1 Kings: The Wisdom and the Folly

Focus on the Bible Commentaries

by Dale Ralph Davis

1 Kings is a continuation of a narrative of the history of Israel which begins in 1 Samuel and continues through into 1 & 2 Kings.
While we so often struggle with the events and issues of the book of 1st Kings, Ralph Davis helps us to see how it we can apply to the contemporary settings of the 21st century. As usual Ralph Davis uses pastoral application and laces it with his own sense of humour. He is noted for tackling scholarship head on.

Genres: Biblical Studies, Theology, Christian, Old Testament, Nonfiction, Christianity

352 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1969

About the author

Dale Ralph Davis is Minister in Residence, First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, South Carolina. Prior to that he was pastor of Woodland Presbyterian Church, Hattiesburg, Mississippi and Professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi.

Reviews

[Jonna Ventura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I can say officially that Dale Ralph Davis is my favorite Biblical commentator. His work on 1 Kings was so helpful. He has a way of getting right to the heart of the text. I have grown in my knowledge of God and my relationship with Christ from his insight and I'm so thankful.

[Emma.catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic step by step walk through 1 Kings - this is not an easy, but important, book to read; lots of darkness and disloyalty to God.

“What the Lord says to me, that I shall speak.”
- 1 Kings 22:14

[David Zimmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ralph Davis continues to prove to be one of the most helpful commentary writers on the books of the Od Testament. His commentaries are readable. He writes to give clarity to the text, not to answer every argument and question raised against a text. His explanations are laced with humor, and sarcasm, always aimed at increasing understanding of the text. He analyzes every text to get to the timeless truth of the text. From the most challenging portion of the text, to the less exciting portions of the text, he demonstrates the usefulness of all of it to the meaning of the passage being studied. My esteem for the scriptures has grown because of the way he handles the most "dull" passages of the Bible.
If I had to choose only one commentary to use on 1 Kings, this would be the one. It omits nothing of importance to the text. It feeds the soul, as well as stimulates the intellect. Hands down, the best commentary overall of all I have referenced in my study of 1 Kings.

[Natalie Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic DRD! Super readable, lots of civil-war blunder illustrations, and honest and gritty challenge to the reader. Davies knows his OT exegesis and is well read in the differing scholastic approaches to a text. And Davies knows the human race, our mess and our need for God.

[Abigail Hartman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I sometimes find Davis' style too crass for my personal tastes, but there is a great deal I appreciated in this exposition of 1 Kings (including his occasional sarcastic digs at the higher critics). Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the commentary's energy really picks up at the point that Elijah enters the narrative; the latter half of the book is more compelling than the first.

The books of Kings make for some wonderful reading, full of very human vignettes and fast-paced narratives and puzzling-but-powerful episodes like Elijah's audience with God at Horeb. Among the passages from Davis' exposition that particularly struck me was the one about Elijah and the widow of Zarephath during the drought, how she was not given a sudden supply of flour and oil, but always only enough for that day. I loved Davis' comments on the nature of faith drawn from this narrative, that it "is staking everything upon Yahweh's sheer word, wagering all upon the veracity of God" (214) and that it is a daily exercise and often a daily challenge. Another wonderful point that he brings out and that I'd never considered before is how Yahweh mercifully hounds Ahab, the worst of the Israelite kings, with His word spoken through and embodied in His prophet. No matter how deep Ahab digs himself in, he cannot escape. Judgment will come -- but Davis also underscores, from the end of 1 Kings 21, how God delights in showing mercy at the slightest provocation. Though he doesn't call off Ahab's doom altogether, He grants him a reprieve for even a shallow and short-lived show of remorse.

The message of 1 Kings regarding the sovereignty of Yahweh's word and His faithfulness in the midst of His people's unfaithfulness comes through powerfully in Davis' work, and I am champing at the bit to get on to the second half of the story.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful Expositional Depth and Devotion

I don’t always read entire commentaries, but when I do they possess that rare blend of depth and devotion. 1 Kings: The Wisdom and the Folly by Dave Ralph Davis qualifies. This commentary is one of six contributions by Davis to The Focus on the Bible commentary series (Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings). Davis has a well-deserved reputation for being an exceptional Old Testament expositor from a Reformed perspective with a Christocentric hermeneutic.

Nevertheless, Davis has a passionate commitment to expositing the text first and foremost and only then exploring canonical connections to Christ and the New Testament. In fact, his approach is more of a Christo-telic approach. His commitment to asking, But what does the text actually say? is relentless. For example, in his introduction to the commentary he ends it with this single sentence: “But let us hurry to the text!”

Furthermore, he has little patience for either critical theories or devotional speculation. His consistent concern is what does the text actually say or does not say. He is well-read and has done due diligence in researching the commentaries (he is a former professor). But his heart is for the church and for pastors in particular (he was one).

Finally, his amillennial view of Israel and the Church needs to be kept in mind and balanced by what he himself says regarding the priority of the text before all else, including theological systems.

