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The Book of I Kings

I Kings is book 10 of 39 in the Tanakh, part of Nevi'im. It has 22 chapters and 817 verses.

Updated September 19, 2026

מְלָכִים א

Section
Nevi'im
Chapters
22
Verses
817
Longest chapter
8 (66 verses)

What I Kings is about

I Kings opens with the death of David and the reign of Solomon, who builds the First Temple. After Solomon the kingdom splits into Israel in the north and Judah in the south. The second half of the book follows the prophet Elijah and his confrontation with Ahab and Jezebel.

Opening verse

וְהַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד זָקֵן בָּא בַּיָּמִים וַיְכַסֻּהוּ בַּבְּגָדִים וְלֹא יִחַם לוֹ׃

Now King David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he could get no heat.

I Kings 1:1

Chapters