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Kings of Israel

Examine leadership, discernment, abuse of power and accountability among kings.

1. 1. Read and discover - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   1 Kings 3:5-14

   ⁵ In Gibeon, the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask for what I should give you.”

   ⁶ Solomon said, “You have shown to your servant David my father great loving kindness, because he walked before you in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with you. You have kept for him this great loving kindness, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today.

   ⁷ Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father. I am just a little child. I don’t know how to go out or come in.

   ⁸ Your servant is among your people which you have chosen, a great people, that can’t be numbered or counted for multitude.

   ⁹ Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this great people of yours?”

   ¹⁰ This request pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

   ¹¹ God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have you asked for riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice,

   ¹² behold, I have done according to your word. Behold, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, and after you none will arise like you.

   ¹³ I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you for all your days.

   ¹⁴ If you will walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Solomon asks for ability to govern and judge; wisdom is responsibility toward the people rather than private advantage.

   Reflect

   • Why does Solomon ask for wisdom to govern the people?

   Put it into practice

   Seek advice before a decision affecting other people.

   Next lesson →

2. 2. The cost of a king - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   1 Samuel 8:4-22

   ⁴ Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel to Ramah.

   ⁵ They said to him, “Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

   ⁶ But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” Samuel prayed to the LORD.

   ⁷ The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me as the king over them.

   ⁸ According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me and served other gods, so they also do to you.

   ⁹ Now therefore, listen to their voice. However, you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who will reign over them.”

   ¹⁰ Samuel told all the LORD’s words to the people who asked him for a king.

   ¹¹ He said, “This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them as his servants, for his chariots and to be his horsemen; and they will run before his chariots.

   ¹² He will appoint them to him for captains of thousands and captains of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest; and to make his instruments of war and the instruments of his chariots.

   ¹³ He will take your daughters to be perfumers, to be cooks, and to be bakers.

   ¹⁴ He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, even your best, and give them to his servants.

   ¹⁵ He will take one tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give it to his officers and to his servants.

   ¹⁶ He will take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys, and assign them to his own work.

   ¹⁷ He will take one tenth of your flocks; and you will be his servants.

   ¹⁸ You will cry out in that day because of your king whom you will have chosen for yourselves; and the LORD will not answer you in that day.”

   ¹⁹ But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us,

   ²⁰ that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.”

   ²¹ Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD.

   ²² The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and make them a king.” Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Everyone go to your own city.”

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Samuel warns of power that takes people and resources; wanting to resemble other nations does not remove these costs.

   Reflect

   • Which risks of power does the warning name?

   Put it into practice

   Evaluate authority by its responsibility toward vulnerable people.

   Next lesson →

3. 3. Beyond appearances - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   1 Samuel 16:1-13

   ¹ The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided a king for myself among his sons.”

   ² Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’

   ³ Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you.”

   ⁴ Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?”

   ⁵ He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

   ⁶ When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.”

   ⁷ But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

   ⁸ Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “The LORD has not chosen this one, either.”

   ⁹ Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, “The LORD has not chosen this one, either.”

   ¹⁰ Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.”

   ¹¹ Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?” He said, “There remains yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”

   ¹² He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with a handsome face and good appearance. The LORD said, “Arise! Anoint him, for this is he.”

   ¹³ Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the middle of his brothers. Then the LORD’s Spirit came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   David’s selection challenges Samuel’s visible criteria; appearance is insufficient for discerning responsibility.

   Reflect

   • What does Samuel learn about first impressions?

   Put it into practice

   Review a judgment based only on someone’s appearance.

   Next lesson →

4. 4. David’s accountability - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   2 Samuel 12:1-13

   ¹ The LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in one city: the one rich, and the other poor.

   ² The rich man had very many flocks and herds,

   ³ but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was like a daughter to him.

   ⁴ A traveler came to the rich man, and he didn’t want to take of his own flock and of his own herd to prepare for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”

   ⁵ David’s anger burned hot against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die!

   ⁶ He must restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and because he had no pity!”

   ⁷ Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.

   ⁸ I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things.

   ⁹ Why have you despised the LORD’s word, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

   ¹⁰ Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken Uriah the Hittite’s wife to be your wife.’

   ¹¹ “This is what the LORD says: ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.

   ¹² For you did this secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’”

   ¹³ David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin. You will not die.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Nathan uses a story to confront David’s abuse; admitting guilt neither erases harm nor removes accountability.

   Reflect

   • How does Nathan’s story help David recognize his own wrongdoing?

   Put it into practice

   Hear correction without using your position to defend yourself.

   Next lesson →

5. 5. Josiah hears the law - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   2 Kings 22:8-13

   ⁸ Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the LORD’s house.” Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

   ⁹ Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hands of the workmen who have the oversight of the LORD’s house.”

   ¹⁰ Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has delivered a book to me.” Then Shaphan read it before the king.

   ¹¹ When the king had heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes.

   ¹² The king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying,

   ¹³ “Go inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is the LORD’s wrath that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book, to do according to all that which is written concerning us.”

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Hearing the law prompts concern and consultation; the king does not treat the discovered book merely as a prestige object.

   Reflect

   • How does Josiah respond when he hears the book of the law?

   Put it into practice

   Seek help understanding a text that challenges your conduct.