Kings

First Kings covers the end of king David's life with the House of David continuing its reign with Solomon and then Rehoboam and his successors only retaining control of Judah while Jereboam and a succession of dynasties control Israel in the north.

First Kings is one of a series of books (along with Joshua, Judges, First Samuel, Second Samuel and Second Kings) which covers the theological history of the Israelites and explains God's law under the guidance of the prophets. According to Jewish tradition the author of the books of Kings was Jeremiah, who would have been alive during the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BCE.