Be sure to cite and the read material and or use the bible or any other scholarly sources The Division of the Monarchy I: Solomon�s Reign to the Northern Kingdom Read: Chapter 7 -The Old Testament Story (Israel’s monarch descends into sin and the nation follows, soon breaking apart into two kingdoms, the northern and the southern. The northern kingdom’s fall comes first. ) I Kings Study Questions (Please respond to and answer questions 3, 7, 11, 14, 17 on pgs. 171, 172 of your textbook.) What were Solomon’s strengths and weaknesses as a king?What factors contributed to the negative reaction of the northern tribes to Rehoboam?Why did the worship of Baal appeal to the Israelites so strongly?Why did Ahab handle Elijah differently from the way Jezebel dealt with him?How are the portrayals of Elijah and Elisha alike, and how do they differ? The Division of the Monarchy II: The Story of the Southern Kingdom Read: Chapter 8 -The Old Testament Story (After the fall of the northern kingdom the southern kingdom hangs on, if only for a little while, before it too falls to enemy invasion. ) II Kings Study Questions (Please respond to and answer questions 2, 3, 6, 8, 9 on pg. 186 of your textbook.) What happened to bring an end to the hostilities between Israel and Judah?Who was Athaliah? Why is she a significant figure in Israel’s story?How did Judah manage to survive the Assyrian invasions that destroyed Israel and Syria in the later eighth century (745-721 B.C.E.)?How did Hezekiah prepare for a possible invasion by the Assyrians during Sennacherib’s reign?What possible physical evidence has been found to confirm Hezekiah’s reform? The Exile and Restoration: Israel Redefined Read: Chapter 9 -The Old Testament Story (The Exile came as a shock to the nation of Israel, north and south. After nearly 50 years away their Persian captors allow them to return to begin the efforts to rebuild a city, a temple and a covenant relationship with Yahweh. ) Lamentations; Ezra; Nehemiah Study Questions (Please respond to and answer questions 2, 4 6, 9, 12 on pg. 206 of your textbook.) What does Lamentations tell us about conditions in Jerusalem during the Babylonian siege?What were the three major groups of Israelites that formed in the wake of the Babylonian destruction, and how were they related to each other?How did Cyrus’ conquest of the Babylonians affect the Jews in exile?Assess the relative significance of Ezra and Nehemiah to the Jerusalem community.How did Ezra and Nehemiah address the issue of foreign wives? Why?

CHAPTER
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The Division of
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The Reign of Solomon
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of the Northern Kingdom
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Timeline
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960 B.C.E. Approximate death of David and beginning
of the reign of Solomon
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922 B.C.E. Common estimate of the death of Solomon and division of the kingdom
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900 B.C.E.
876 B.C.E.
869 B.C.E.
745 B.C.E.
722 B.C.E.
End of Iron Age I and beginning of Iron Age II
Beginning of the reign of Omri and the Omride dynasty in the Northern
L
Kingdom
Beginning of the reign of Ahab
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Approximate date of the beginning of
I Hosea’s prophetic career
Fall of Samaria to the Assyrian Empire
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Chapter Outline
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
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The Reign of Solomon
Approaching the Divided-Kingdom Story
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The Division of the Kingdom
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The Dynasty of Omri
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Elijah’s Confrontation with Ahab and Jezebel
B
Jehu to Jereboam II (842–746 B.C.E.)
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The Destruction of the Northern Kingdom
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Copyright © 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Chapter 7 • The Division of the Monarchy I
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
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The book called 1 Kings opens with David on his deathbed, while the members of his family and
his officials struggle to determine who will succeed him on O
the throne of Israel. Solomon won
this struggle and began an ambitious reign, which included the
R development of foreign alliances
and massive building projects. Once Solomon died, however, the Israelite monarchy was no
D
longer able to hold itself together. This chapter includes the story of Solomon, the division of the
kingdom after his death, and the line of kings who ruled over the
Onorthern nation after the division,
until this northern kingdom was conquered and dispersed by the Assyrian Empire. The story of
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the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 2 Kings also includes an increasingly prominent and shifting
,
role for prophetic figures, particularly Elijah and Elisha. A parallel
account of the period of the
Israelite monarchy is presented in 1 and 2 Chronicles. This account places more emphasis on the
reigns of Solomon and David, often omitting material that reflects negatively on them, and it
omits the story of the Northern Kingdom almost entirely. J
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THE REIGN OF SOLOMON
S builder, then Solomon introIf Saul was a judge who tried to be king and David was an empire
duced Israel to the rule of a typical oriental despot.
