SOURCE FOR QUESTIONS
1 Kings 1:1 through 11:43

‍KEY VERSE FOR MEMORIZATION
“Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.” (1 Kings 11:2)

BACKGROUND

The first two chapters of 1 Kings give an account of the closing years of David’s reign, concluding the account recorded in 2 Samuel. They cover the transition from his reign to the reign of his son, Solomon. The main events of this Book are the death of David, Solomon’s reign and death, the division of the kingdom, and Elijah’s ministry.

As David was on his deathbed, his fourth son Adonijah (the logical choice to succeed him as the first three sons, Amnon, Daniel, and Absalom, were dead by this time) attempted to seize the throne without David’s knowledge and proclaimed himself king. When the news reached David, he declared that his son Solomon, born to him by Bathsheba, was to be the next ruler. He gave the order for Solomon’s anointing, thus quickly instituting temporary co-regency. Immediately following the anointing, the trumpet was blown to alert the people that the king’s choice had been anointed.

A mule was a prized animal, to be ridden by the wealthy and powerful. A strong message was sent when Solomon was given King David’s mule to ride. (Only the king rode the king’s mule.) Sacrifices were offered when a new king was anointed, demonstrating the nation’s joy over a new king. These were called peace offerings, and were offered by the priest. Although Adonijah declared himself as king, he did not have the religious ceremony following, while Solomon did.

Solomon began his reign in the steps of his father David, acting in obedience to the Lord. Though he was given wisdom from God, he began making choices that would eventually lead to his downfall.

Chapters 3 and 4 relate the granting of wisdom to Solomon and the grandeur of his kingdom. Chapters 5 through 9 describe Solomon’s building projects and the dedication of the Temple. Chapters 9 through 11 record his greatness, his ultimate downfall, and his death.

QUESTIONS

1. What was David’s parting advice to Solomon? 1 Kings 2:2-4
   
2. Why was Solomon so swift to remove his adversaries at the beginning of his reign, and how did it benefit him? 1 Kings 2:13-46
   
3. What did Solomon request from God? Why was God pleased with Solomon’s request? 1 Kings 3:5-14
   
4. What was Solomon’s first demonstration of great wisdom? 1 Kings 3:16-28
   
5. According to 1 Kings 5:13-14, Solomon employed three times as many workers as were needed for the Temple project, and then rotated their schedules so they did not have to be away from their homes and families for long periods of time. Why do you think this was a wise move?
   
6. What was the intent of the Queen of Sheba when she came to visit Solomon? (1 Kings 10:1) What was her reaction after she had spent time with him?
   
7. How did Solomon’s acceptance of wives from foreign religions affect the course of his life? Does compromise affect Christianity today? Explain.
   
8. How would you sum up the reign of Solomon? What were his strengths? What eventually led to his downfall?
   
9. What principles or precepts did you learn from the study of Solomon that you can apply to your own life?

CONCLUSION

While our start in the Christian life is vital, how we finish is of even greater importance!