This is a list of the major sources I used on this seven-month journey through the book of 1 Kings. I selected each resource for a reason and below is a brief evaluation of each source. It is not a comprehensive evaluation of the literature on 1 Kings, but it is a useful place to start for those interested in learning more about this book of scripture.

Brueggemann, Walter. 1 & 2 Kings. Macon, GA: Smith & Helwys Publishing Incorporated. 2000

Walter Brueggemann is one of the most prolific Christian writers on the Hebrew Scriptures and brings a wide breadth of knowledge on both the collection of scripture as whole. His writing is consistently readable and insightful and tends to explore challenging perspectives. The Smith & Helwys Bible Commentary series is a very attractive resource bringing together commentary and discussion with artwork, maps, and other visual resources. This resource is closer to the blogging format which I write in than many books. More of a thematic commentary which is useful for preaching and teaching.

Cogan, Mordechai. 1 Kings: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. 2001

Mordechai Cogan’s commentary on 1 Kings is a part of the Anchor Yale Bible Commentary which is primarily a textual commentary which focuses on the translation with some notes on historical context. This is the longest and most detailed of the works I used for this journey through 1 Kings. Very insightful about translation, structure, and context. This is a volume more directed to the specialist rather than the preacher or teacher and some knowledge of Hebrew is helpful in using this resource.

Israel, Alex. 1 Kings: Torn in Two. Jerusalem. Maggid Books. 2013

I have tried to consult at least one Jewish voice when examining the Hebrew Scriptures since it often opens avenues that Christian scholars have neglected since we share two different interpretation traditions. I received Alex Israel’s volume on 1 Kings as a review copy in 2014 and wrote a fuller review on the piece here. Rabbi Israel’s skill as a teacher is on display in this volume as he writes an approachable text which brings 1 Kings into dialogue with the historical context and rabbinic interpretation. A clear and insightful perspective on the people and events of 1 Kings.

Seow, Choon-Leong. “The Books of 1 and 2 Kings.” In New Interpreter’s Bible III: 1-295.12 Vols. Nashville: Abingdon Press. 1999.

The NIB (New Interpreter’s Bible) is a solid resource as a resource for preaching and teaching that covers the entire bible and goes into some textual issues, but it primarily is focused on giving a fuller context to the story. Choon-Leon Seow’s contribution on the 1 and 2 Kings goes into a little more depth on translational issues than some other portions of this commentary set I’ve utilized, and this was a positive since it identified some interesting things to explore in the Hebrew text. This was another solid portion of the NIB and it is a resource worth having on the shelf for a pastor.