Author

Unknown (possibly Jeremiah)

Written

~560–540 BC

Testament

Old Testament

Chapters

22

Key Theme

Solomon's glory, the divided kingdom, and the call to covenant faithfulness.

Written For

The people of Israel in exile

Introduction of 1 Kings

First Kings takes its name from the succession of Israelite monarchs it chronicles. Traditionally attributed to Jeremiah or prophets of his era and written around the 6th century BC during or after the exile, the book covers the glory and division of the kingdom. It opens with the aging David and the rise of Solomon, whose wisdom and temple-building mark Israel’s golden age. Yet the story soon shifts to tragic decline, rebellion, and the rise of prophets like Elijah confronting kings like Ahab. The central drama is whether any king — or the nation itself — will remain faithful to God.