Questions and Answers | Kings of Israel
I am reading through 2 Kings and after the kings died, it states: "Are they not written in the book of Kings of Israel [or Judah]?" Are there other books that record these events?
The writers of the history of the monarchy periods of Israel and Judah mention many sources used to construct their works (Num. 21:14–15; Josh. 10:13; 1 Kings 11:41; 15:7; 1 Chron. 29:29). The writers were capable researchers, using the recordings of other historians to build the accounts we know as the historical books (Joshua through Esther).
The biblical writers used information available to a wide body of people, including people of other nations. They indicate that there were outside records of the events of Scripture, like the king’s chronicles in Esther (6:1) or Sennacherib’s Prism— dated the 7th century BC—which records the imprisonment of Hezekiah (Isa. 36:1–37:13). Thus, we have extra- biblical, historical support of the fact that the biblical accounts were recorded accurately.
BY Dr. Eric C. Redmond
Dr. Eric C. Redmond serves as a professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and as associate pastor of adult ministries at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Ill. He is married to Pam and they have five children. He is the author of Say It! Celebrating Expository Preaching in the African American Tradition (Moody Publishers), Where Are All the Brothers? Straight Answers to Men's’ Questions about the Church (Crossway), a commentary on Jonah in the Christ-Centered Exposition Series (B&H Publishers), and a study guide on Ephesians in the Knowing the Bible series (Crossway).