The Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel is a lost text referenced multiple times in the books of 1 and 2 Kings in the Old Testament of the Bible. It was an official court record that documented the reigns and key events of the kings of the northern kingdom of Israel after the kingdom divided following the death of King Solomon.
The Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel is first mentioned in 1 Kings 14:19, which states: “Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.” This indicates that the book existed early in the divided kingdom period, during the reign of Jeroboam I, the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel after the split from the southern kingdom of Judah. The book is then referenced over 20 more times throughout 1 and 2 Kings up through the fall of the northern kingdom to Assyria in 722 BC.
Each time a new king ascended to the throne in the northern kingdom of Israel, the author of 1 and 2 Kings made a note that the rest of their acts were recorded in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel. For example, 1 Kings 15:31 states: “Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?” This pattern is seen for many of the kings of Israel including Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, Ahab, Jehu, Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jeroboam II, Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, and Pekah.
In addition to summarizing the reigns of the kings, the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel also recorded significant events that took place during their rules. Key events noted as being documented in the annals include Omri’s purchase of the hill of Samaria and building of the city there that became Israel’s new capital (1 Kings 16:23-24), the construction projects of Ahab recorded in 1 Kings 22:39, and the assassination of Pekah as recorded in 2 Kings 15:25.
While the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel recorded both positive and negative aspects of each king’s reign, the summarized accounts in 1 and 2 Kings focus mainly on whether each king continued in the idolatrous sins of Jeroboam I who had led the northern kingdom into false worship practices. As a result, most of the kings receive negative reviews, being said to have “done evil in the sight of the Lord” (1 Kings 15:26; 22:52; 2 Kings 8:18; 13:2; etc.). This was in keeping with the main purpose of 1 and 2 Kings to demonstrate that sin leads to judgment, with the ultimate judgment coming when the northern kingdom was destroyed for its wickedness.
The Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel was thus an official chronicle kept by the royal scribes in the northern kingdom to document the reigns and key events of its kings. It covered a period of over 200 years from around 930 BC when the kingdom divided, to 722 BC when Samaria fell and the northern tribes were taken captive by Assyria. The annals were regularly updated by scribes throughout this time, providing a detailed record of the northern kingdom that the author of 1 and 2 Kings could summarize and refer to when composing his inspired account of Israel’s history and God’s dealings with them.
Unfortunately, like many other ancient documents the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel has been lost to history and no copies of it have survived. All we know of its contents come from the summaries and references included in 1 and 2 Kings. While it would certainly provide more detailed insights into the northern kingdom rulers and history, God in His sovereignty allowed only the portions He desired to be preserved in Scripture. The summaries in 1 and 2 Kings give us the essential facts we need to understand this important period of redemptive history.
The chronicling of each king’s reign in the annals, whether good or evil, also stands as an example for all leaders to be aware that their deeds are being recorded and they will be held accountable before God for how they lead. As Psalm 149:9 declares, “The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.” The Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel served as a vivid reminder of this to the kings it documented, even though its original text has now been lost to time.
In summary, the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel was a royal record of the northern kingdom of Israel referenced repeatedly in 1 and 2 Kings. It provided detailed documentation of each king’s reign, key events, building projects, wars, and more. Though now lost, it served as an official chronicle of over 200 years of northern kingdom history and stood as a warning that all leadership is accountable to God. The inspired writer of 1 and 2 Kings was granted wisdom to summarize its essential facts so future generations could learn from this important era of redemptive history.
While we no longer have the original source, we can still marvel at God’s sovereignty and wisdom in how He determined what would be preserved in Scripture. The selective summaries of the annals contain everything we need to understand this period and extract important spiritual lessons from it. And the brief glimpses into its contents are a reminder that God sees and records all things, even if humans forget or lose their own written records.
The Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel may be lost to history, but God’s perfect Word remains. What we have in the Bible is exactly what God knew we needed for “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). And through diligent study and reliance on the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can mine these Spirit-breathed writings to find treasures of truth that will endure forever, long after other ancient books have crumbled to dust.
The kings of old have faded from memory, but God’s Word stands firm. And in His sovereign plan, He saw fit to incorporate the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel into His eternal message exactly as He desired. As Isaiah 40:8 declares, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” Thanks be to God that His perfect revelation remains preserved for us to illuminate our path even today.