Kings of Israel—Study Aids

These pages summarize much of the material needed to study for the Kings of Israel review questions and are derived from Public domain sources.

The Old Testament Books covered in the Kings of Israel unit include Samuel 1 and 2, Kings 1 and 2, and Prophets of the Northern Kingdom, such as Johah, Tobit, Hosea, and Amos. For a primary scriptural reference, we recommend either either the Douay Reims or the Revised Standard Version. Both can be found online:

• The Bible Gateway is a well-known and very usable search engine for Bible passages and includes complete version of over 20 Bibles (Catholic and Protestant).
• This version of the Douay Reims Bible contains good search algorithms and includes a summary of each chapter, making browsing easier.

A high quality Children's Bible is also very helpful for the Kings of Israel unit. Many of the study questions in the Old Testament units are based on familiar Bible stories. The following simplified Bible Histories are available in electronic form online or as an ebook.

Story of the Chosen People  by Helene Guerber
Guerber's history of the Jewish people tells many familiar stories from the Old Testament. She recounts the stories of Genesis and Moses in detail, then moves quickly through the histories of Israel and Judea and uses independent historical sources to describe events of the Babylonian captivity and exile of the Jews. Her story passes over the life of Christ but ends with the conquest of Judea by the Romans and the destruction of the Temple.

Reading Assignment: Chapters 32-55, Ark Captured to Siege of Samaria

Children's Bible - Old Testament   by Sherman and Kent
This Children's Bible was a favorite in many American homes for decades. The authors were renowned scholars of Biblical literature, and every section is rendered with great care to preserve accuracy while retelling the most important stories in common language. This first volume contains famous stories of the Old Testament all told in fascinating detail. Short chapters make it friendly for young readers. Perfect for daily reading, family reading, or reference.

Reading Assignment: Chapters 21-35, Samuel the Boy Prophet to Elisha and His Enemies

There are many well done videos having to do with the scriptures. The links provided below are from two series that are student favorites. Read Scriptures is an exceptionally well illustrated series that discusses each book of the Bible. It provides a historical setting and outline of the major divisions and then interprets the essential points. The narration is very good and the illustrations are outstanding.

The Good and Evil Series is a one of many good video renditions of Bible stories. It is done in comic book style and is somewhat campy, but very engaging and popular with students. Videos related to the Kings of Israel unit, include the following:

• Read Scripture: Samuel 1: Saul, Jonathan, David
• Read Scripture: Samuel 2: Life of David
• Read Scripture: Kings 1 and 2: Solomon and Sons, Division of Kingdoms
• Read Scripture: Hosea : Warned Northern Kingdom
• Read Scripture: Chronicles 1 and 2: Summary of All Kings of Israel
• Read Scripture: Jonah : Fall of Northern Kingdom
• Read Scripture: Jeremiah : End of Southern Kingdom
• Good and Evil Episode 5: Conquest of Canaan to Josiah's Destruction of Idols
• Good and Evil Episode 6: Elijah, Ahab, and Jezebel