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Getting Rid of Potential Rivals
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Solomon moved quickly to consolidate his power. Whereas David had nothing directly to do with
the elimination of anyone who might have been his rival, Solomon had no qualms about dealing
with his enemies. Adonijah was his first victim. When Adonijah
L asked Bathsheba to persuade
Solomon to let him have Abishag, David’s last concubine, for his wife, Solomon found the
E excuse to kill him. The request
wickedness in Adonijah that he had been looking for as an
Adonijah made actually was an insult. David’s harem became Solomon’s
responsibility on David’s
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death, even though the concubines probably were not viewed as Solomon’s wives, because his own
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mother was in the group. Adonijah’s request was his own death warrant (2:13–25).
H was he a priest, but he had been
Dealing with Abiathar was a more delicate matter. Not only
David’s chief northern priest in tandem with Zadok, the chief priest from Judah. His execution
would certainly alienate the northern tribes at a time when Solomon could ill afford to lose their
1 the northerners somewhat, but
support. By exiling Abiathar to Anathoth, Solomon still offended
not to the extent of losing their support. The prophet Jeremiah
8 probably was a descendant of
Abiathar (2:26–27).1
Solomon probably considered Joab his most dangerous7
rival. Even though he was old, Joab
was a cunning and ruthless man who had managed to hold power
1 in the army even when David
tried to get rid of him. But his luck had run out. Solomon was just as ruthless as Joab, or more so.
He ordered Joab’s execution. When Joab fled to the sanctuary B
for refuge and refused to come out,
Solomon defied the taboo against killing anyone in the sanctuary.
U He ordered Joab killed even as
he held onto the horns of the sacred altar. His executioner, Benaiah, the son of Jehoida, took
Joab’s place as general over the armies of Israel (2:28–35).
The last to be dealt with was Shimei, who was placed under a form of house arrest that
forbade him to leave the city of Jerusalem. Shimei observed the rules for three years, but when
one of his slaves ran away, Shimei went after him. Solomon had not forgotten—Shimei died
(2:36–46).
The Old Testament Story, Ninth Edition, by John Tullock and Mark McEntire. Published by Pearson Learning Solutions.
Copyright © 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 7 • The Division of the Monarchy I
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FIGURE 7–1 “Joab fled to the tent of the LORD and grasped the E
horns of the altar” (1 Kings 2:28).
The “horns of the altar,” as illustrated by this tenth century B.C.E. limestone altar from Megiddo, were
supposed to keep a fugitive safe as long as he clung to them. ThisIdid not happen in Joab’s case.
Courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
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Solomon, the Wise One (1 Kings 3:1–28; 4:29–34)
The Israelite historian, in his evaluation of Solomon as a religious man, could not be quite as
1
complimentary as he was about David. Perhaps he was hinting
at one of the obstacles to
wife.
She and other of his wives
Solomon’s devotion to the LORD when he mentions his Egyptian
8
influenced him to worship pagan gods.
7 of the LORD appearing in a dream
In describing a prayer offered by Solomon, the narrator tells
and telling him to ask what he should be given. Instead of asking1for great riches, Solomon asked for
wisdom to govern his people. The LORD, in turn, promised both wisdom and riches (3:1–15).
B of the two women who claimed
An illustration of Solomon’s wisdom is the famous story
the same child. After the women argued before him, Solomon
U ordered the child cut into two
pieces, one piece to be given to each woman. One woman agreed, but the other asked Solomon to
spare the child and give it to the other woman. The assumption of the story, and of King Solomon
in the story, was that the woman who objected to killing the child was the true mother, and so
Solomon awarded the child to her (3:16–28).
