 02, 2005
In the twenty and seventh year to Asa king of Yehudah Reigned-as-king Zimriy seven days in Tirtzah. Not the people [were] encamping against Gibbethon which [was] to the Pilshetim. And heard the people who were encamping, saying, Zimriy bound-together and...
Sermon Outline, February 6 - February 02, 2005
INTRODUCTION Jeroboams dynasty has come and gone, and so has Baashas mirror-image dynasty. Omri initiates a new dynasty, and this is the most successful one in Israels history. It is also the most idolatrous one. THE TEXT In the twenty-seventh...
Zimri and Abimelech - February 02, 2005
[This post, unfortunately, was accidentally deleted in a server crash and has not been recovered. Maybe someday Dr. Leithart will rewrite it.]...
Exhortation, Januay 30 - January 30, 2005
Four times in our sermon text, the writer reminds us that there was warEbetween Israel and Judah. That phrase becomes a refrain throughout the chapter. Only once, however, do we read of a specific incident in that war that lasted...
BO-ring - January 29, 2005
1 Kings 15-16 are a schoolboy's nightmare. A king rises, a king reigns, a king sins, a king dies. Then his son rises, his son reigns, his son sins, and his son dies. And so on and on, indistinguishable kings...
Translation, 1 Kings 15:1-16:7 - January 26, 2005
Now in the 18th year to king Yarav�am, son of Nebat Reigned-as-king �Aviyyam over Yehudah. Three years he reigned-as-king in Yerushalaim Now the name of his mother [was] Ma�akah daughter of Aviyshalom. And he walked in all the sins of...
Sermon Outline, January 30 - January 26, 2005
INTRODUCTION Judahs beginning is no better than Israels, but for Davids sake Yahweh keeps a light lit in Jerusalem (15:4) and sends a reforming king to turn back the evils of Rehoboam. Meanwhile, Israel dissolves into political chaos, and becomes...
Jeroboam and Saul - January 23, 2005
In 1 Kings 14, Jeroboam's wife goes disguised to visit a prophet from Shiloh, who announces the death of her son and the eventual destruction of his dynasty. Ahijah tells Jeroboam's wife that another king will take the kingdom. In...
Translation, 1 Kings 14 - January 19, 2005
In that time became ill Aviyyah, son of Yarav�am. And said Yarav�am to his wife, �Arise, please, And change yourself And they will not know that you [are] the wife of Yarav�am And walk/go to Shiloh. Behold there [is] Achiyyah...
Sermon Outline, January 23 - January 17, 2005
INTRODUCTION The man of God from Judah and the old prophet both prophesied against Jeroboams idolatries. In this passage, a third prophet, Ahijah of Shiloh, prophesies the end of Jeroboams house. When Jeroboams son dies, Jeroboam and his house have...
Structural Features of 1 Kings 13 - January 14, 2005
1 Kings 12:25-13:34 hangs together as a single unit. The chapter break is very bad. There is a clear inclusion between 12:25-31:3 and 13:33-34. The oracle of the prophet of Bethel in 13:32 brings up the altar in Bethel and...
Sermon Outline, January 16 - January 12, 2005
INTRODUCTION When the prophet Shemaiah confronted Rehoboam, the king turned from his plan (1 Kings 12:21-24). But Jeroboam is not so responsive to the word of the Lord. A man of God from Judah confronts him at his altar at...
Translation, 1 Kings 12:25-13: - January 11, 2005
And built Yaravam Shechem in the hills of Ephraim. And he lived in it. And he went out from there and built Penuel. And said Yaravam in his heart, Now returns the kingdom to the house of David. If this...
Sermon Outline, January 9 - January 02, 2005
INTRODUCTION Solomons marriages led him into idolatry, but the consequences were not confined to Solomons own life. Because of his sins, Yahweh raised up adversaries to oppose him and the entire kingdom was torn in pieces. The sins of the...
Ahab and David - December 23, 2004
I have argued elsewhere that the Omride dynasty is a counterfeit Davidic dynasty, and that in this structure Ahab is a counterfeit Solomon. John Van Seters suggests in a 2000 Presidential address to La societe canadienne des etudes bibliques that...
