Editing Books of Kings (section)

== Composition ==
[[File:Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn - Jeremia treurend over de verwoesting van Jeruzalem - Google Art Project.jpg|250px|right|thumbnail|[[Rembrandt]], ''Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem'', c. 1630.]]

=== Textual history ===
In the Hebrew Bible (the Bible used by Jews), First and Second Kings are a single book, as are the First and Second [[Books of Samuel]]. When this was translated into [[Greek language|Greek]] in the last few centuries BC, Samuel was joined with Kings in a four-part work called the [[Books of the Kingdoms|Book of Kingdoms]]. Orthodox Christians continue to use the Greek translation (the [[Septuagint]]), but when a Latin translation (called the [[Vulgate]]) was made for the Western church, Kingdoms was first retitled "The Book of Kings, parts One to Four", and eventually both Samuel and Kings were separated into two books each.<ref>Tomes, p. 246.</ref>

Thus, the books now commonly known as 1{{nbsp}}Samuel and 2{{nbsp}}Samuel are known in the [[Vulgate]] as 1{{nbsp}}Kings and 2{{nbsp}}Kings (in imitation of the [[Septuagint]]). What are now commonly known as 1{{nbsp}}Kings and 2{{nbsp}}Kings would be 3{{nbsp}}Kings and 4{{nbsp}}Kings in old Bibles before the year 1516, such as in the Vulgate and the Septuagint.<ref>{{cite CE1913|wstitle= Third and Fourth Books of Kings |volume= 8 |last= Schets |first= Joseph |author-link= |short=1}}</ref> The division known today, used by Protestant Bibles and adopted by Catholics, came into use in 1517. Some Bibles—for example, the [[Douay Rheims Bible]]—still preserve the old denomination.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.drbo.org/ | edition = Douay Rheims | title = Bible | publisher = DRBO}}.</ref>

=== Deuteronomistic history ===
According to Jewish tradition the author of Kings was [[Jeremiah]], who would have been alive during the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC.<ref>Spieckermann, p. 337.</ref> The most common view today accepts [[Martin Noth]]'s thesis that Kings concludes a unified series of books which reflect the language and theology of the [[Book of Deuteronomy]], and which biblical scholars therefore call the [[Deuteronomistic history]].<ref>Perdue, xxvii.</ref> 

Noth argued that the History was the work of a single individual living in the 6th century BC, but scholars today tend to treat it as made up of at least two layers,<ref>Wilson, p. 85.</ref> a first edition from the time of [[Josiah]] (late 7th century BC), promoting Josiah's religious reforms and the need for repentance, and (2) a second and final edition from the mid-6th century BC.<ref name= "Fretheim"/><ref name="Grabbe"/> Further levels of editing have also been proposed, including: a late 8th century BC edition pointing to [[Hezekiah]] of Judah as the model for kingship; an earlier 8th-century BC version with a similar message but identifying [[Jehu]] of Israel as the ideal king; and an even earlier version promoting the House of David as the key to national well-being.<ref>Sweeney, p. 4.</ref>

=== Sources ===
The editors/authors of the Deuteronomistic history cite a number of sources, including (for example) a "[[Acts of Solomon|Book of the Acts of Solomon]]" and, frequently, the "[[Chronicles of the Kings of Judah|Annals of the Kings of Judah]]" and a separate book, "[[Chronicles of the Kings of Israel]]". The "Deuteronomic" perspective (that of the book of Deuteronomy) is particularly evident in prayers and speeches spoken by key figures at major transition points: Solomon's speech at the dedication of the Temple is a key example.<ref name= "Fretheim" />  The sources have been heavily edited to meet the Deuteronomistic agenda,<ref>Van Seters, p. 307.</ref> but in the broadest sense they appear to have been:
* For the rest of Solomon's reign the text names its source as "the book of the acts of Solomon", but other sources were employed, and much was added by the redactor.
* Israel and Judah: The two "chronicles" of Israel and Judah provided the chronological framework, but few details, apart from the succession of monarchs and the account of how the [[Temple of Solomon]] was progressively stripped as true religion declined. A third source, or set of sources, were cycles of stories about various prophets ([[Elijah]] and [[Elisha]], [[Isaiah]], [[Ahijah the Shilonite|Ahijah]] and [[Micaiah]]), plus a few smaller miscellaneous traditions. The conclusion of the book (2 Kings 25:18–21, 27–30) was probably based on personal knowledge.
* A few sections were editorial additions not based on sources. These include various predictions of the downfall of the northern kingdom, the equivalent prediction of the downfall of Judah following the reign of [[Manasseh of Judah|Manasseh]], the extension of [[Josiah]]'s reforms in accordance with the laws of [[Deuteronomy]], and the revision of the narrative from [[Book of Jeremiah|Jeremiah]] concerning Judah's last days.<ref>McKenzie, pp. 281–84.</ref>

===Manuscript sources===
Three of the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]] feature parts of Kings: [[List of manuscripts from Qumran Cave 5|5QKgs]], found in [[Qumran Caves|Qumran Cave 5]], contains parts of [[1 Kings 1]]; [[List of manuscripts from Qumran Cave 6|6QpapKgs]], found in [[Qumran Caves|Qumran Cave 6]], contains 94 fragments from all over the two books; and [[List of manuscripts from Qumran Cave 4|4QKgs]], found in [[Qumran Caves|Qumran Cave 4]], contains parts of [[1 Kings 7]]–[[1 Kings 8|8]].<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://brill.com/view/book/edcoll/9789004350113/BP000028.xml|title=LIGHT FROM 4Qjudg AND 4QKgs ON THE TEXT OF JUDGES AND KINGS|first=Julio|last=Trebolle|date=January 1, 1992|journal=The Dead Sea Scrolls|pages=315–324|via=brill.com|doi=10.1163/9789004350113_028|isbn=9789004350113}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://orion-bibliography.huji.ac.il/orion_editor/node/89486|title=Qumran Fragments of the Books of Kings &#124; orion-editor.dev|website=orion-bibliography.huji.ac.il}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://orion-bibliography.huji.ac.il/orion_editor/taxonomy/term/8104|title=5Q2 / 5QKgs &#124; orion-editor.dev|website=orion-bibliography.huji.ac.il}}</ref> The earliest complete surviving copy of the book(s) of Kings is in the [[Aleppo Codex]] (10th century CE).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-sep-28-adfg-aleppo28-story.html|title=Scholars search for pages of ancient Hebrew Bible|date=September 28, 2008|website=Los Angeles Times|author-first1=Matti|author-last1=Friedman}}</ref>