Ahab’s ivory palace. Archaeologists have discovered remains of Ahab’s palace (22:39) in Samaria. Beautifully carved ivory fragments with Egyptian and Phoenician designs were found where its main floors and courtyard would have been.
Confiscation of land. Israelite law did not allow the king to confiscate the land of an executed criminal. This was, however, a common practice outside of Israel. Perhaps Jezebel, who came from Tyre, based her plan to seize Naboth’s vineyard… Read More »Confiscation of land
The word bazaar (20:34) meant “place of prices” in Persian. Bazaars were permanent places designated for merchants and traders to buy and sell goods. Either a part of one street or a whole district of a city would be used… Read More »Bazaar
Broom trees (19:5) are a type of desert shrub common in Palestine, Arabia, and Egypt. Its long branches form a bush that grows to about 12 feet (3.7 m) high. Wood from broom trees makes excellent charcoal.
Why did the prophets of Baal cut themselves? According to one ancient Canaanite myth, the father of Baal slashes his chest, arms, and back upon learning of his son’s death. In the myth, Baal returns to life when the rains… Read More »Why did the prophets of Baal cut themselves?
Life for a widow was not easy in the ancient Near East. Widows had difficulty protecting themselves and their children economically, legally, or physically. If the widow was childless, it was even more difficult, since she would have no one… Read More »Life for a widow
Though the story of King Omri is told in just eight verses (16:21–28), politically speaking he was one of Israel’s most important kings. He built the capital city of Samaria in a place that gave Israel a strategic advantage over… Read More »King Omri
The role of the queen mother was an important one in the royal court. She might serve as an adviser to the king and also as a teacher for his children.
What were high places? High places (14:23) were worship sites for local pagan gods. Before the temple was built in Jerusalem, Israelites often offered sacrifices in such places. After the temple was built, however, people were required to sacrifice there… Read More »What were high places?
“Man of God,” meaning “prophet,” is used 37 times in 1–2 Kings. Though God judged the Judean prophet’s disobedience (13:1–32), his prophecy against the temple in Bethel was fulfilled, and King Josiah preserved his burial place (2 Kings 23:15–20).
Lions (13:24) were once plentiful in the ancient Near East. The last recorded sighting of a lion in this area was in the thirteenth century a.d.
How long did the United Kingdom of Israel last? All 12 tribes of Israel were together as one nation for a total of 120 years: 40 years under Saul, 40 years under David, and 40 years under Solomon (c. 1050-930… Read More »How long did the United Kingdom of Israel last?
From ancient times, Damascus has been a strategic location. It was a primary stopping point along the main caravan route that ran from Africa to Mesopotamia. When it became the capital of the Aramean kingdom (modern Syria), it served as… Read More »Damascus
666 talents of gold (10:14) was a lot of gold—nearly 25 tons! Solomon accumulated lots of gold and other valuable resources through his extensive trading with nations all over the known world.
The city of Megiddo was located on one of the most important trade routes of the ancient Near East. In fact, it was so important that when Egypt’s Pharaoh Thutmose III conquered the city in 1482 b.c. he said that… Read More »Megiddo
The building and dedication of the temple was perhaps the most significant event of King Solomon’s reign. The temple replaced the Tent of Meeting and became the place of worship for Israel. It was a grand monument to God’s glory… Read More »Temple
Praying toward Jerusalem (8:29) was a practice started by Solomon that many Jews around the world still follow today. It comes from Solomon’s prayer of dedication, where he stated that God is too great to dwell in a temple. However,… Read More »Praying toward Jerusalem
The House of the Forest of Lebanon was part of Solomon’s palace. It was much larger than the temple and designed to be a treasury or an armory. It got its name from the large amounts of cedar timber used… Read More »The House of the Forest of Lebanon
No tools of iron? The Lord had forbidden the use of iron tools in the construction of altars (Ex. 20:25). As they built the temple, the Israelites used iron tools on the stones only at the quarry, never at the… Read More »No tools of iron?
Dressed stones (5:17) are stones that have been cut and polished so that they have smooth faces and edges. This type of masonry was time-consuming and expensive, so it was used primarily for palaces and temples.
How large was Israel under Solomon’s rule? During the reign of Solomon, Israel extended into the Sinai desert near Egypt in the south and to the Euphrates River in the north. It was roughly three times the size of Israel… Read More »How large was Israel under Solomon’s rule?
No witnesses. Under normal circumstances, priests and judges would have presided over the case between the two prostitutes (3:16–28). However, because there were no witnesses to the case, the law required them to go before Solomon. The king was considered… Read More »No witnesses
Why did Adonijah ask for Abishag? Marrying David’s concubine (2:17) would have given Adonijah a claim to the throne.
Horns of the altar. Many ancient Near Eastern cultures regarded shrines and temples as places where a person could seek safety and refuge. In Hebrew culture, a person accused of a crime might grasp the horns of the altar (1:50)… Read More »Horns of the altar
God promised to establish David’s kingdom forever (2 Sam. 7:1–17). Although Adonijah was David’s eldest living son, Nathan and Bathsheba’s actions ensured that Solomon’s claim to the throne was stronger (ch. 1). Solomon became king at David’s death.