Exhortation, November 14 - November 14, 2004
Scripture has a lot to say about the blessings of old age. The gray head,Ethe Proverb says, is a crown of glory; it is found in the way of righteousness.E According to another Proverb, the elderly have another crown: Grandchildren...
Translation, 1 Kings 11 - November 11, 2004
Now the King Shlomoh loved women, Foreign ones, Many. And the daughter of Pharaoh. Moabiyyot Ammanoyyot Adomyyot Tzedniyyot Chittiyyot From the nations which Yahweh said to the sons of Israel, You shall not enter into them And they shall not...
Sermon Outline, November 14 - November 09, 2004
INTRODUCTION Solomon was set up on a throne like a new Adam, but like Adam he seized the forbidden fruit of foreign women, and fell from his throne. Before chapter 11 is over, Solomon is trying to kill Jeroboam, making...
Translation, 1 Kings 10 - November 03, 2004
Now the queen of Sheba heard the hearing of Shlomoh to the name of Yahweh And she entered to test him in riddles. And she entered Jerusalem with a retinue of very great glory Camels carrying Balsam-oil And gold, a...
Sermon Outline, November 7 - November 03, 2004
INTRODUCTION 1 Kings 10 continues to show the ambiguous character of Solomons reign. On the one hand, Solomon attracts the notice of Gentile rulers who seek to learn wisdom. On the other hand, Solomon continues to violate the laws of...
Translation, 1 Kings 8 - October 18, 2004
Then assembled Shlomoh the elders of Israel All the heads of the tribes The chiefs of the fathers to the sons of Israel To the king Shlomoh in Jerusalem. To cause to ascend the coffer of the covenant of Yahweh...
Exhortation, October 10 - October 10, 2004
Walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness.E Thus the Lord speaks to Solomon. And we respond, Say what? Walk like David?? Wasnt David an adulterer and a murderer? Wasnt his family an absolute...
SuperJubilee - October 09, 2004
Jerome Walsh notes that the temple and palace of Solomon were completed 500 years after the exodus (480 years in 1 Ki 6:1 + 20 years for completion, 9:10). Walsh suggests that the 500 year total alludes to the Jubilee;...
Divorce of the Temple - October 09, 2004
In a few earlier posts, I've hinted at the idea that the temple should be conceived of as feminine, a bride-house in which Yahweh the husband dwells. A curious turn of phrase in 1 Kings 9 fits with that idea....
Translation, 1 Kings 9 - October 08, 2004
And it was according to the finishing of Shlomoh to build the house of Yahweh And the house of the king And all the desire of Shlomoh which he took pleasure to do. And appeared Yahweh to Shlomoh a second...
Solomon and Pharaoh - October 08, 2004
As noted in my sermon outline earlier this week, there is an intriguing reversal going on with Solomon and Pharaoh in 1 Kings 9. Solomon does not wipe out the Canaanites (v. 20-21), but Pharaoh does (v. 16). On the...
Name and Presence - October 07, 2004
Yahweh's "Name" must be His personal presence. He "consecrates" the temple by setting His name in the house (1 Ki 9:3, 7), and consecration is accomplished by the presence of Yahweh, particularly the presence of His glory (Ex 29:43). Name...
Sermon Outline, October 10 - October 06, 2004
A Second Dream, 1 Kings 9:1-28 INTRODUCTION Solomons great building project was the house of Yahweh, which included the temple, the palace, and the government buildings (1 Kings 6-7). But Solomon also built a number of other buildings, fortresses and...
Exhortation, October 3 - October 03, 2004
We have some difficulty understanding the biblical picture of prayer because we live in a country that sharply separates politics and prayer. Ancient Israel did not do that. The dedication ceremony for the temple began with the transport of the...
Rebirth from Temple - October 02, 2004
As I've discussed in a previous post (and, more fully, in a forthcoming article in the Tyndale Bulletin), Kings is organized by three parallel narratives: the story of the united kingdom (Solomon to Zedekiah and Jehoiachin); the northern kingdom (Jeroboam...