A summary statement concerning Solomon’s wisdom describes Solomon as wiser than all
the eastern wise men. He was a speaker and collector of proverbs, a zoologist and a biologist, and
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Copyright © 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Chapter 7 • The Division of the Monarchy I
a marvel to all who heard him (4:29–34). The queen of Sheba came from North Africa (Ethiopia)
G away more than wisdom, since
to marvel at his wisdom. Ethiopian tradition has it that she carried
later Ethiopian rulers were called in part, “the Lion of Judah” (1
OKings 10:1–10). According to legend, the first emperor of Ethiopia, Menilik, was the son of Solomon and the queen of Sheba, and
R it still resides.2
he took the Ark of the Covenant to Ethiopia, where many believe
D
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In organizing the kingdom, Solomon seems to have had two purposes in mind: (1) to divide the
N
land as evenly as possible to provide for the systematic support of his elaborate court and for
other taxation purposes and (2) to break down the old tribal, distinctions by paying little or no
Solomon, the Organizer (1 Kings 4:1–28)
attention to tribal lines when dividing the country into tax districts. In his first purpose, he succeeded; in the second, he failed.
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David built an empire by conquest, but Solomon covered it S
with buildings. Of all the building
projects carried on by Solomon, the Temple at Jerusalem ranked first in importance for the
S
Israelite historian.
I
THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE (1 KINGS 5:1–38; 7:15–51). To build as Solomon was said to
Cwhich was abundant in Israel. The
have done takes skilled workmen and quality materials, neither of
one thing that Israel had in abundance was stone, but it lacked the
Aforests to supply the needed wood.
Solomon, the Builder
To provide the needed materials and skilled workmen, Solomon turned to David’s ally,
Hiram, king of Tyre and Phoenicia. Hiram agreed to supply cedar and cypress wood, as well as
skilled workmen, to carry out the building of the Temple and L
the palace complex in Jerusalem. In
turn, Solomon agreed to supply food to Hiram. Solomon also furnished Israelites to do the labor
Emen had to work without pay for
of cutting the wood and quarrying the stone in Israel. Israelite
the state, one month out of every three.
I
Like Jerusalem itself, the Temple—first built by Solomon, then destroyed, then rebuilt again
G
in the post-Exilic period, and built a third time by Herod the Great—has managed to seize the
H except for portions of the wall
imaginations of countless people for nearly 3000 years. Its remains,
that supported the platform on which it was built, under an area containing two Islamic
mosques—the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Asqa Mosque. As a result, archaeological work on
1
the Temple Mount is forbidden.
By taking the biblical description, however, and comparing
8 it with similar temples found in
Israel and Phoenicia, a fairly accurate idea of the Temple’s appearance can be gained. One such
building was a Canaanite temple found at Hazor in northern7Israel. It had the three-room plan
used in the Jerusalem Temple. A later temple, from the period
1 of the Israelite monarchy, was
found at Arad, south of Jerusalem. In addition, a horned altar, like the one mentioned in the Old
B
Testament, was found at Beersheba (1 Kings 1:50–2:28).
In 1 Kings 6:1, it says that the Temple was built 480 yearsUafter Israel left Egypt. This poses a
problem in chronology, because it does not agree with other evidence for the date of the Exodus.
One possible explanation is that the figure 480 represents twelve generations. Biblical writers figured a generation as 40 years, while today, 25 years equals a generation. If this were the case,
twelve times 25 equals 300 years, which would place the Exodus at about 1300 B.C.E.
According to all descriptions, both biblical and archaeological, the Temple was divided into
three parts: (1) a porch or vestibule, 15 feet deep and 30 feet wide; (2) the Holy Place, 60 feet long
The Old Testament Story, Ninth Edition, by John Tullock and Mark McEntire. Published by Pearson Learning Solutions.