Regardless of doctrinal convictions, anyone will benefit from this commentary. Pastors and expositors will glean numerous insights, helpful outlines, and Christ-centered applications. Along the way you will enjoy his witty and at times sharp pokes at what he considers to be shallow or speculative Christianity. You will also glean a helpful bibliography from his footnotes of other works to consult for personal study and sermon preparation.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Davis delivers another wonderful guide here. One of his strengths is in exploring the many sides of an argument when certain events are difficult to interpret. (I did not realize, for example, that there were so many detractors of Solomon, viewing him as a short-fused tyrant rather than wise ruler.) Davis's candor builds trust. He isn't wishy-washy, though. After laying out the points he makes his stance clear (and persuasively at that).

Another appeal is Davis's use of anecdotes and illustrations. He has a bent toward military history, particularly the US Civil War and both World Wars, which fit quite naturally with 1 Kings.

If I could niggle Davis about one thing it would be where he admits a passage of scripture is a bit drab. I think he does this with good intentions in an attempt to empathize with readers. He implores us to hang with him. I instead find it disengaging and undermining. No need to apologize for the text, just get on with the digging!

[James Cary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another readable, practical, devotional commentary from DRD. He always focusses on the big themes and ensures we don’t miss those, but there’s always a bit more detail there if you want it, especially in the footnotes. If you were preaching on 1 Kings, you’d probably want something a bit heavier and more technical (at least I would!), but this commentary will always make sure you don’t get lost in the details and the history. I’ll be reading the next one right away.

[Martins Martinsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent exposition -commentary on 1 Kings. I highly recommend!

[J.G. Cully · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well thought out, expertly written and calling on many, many sources both biblical and historical. The writer draws on his own experience as well as that of many Christian and none Christian experts. A worthy read for anyone interested in what is very much the bibles 'Game of Thrones ' history of the israelite kings.

[Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have now read every one of D. Ralph Davis' commentaries (Judges, Joshua, I Sam., II Sam., I Kgs) -- all consisently excellent. In fact, if I had just one commentary on each of those books I'd select Davis.

Davis is a former Old Testament seminary professor, with a PhD., but has also been a pastor (Presbyterian -- PCA) for many years. These are all non-technical, unfootnoted, homiletical treatments. They are theologically rich, always Christocentric (or at least Christo-telic), well-illustrated, and relentlessly practical. Davis can turn a clever phrase like no other commentator, often tweaking a cliche to turn it on its head. Indispensible.

I was shocked that fellow PCAer Tremper Longman did not even include any Ralph Davis books in his survey of commentaries (though Longman analyzes lots and lots of inferior works).

I have two copies of each of Davis' commentaries (one for home, one for the office).

I have not really found other works on I Kings nearly as helpful. Ray Dillard's short work on the Elijah and Elisha narratives was the closest. Wiseman in the Tyndale set was perfectly competent and sound, but nowhere near as convicting as Davis.

[Danielw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read reviews for other books that contain the line, "I was sad to see this book end". I always thought it was hyperbole, a persons way of emphasizing just how much they like a book. Until now, that is. Dale Ralph Davis' work on 1 Kings is wonderful, informative, entertaining , convicting and edifying. I have not read a ton of commentaries, but I fear Mr. Davis is spoiling me ( this is his 3rd commentary I have read of his, including Joshua and Judges) Its not very technical and doesnt dive into the original language thing too much, as a matter of fact I think he avoids it for the most part. In all of the books I have read by him, he has opened up my eyes to details glossed over that have impacted the scriptures in huge ways. Let me say I will never look at chapter 19 of 1 Kings the same way ever again. In ending I can not praise this book enough or recommend it any more enthusiastically. And yes, as I noted the pages on the right thinning down to the last few , I did indeed feel a twinge of sadness. But all I need to do is get his commentary on 2 Kings to remedy that! Read this and be blessed!

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my third reading of this book, and it remains as sharp-edged, wise, witty and thought-provoking as ever. I've read Davis' whole series on Judges through to 2 Chronicles more than once, and never found better expository commentaries.
Davis never minces matters, continually reminding us that the actions of the men who were Kings in this book aren't remote from our actions. We need the lessons their lives teach, and we need to be careful not to fall into the traps they fell into.
Davis can also deal with the scholars, the ones who write erudite commentaries but get things - from his viewpoint - quite wrong. This is one series where the footnotes are as interesting as the text, often because he's bringing some other writer to heel for not presenting the truth of the matter, or for including his own interpretations based on faulty premises.
And then there are the anecdotes and stories that show how 1 Kings isn't about remote people, but about us and our contemporaries. Humankind makes the same mistakes over and over, and, hopefully, gets some things right in equal proportion.

[Rev Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first Davis commentary and it surpassed all my expectations. Davis provides sounds exegesis and insightful applications. It was so good that I had to go out and get his commentaries on II Kings, I and I Samuel, and Judges. I highly recommend this book for any serious student of the Bible.