Enthronement and Sabbath - September 30, 2004
1 Kings 8:12-13 begins Solomon's lengthy speech at the temple dedication. It is a poetic and formal utterance, and contins a number of intriguing features. First, it appears to be structured chiastically: Yahweh said A. to dwell (SHAKAN) B. in...
Cut Stone, Cut Covenant - September 30, 2004
The NASB translates 1 Kings 8:9 as follows: "There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they came...
Sermon Outline, October 3 - September 29, 2004
House of Prayer, 1 Kings 8:1-66 INTRODUCTION As Chronicles makes clear, one of the big changes in worship at the time of Solomon was in the area of music. David organized a Levitical choir and orchestra, and these accompanied the...
Exhortation, September 26 - September 26, 2004
Paul tells Timothy that all Scripture is God-breathed, and is useful for doctrine, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. Though we are reluctant to contradict an apostle,...
Baptism of Water and Fire - September 23, 2004
The following suggestion is inspired by the renowned scholar Josh Davis: The "wheeled stands" made by Hiram for Solomon's temple form a gauntlet of water stretching to the east of the temple. A worshiper approaching the temple passes through the...
Translation, 1 Kings 7:23-51 - September 22, 2004
And he made the cast-metal sea Ten in cubit from from its lip until its lip Round all around And five in cubit its height And a cord thirty in cubit Surrounded it all around. Now gourds from below to...
Solomon as Creator - September 22, 2004
1 Kings 7:46-47 inform us that the casting for the bronze furnishings and tools of the temple worship was done in the "plain of the Jordan between Succoth and Zarethan." There are a few noteworthy details in these verses: 1)...
Sermon Outline, September 26 - September 22, 2004
Waterworks, 1 Kings 7:23-51 INTRODUCTION In the tabernacle courtyard, there was a laver that contained water for washing. We are not told its dimensions, and no particular emphasis is put on it (Exodus 30:17-21; cf. 38:8). Water is much more...
Exhortation, September 19 - September 19, 2004
The sermon text this morning includes a brief biography of the craftsman Hiram, son of an Israelite woman and a Tyrean man, whom Solomon brings to Jerusalem to cast bronze furnishings for the temple. The writer of Kings says that...
Solomon's House - September 18, 2004
Walsh suggests a chiastic outline for 1 Kings 7:1-12: A. Solomon builds the house B. House of the forest of Lebanon (rows and beams of cedar) C. Portico of pillars D. Portico of judgment C. House for Solomon and Pharaohs...
Translation, 1 Kings 7:1-22 - September 15, 2004
Another flawed, wooden, speculative, error-ridden translation from Kings, which may still be helpful to someone. I've tried to reflect the difficulties and confusions that arise from the Hebrew text, and believe I had succeeded at least in that. Now his...
Ministerial Conference Lecture - September 15, 2004
Here's another lecture outline, largely based on recent work I've done in Kings. INTRODUCTION As I like to tell my theology students, the movie Shrek is a goldmine of hermeneutical insight. Nearly every joke in the movie depends on the...
Sermon Outline, September 19 - September 15, 2004
INTRODUCTION Solomon first devoted his efforts to building a house for Yahweh. When that was complete, he began to build his own house (7:1), which included a number of buildings (7:1-12; cf. 9:10). The design of the Solomons own house...
"Finish" in 1 Kings 6-7 - September 11, 2004
This from the department of corrections: Contrary to what I stated in the sermon outline posted earlier in the week, the word finishE(KLH) is used seven times in these chapters, as Solomon completes each stage of the house.E This is...
Translation, 1 Kings 6 - September 08, 2004
This translation is more experimental and iffy than the others. 1 Kings 6 is packed with architectural terms that are used only here, the translation of which is very doubtful. In these cases, I have considered possible etymologies that seemed...
Gourds in the Pot - September 08, 2004
On the walls of the temple were carved wooden gourds. The word for these gourds is used only in 1 Kings 6:18 and 7:24. A related word, however, is used for wild gourdEin 2 Ki 4:39, the story of Elisha...
