King Solomon leads Israel to greatness for a while, but Israel is eventually divided and exiled.

After centuries of sojourning, struggles, and conquest, God's promise to Abraham appears to finally be tangible. David and Solomon unite the Israelites into a single kingdom with descendants as "numerous as the stars."

The Rise and Fall of a Kingdom

Known as 1 and 2 Kings in English Bibles, the book of Kings is originally a single book that recounts the rule of Israel's kings from King Solomon up until the time of Israel's exile, the final result of Israel's disobedience.

Will God's promised Messiah come to pass in spite of Israel's failures? Keep reading to find out! Note how the book's perspective gives the reader a bird's-eye view of the nation as a whole compared to the interpersonal focus of key individuals in the book of Samuel. Some notable people in Kings, like Elijah and Jezebel, will also become symbolic representatives for certain themes in the New Testament. Watch closely.