Copyright © 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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and 30 feet wide; and (3) the Holy of Holies, which was a perfect cube—30 feet long, 30 feet wide,
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and 30 feet high. The interior height of the rest of the building was 45 feet. Along the outside of
the building were three levels of rooms, used for storage and H
other purposes. The interior of the
FIGURE 7–2 A sixteenth-century engraving depicts Solomon’s temple with the horned altar in the
center and the Holy of Holies beyond it.
building was decorated with elaborate carved woodwork. Gold also was used extensively in decorating the interior (6:1–36).
1 for incense, the seven-branched
The Holy Place contained three principal items: the altar
lamp stand, and the table for the sacred bread (shew bread,8
or bread of the presence). In later
times, the lamp stand became a seven-branched candlestick called a menorah.
The Holy of Holies originally contained the sacred 7
box, the Ark of the Covenant. At
either end stood a winged creature 15 feet high. It was carved
1 from olive wood and plated
with gold. It probably had both human and animal features, designed to represent all living
the Holy of Holies. Once a year, on
creatures giving praise to the LORD, whose dwelling place wasB
the solemn Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the High Priest
Uwould enter the Holy of Holies.
Even he had to undergo an elaborate ceremony of cleansing before he could enter the room. His
purpose was to bring before the LORD the sins of the people so that they might be forgiven.
Thus, the Holy of Holies represented for Israel the meeting place between God and humankind.
In the Temple courtyard stood the great altar made of uncut stones upon which the sacrifices were made. Two huge bronze columns, named Jachin and Boaz, stood to the north and
south of the entrance of the Temple. Their meaning and purpose are unknown (7:15–22). An
The Old Testament Story, Ninth Edition, by John Tullock and Mark McEntire. Published by Pearson Learning Solutions.
Copyright © 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Chapter 7 • The Division of the Monarchy I
elaborate bronze bowl called the Molten Sea, resting on a base made from twelve bronze bulls,
G and may have been a reminder
also stood in the courtyard. It held about 10,000 gallons of water
of the watery chaos mentioned in the Creation story and of O
how God overcame it to create the
world (7:23–26).
All the furnishings and equipment for the Temple were R
made by the Phoenicians. It should
not be surprising, then, that the descriptions given in the BibleDmatch things found in Phoenician
temples. The major difference seems to be that Israel’s Temple contained no image of the Deity,
O 3
while Phoenician temples contained many such images (7:27–51).
N
After years of labor, the Temple was fin,
ished. The first act of Solomon was to have the Ark of the Covenant moved into its permanent
home, the Holy of Holies. It was moved with elaborate precautions and with many sacrifices
being offered (8:1–13).
J
The address and prayer of Solomon (8:14–53) emphasized the importance of the covenant
E
with David and the building of the Temple as carrying out Solomon’s
responsibility in light of
that covenant (8:14–26).
S
THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE (1 KINGS 8:1–66).
The Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament
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The Ark of the Covenant has often been an object of fascination for a variety of reasons. This object,
which functions both as a container and as a portable Divine throne, comes and goes in the Bible.
Below is a book-by-book list and description of how it appears. L
Exodus—the ark is mentioned about twenty times in Exodus 25–40, which contains both
E of its construction.
God’s instructions to Moses about how to make it and a description
Leviticus—the Ark is mentioned only once, in the description
I of the Day of Atonement rituals
in Leviticus 16.
Gof its care and movement by the
Numbers—the Ark is mentioned six times in descriptions
priests, but it is not mentioned after Numbers 14:44.
H
Deuteronomy—the Ark is mentioned eight times, all in Chapter 10, where Moses is recalling
the making and purpose of the Ark in a speech, and in Chapter 31, when Moses and the Levites produce a “book of the law” and place it in the Ark.
Joshua—after its construction in Exodus, the Ark remains1in the background for the next several books, but it becomes much more prominent in the book of8Joshua, where it is mentioned more
than twenty-five times, all in Joshua 3–8, as the Israelites cross the Jordan and begin conquering
7
cities in the Promised Land.
Judges—the Ark is mentioned only once, in Judges 20:27, as an oracular object residing in Shiloh.
1
1 Samuel—the Ark is mentioned more than thirty times but only once after 1 Samuel 4–7, a
passage sometimes called the Ark Narrative. 1 Samuel 14:18 isB
the only time Saul makes use of it.