Temple as New Eve - September 08, 2004
The language of 1 Kings 6:1ff echoes in a number of respects the language of Genesis 2:21f. To wit: 1) The word for the "side chambers" that Solomon builds on the temple is the same as the word for "rib"...
Sermon Outline, September 12 - September 08, 2004
Beginning the House of Yahweh, 1 Kings 6 INTRODUCTION Solomon shows his wisdom by judging rightly in the case of the two prostitutes (1 Kings 3:15-28), in the organization of his kingdom (1 Kings 4:1-19), in his vast learning...
Exhortation, September 5 - September 05, 2004
With the Presidential election only two months away, we are entering into an intense political season. As we enter into this final stretch, we should take a moment to consider some guidelines for our political activity. Fortunately, we are in...
Numbering Solomon's Wisdom, 1 Kings 4:29-34 - September 04, 2004
The hymn in praise of Solomon's wisdom at the end of 1 Kings 4 makes a number of points. First, Solomons wisdom is rooted in his heartE(v. 29), which has the discernment that the Lord had promised him. Second, Solomons...
Temple and Land - September 04, 2004
At a number of points, the names of the deputies or the place names listed in 1 Ki 4:7-19 are linked with terms that are used in the temple narratives in 1 Kings 6-8. Elonbeth-hanan, or Elon Beth-hanan, uses a...
Abrahamic Prostitute - September 02, 2004
The real mother in 1 Kings 3 displays a sort of Abrahamic quality: She is willing to give up her son, her only son, the son she loves, in hopes of saving him. And she gets back more than she...
Formless and Empty - September 01, 2004
Based on 1 Kings 3:1-3, Solomon is often criticized by commentators for a) worshiping at high places and b) failing to get the temple, palace, and city wall completed in a timely fashion. I have defended Solomon's worship at the...
Translation, 1 Kings 4-5 - September 01, 2004
Another wooden, overly literal translation. And it was the King Shlomoh [was] king over all Yisrael Now these the captains which [were] to him: Azaryahu, son of Zadoq the priest Eliychoref and Achiyah, sons of Shiysha, scribes. Yehoshaphat son of...
Sermon Outline, Sept 5 - September 01, 2004
Glory Beyond the Kings of the Earth, 1 Kings 4-5 INTRODUCTION In 1 Kings 3, Solomon asked for and was given wisdom, and Yahweh also promised to give him glory and riches and a long life. In the following chapters,...
Eyes and Ears to Judge - August 28, 2004
Eyes, Jim Jordan constantly points out, are organs of judgment. God "sees" the light and judges it good, and His eyes are open to judge the righteous and the wicked (Ps 11). 1 Kings 3, however, seems to make some...
Solomon and Pharaoh's Daughter: A Pauline Interpretation - August 28, 2004
It seems that Solomon begins his reign with a breach of the law. Deuteronomy 7:3-4 forbids Israel from intermarrying with Gentiles, Canaanites in particular, and the usage in Deuteronomy 7 is very similar to that of 1 Kings 3:1. Solomon...
Translation, 1 Kings 3 - August 26, 2004
Again, a wooden, unpolished, but perhaps helpful translation. And Shlomoh became son-in-law to Pharaoh king of Mizrayim. And he took the daughter of Pharaoh And caused her to enter (brought her) to the city of David Until his finishing to...
Sermon Outline, August 29 - August 25, 2004
Wisdom To Do Justice, 1 Kings 3:1-28 INTRODUCTION 1 Kings 3 is divided into three sections. The first is a brief notice about Solomons marriage to Pharaohs daughter, and the continuing practice of sacrifice on high places (vv. 1-3). The...
Conditionality and Unconditionality in the Davidic Covenant - August 21, 2004
Well, that's quite a long title for a short post. In any case: The apparent problem is this. 2 Sam 7 seems to promise an eternal kingdom to David, unconditionally. To be sure, David's son (and later sons) will suffer...
