John W. Olley is Emeritus Research Associate at Vose Seminary, Perth (formerly the Baptist Theological College of Western Australia), where he served as Principal from 1991 to 2003. He has also lectured in Hong Kong, and his publications include a commentary on the Septuagint Greek text of Ezekiel.

Contents
General preface vii
Author's preface ix
Commentaries and other works xii
Introducing 1 and 2 Kings 1
Chronology 24
A. Solomon's reign (1 Kings 1 ? 11)
1. Solomon becomes king (1:1 ? 2:46) 27
2. Setting the scene (3:1?3) 49
3. Receiving and demonstrating wisdom (3:4 ? 4:34) 54
4. The temple ? building and dedicating (5:1 ? 8:66) 67
5. After building the temple (9:1 ? 11:43) 97
B. Division ? the first 160 years (1 Kings 12:1 ? 16:28)
6. Leadership: power, pragmatism and God's evaluation (12:1 ? 14:20) 125
7. Two nations and eight kings: similarities and difference (14:21 ? 16:28) 147
C. Elijah and kings (1 Kings 16:29 ? 2 Kings 2:25)
8. Elijah confronts crisis (16:29 ? 19:21) 158
9. Ahab and some prophets ? leading to death (20:1 ? 22:50) 181
10. Ahaziah king of Israel and Elijah (1 Kings 22:51 ? 2 Kings 1:18) 205
11. Elijah's ascension and the transition to Elisha (2:1?25) 210
D. Elisha and individuals, kings and revolution (2 Kings 3 ? 13)
12. Kings of Israel, Judah and Moab ? and Elisha (3:1?27) 219
13. Elisha: agent of Yahweh's compassion (4:1 ? 6:7) 224
14. Elisha and Arameans (6:8 ? 8:15) 238
15. Revolution and reform in Israel and Judah (8:16 ? 13:25) 251
E. To the end of Israel (2 Kings 14 ? 17)
16. Kings of Judah and Israel (14:1 ? 17:6) 285
17. Understanding change to Israel and in Israel (17:7?41) 304
F. From trust to exile ? to the end of Judah (2 Kings 18 ? 25)
18. Hezekiah and trust (18:1 ? 20:21) 316
19. Apostasy of Manasseh and Amon (21:1?26) 337
20. Josiah and wholehearted turning to God (22:1 ? 23:30) 345
21. The end comes quickly (23:31 ? 25:26) 358
22. A glimmer of hope in Babylon (25:27?30) 371

At the beginning of 1 & 2 Kings, Solomon's reign brought peace, prosperity, dynamic international trade and a magnificent centre of worship. By contrast, at the end, the people faced complete reversal: they and their king were in exile; Jerusalem and the temple lay in ruins.
How can this story of reversal, told by the very people who suffered that defeat, be of value today, and equip us for every good work?
In this rich and insightful commentary, John W. Olley guides us through The Message of 1 & 2 Kings. With deft, accessible scholarship, he shows us how the writers of Kings retell the past as preached history, and how that helps us to understand the way they speak to us today. Within the account of paths leading to short-term success but ultimate failure, there are pointers of hope, of God's continuing purposes and promises, and of the peoples' response in the present.
In rich and often surprising ways, the story told in Kings is one that continues to shape the faith and life of Christian believers today. Unpacking its meaning careful precision, Olley helps us understand that everyday life, along with the turmoil of national and global events, is the arena in which God's people are called to worship, trust and obey him.
Part of the million-selling Bible Speaks Today series of commentaries, The Message of 1 & 2 Kings offers a cogent, readable exposition of the Biblical text as well as thoughtfully discussion of how it is relevant for Christians today. Used by Bible students and teachers around the world, the Bible Speaks Today commentaries are ideal for students and preachers who are looking to improve their understanding of Scripture.