[Jeff Noble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without a doubt, the best commentary on Kings I have read. I thoroughly enjoyed his theological analyses, his writing style (sprinkled with good humor and insightful illustrations) and his ability to bring application from the text to modern life.

[K.M. Weiland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another solid and though-provoking commentary from an author who have quickly come to respect for both his wit and wisdom and his honesty.

[Stanley Jebb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. All Dale Ralph Davis’s Old Testament commentaries that I have read are excellent.

[Jared Saltz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd heard good things about D. R. Davis' commentary on 1 Kings and decided to pick it up as my "first blush" read. When teaching through a biblical book, I pick an assortment of commentaries from various categories as well as (insofar as possible) theological traditions, approaches, and background of the authors. This was my "conservative, preaching-level, survey commentary that you read first just to get a lay of the land before digging into heartier things). It sort of works for that?

Davis's sections are heavily based on preaching and if you wanted to preach through 1 Kings at a conservative institution or church and needed a collection of anecdotes and "preacher stories," to help you figure out a text you're not very comfortable with, this works. But he spends far more time on those anecdotes and preacher stories than he does on the text itself, and it's clear that he's only read a few, equally conservative, treatments on Kings and that's what he provides.

Personally, for my needs, this just wasn't terribly helpful. I'd recommend, instead, picking up House in the NAC if you need something pretty simple, pretty short, very conservative, but actually focused on the text. If you want to specifically preach through the text and don't know how, maybe this would work for you. But I'd probably go with Konkel in the NIVAC instead for the same purpose.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is the fourth OT commentary from Davis that I've read through—and, like the others, it is a remarkably readable exposition, full of helpful analysis, faithful theological reflection, lucid writing (Davis knows how to turn a phrase!) and penetrating application. While not a technical commentary, Davis hasn't left a scholarly stone unturned. His mastery of the secondary literature on 1 Kings and related Old Testament history and archaeology are impressive. More importantly, he has been mastered by the text itself and presents it in a digestible form, without skirting the difficult issues or blunting its often sharp edge. Davis is also a connoisseur of history and has peppered his expositions with dozens of interesting anecdotes from the lives of American presidents and the annals of the war. My only critique is that sometimes the illustrations seem to be shoehorned in. But that's only a minor qualm with a book that excels in the most important points. Readers will certainly walk away with a better grasp of 1 Kings.

[Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dale Ralph Davis is a master of expositing and applying the Old Testament historical books. As one who struggles to do the same, I find his books a tremendous help, and this is no exception. The prose is accessible, not bogged down with technical details. The illustrations are vivid. The applications are free from the common problems of spiritualizing or "narcigesis." For example, Davis cautions us against seeing God's provision for Elijah in 1 Kings 17 as an example of how he will care for *us*, because none of us are Elijah. Rather, we are like the rest of faithful Israel, going thirsty and starving in the drought. The message for us is less that we should expect supernatural nourishment in hard times, but that we should anticipate that the hard times will trample us -- but that God will be with us in the meantime.

I recommend any of Davis's commentaries for devotional reading, and this one is as good as any.

[Karoline · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are short chapters covering short sections of the Bible text (usually a chapter or less), offered in a very conversational style and containing some keen observations. The heavy reliance on anecdotes and illustrations got old for me, but I admit that's a personal preference. There's some real meat in here, in between the anecdotes and illustrations. Each chapter ends with four or five discussion questions, and this book could probably be adapted quite easily for group Bible Study purposes. I especially appreciated the sections on 1 Kings 19.

[Russell Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great and insightful commentary by dale Ralph Davis. Not full of meaningless information, not tedious or shallow. My only complaint is that for this one, the study questions at the end of each chapter weren’t written by Davis and were generally useless. In prior volumes they were penetrating and thought provoking.

[Rob Sumrall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb commentary on 1 Kings!

Dale Ralph Davis threads the needle between pastorally handling the text and demonstrating a scholastic technicality. In general, I enjoy and appreciate all of the commentaries in the Focus on the Bible series, but the volumes authored by Davis are always on my must-read list.

[Joelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never read commentaries by this author, but I thought this was really good. Didn’t give it 5 stars because there were multiple places i thought were unnecessarily long-winded. But, all in all, Davis does a great job of breaking down all that is happening in 1 Kings. Definitely recommend!

[Zee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the frequent knocks on frequent eisegetes whose other thoughts he isn’t afraid to turn around and endorse shortly thereafter. Great balance of accessibility, applicability, depth, and plenty of stories for relatability’s sake, though of few are a bit stretched.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of Ralph Davis's commentaries are excellent and a great help to preachers of Old Testament books. This one is no exception.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great commentary. Insightful, relevant, humorous.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dale Ralph Davis is one of my favorite OT commentators, and this volume is up to form: concise, pastoral, yet well informed of the broader interpretive issues.

[Nick Weippert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dale Ralph Davis is masterful in providing a concise, insightful commentary on 1 Kings that proves Christocentric, witty and uniquely convicting

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

DRD is the best! Onto the next one!