2 Samuel—the Ark is mentioned about twenty times, more than half of these concentrated in
U
2 Samuel 6, where David brings the Ark to Jerusalem.
1 Kings—the Ark is mentioned about a dozen times, all in the first eight chapters, where
Solomon is established as king, builds the Temple, and places the Ark in it.
1 and 2 Chronicles—of approximately forty remaining references to the Ark in the Old Testament,
all but two are in 1 and 2 Chronicles, mostly in passages that parallel those in Samuel and Kings.
The last two references to the Ark in the Old Testament are in Psalm 132:8 and Jeremiah 3:16
as it seems to disappear into distant memory.
The Old Testament Story, Ninth Edition, by John Tullock and Mark McEntire. Published by Pearson Learning Solutions.
Copyright © 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 7 • The Division of the Monarchy I
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FIGURE 7–3 David’s kingdom and the united monarchy. Artwork by Margaret Jordan Brown, from
Mercer Dictionary of the Bible. © 1990, courtesy of Mercer University.
The Old Testament Story, Ninth Edition, by John Tullock and Mark McEntire. Published by Pearson Learning Solutions.
Copyright © 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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Chapter 7 • The Division of the Monarchy I
The prayer was a plea for the LORD to keep the Divine side of the covenant. The story in 1
Kings 8:27–30 is particularly important because it emphasizesG
what many Israelites forgot in later
years—namely, that the LORD did not dwell only in the Temple
O in Jerusalem. No mere building
could hold the LORD. The prayer lists the situations that would give rise to prayer: (1) sin against one
R caused by pestilence, mildew, or
another; (2) defeat in war because of sin; (3) drought; (4) famine
locusts; (5) foreigners who came to the Temple to worship; (6)Dholy war; and (7) sin against God.
With each there was a plea for forgiveness based on the choice of Israel as God’s people (8:31–53).
Oin operation. God, who gave the
In this section, then, the principle of the covenant was
covenant, although not required to do so, was self-obligated toN
Israel because of Divine mercy. An
Israelite could call on God to show mercy on his behalf when he came to God in repentance. One
,
could not expect forgiveness without a proper attitude. This theme is repeated by the great
prophets and is prominent in the book of Deuteronomy.
After the people were led in praise to the LORD, to conclude the dedicatory services, elaboJ
rate festivities were observed. The seven-day feast, held at the time of the feast of Tabernacles, sent
E and mutton (8:54–66).
away all those who came proud, happy, and filled with roast beef
S After the dedication of the
Temple, the LORD appeared to Solomon. The promise of the
Scontinuance of David’s line was
made, but it was to be based on faithfulness to the LORD If Solomon and those who followed him
I
turned away from the LORD, judgment would come upon Israel.
THE LORD APPEARS TO SOLOMON AGAIN (1 KINGS 9:1–9).
C 9:10–28; 10:14–29). Solomon
SOLOMON’S OTHER BUILDING PROJECTS (1 KINGS 7:1–12;
spent even more time building an elaborate system of palaces and
A government buildings. Thirteen
years were spent building his palace, which had several sections: (1) the House of the Forest of
Lebanon, built almost entirely of cedar; (2) the Hall of Pillars; (3) the Hall of the Throne, where
justice was administered; (4) Solomon’s house; and (5) the house
L of his Egyptian wife.
He also carried on other extensive building programs, including projects in Jerusalem,
Gezer, Hazor, and Megiddo. At the latter three, identical city E
gates have been found. This would
seem to indicate that the same architect planned and constructed
all three. Each of these cities
I
shows indications of other building programs during Solomon’s time. Elaborate shafts were conG
structed to enable the people to reach the water supply. At Megiddo, for instance, stone steps led
H outside the city wall.4
down into the shaft to a tunnel. This tunnel led to a water source
Another building project consisted of a fleet of merchant ships, based in the Gulf of Aqaba
at Ezion–Geber. Here, the gulf reaches its northernmost point. Hiram of Tyre furnished the vital
1 Phoenicians we …
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