Maacah - August 20, 2004
The name Maacah occurs several times in Scripture, most frequently in connection with Absalom. Maacah is David's wife, the mother of Absalom (2 Sam 3:3), and Maacah is also the DAUGHTER of Absalom who is also the wife of Rehoboam...
Joab's Wilderness House - August 20, 2004
Why is the location of Joabs house mentioned (1 Ki 2:34)? The wilderness is the place of Israels 40-year sojourn, prior to the entry into and conquest of the land of Israel. Thus, the reference to the wilderness connects with...
Joab's Execution - August 20, 2004
Solomon clearly considers his execution of Joab to be an act of justice: Yahweh is bringing the blood that Joab shed back on his own head. And Solomon also indicates that the execution of Joab is necessary to clear David's...
Translation, 1 Kings 2 - August 20, 2004
A rough and wooden translation of 1 Kings 2. And drew near the days of David to die. And he commanded Shlomoh his son, saying, I myself walking in the way of all the earth. You be strong. And you...
Sermon Outline, August 22 - August 17, 2004
Solomons Kingdom Established, 1 Kings 2:1-46 INTRODUCTION 1 Kings 2 consists of two large scenes. First, David gives his final instructions to Solomon (vv. 1-12); these verses are bracketed by the word daysE(vv. 1, 11). Second, Solomon carries out Davids...
1 Kings 1 - August 13, 2004
Here is a very rough, very wooden and literal, translation of 1 Kings 1. Now the king David was old, entering in days. And they covered him in clothes And it was not warm to him. And his servants said...
Sermon Outline, August 15 - August 13, 2004
INTRODUCTION 1 Kings 1 moves from King DavidE(first phrase of v 1) to King SolomonE(vv 49-53). The first chapter is about the transition from one king to another, but the transition is difficult, rather than smooth. THE TEXT Now King...
Sermon Outline, August 8 - August 03, 2004
An Eternal Kingdom, 1 Kings 16:8-34 INTRODUCTION Reading 1-2 Kings from beginning to end might give the impression that the book is about the unfaithfulness of Israel. It tells the story of Solomons rise and fall, the division of the...
Prayer for Enemies - May 20, 2004
In 1 Kings 2, Bathsheba goes to Solomon to present Adonijah's request that he be given Abishag for his wife. This is tantamount, Solomon discerns (v 22), to a request for the throne, and yet Bathsheba relays the request. Why?...
Structure of Samuel and Kings - May 20, 2004
Here's a proposal for an outline of Samuel and Kings, considered as a single book. Some of these parallels are more obvious than others, obviously, but there is a sufficient number of links to make the outline plausible. It might...
Hays on 1 Kings 1-11 - February 10, 2004
The JSOT also includes an article by Daniel Hays arguing that 1 Kings 1-11 portrays Solomon in a very negative light. It is not merely that Solomon falls in 1 Kings 11; there are hints throughout these chapters that Solomon...
Herem - August 07, 2003
Another article from Biblica, this time from 1991, on the use of "herem" ("the ban") in 1 Kings 20:42, where it is part of the Lord's complaint against Ahab after he lets Ben Hadad go free. Philip Stern argues that...
Rebuilding of Jericho - August 07, 2003
There's a neat little study of 1 Kings 16:34 (Hiel's rebuilding of Jericho) in a 1996 issue of Biblica. Charles Conroy, the author, begins with a structural analysis of 1 Kings 16:29-34. He points out that grammatically the passage breaks...
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1 & 2 Kings
Brazos Theological Commentary
The Promise Of His Appearing: An Exposition Of Second Peter
A Great Mystery: Fourteen Wedding Sermons
Deep Comedy: Trinity, Tragedy, And Hope In Western Literature
Miniatures & Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen
The Priesthood of the Plebs: A Theology of Baptism
A Son To Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel
From Silence to Song: The Davidic Liturgical Revolution
Ascent to Love: A Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy
Blessed Are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper
A House For My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament
Heroes of the City of Man: A Christian Guide to Select Ancient Literature
Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide To Six Shakespeare Plays
Wise Words: Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life
The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church
