Two Dominant Themes
If asked to identify the two dominant themes of Sefer Melachim, one can respond that the Sefer emphasizes [1] the call for wholehearted devotion and [2] the willingness to hear and implement Mussar (rebuke).
Wholehearted Devotion
Eliyahu HaNavi’s call for wholehearted devotion, “Ad Matai Atem Posechim Al Shenei HaSe’ifim,” “until when will you dance between two opinions” (Melachim I 18:21), looms large and reverberates throughout Sefer Melachim. Time and time again, the kings of the Southern and Northern Kingdoms and their subjects fail to fully accept Hashem and the truthfulness of His Torah. Eventually, the Bnei Yisrael’s interpersonal (see Yeshayahu 1) and spiritual failures result in the destruction of the first Beit HaMikdash and the Babylonian Exile.
Acceptance of Rebuke
In terms of willingness to accept rebuke, this theme not only pervades Sefer Melachim but also serves as its literary “bookends.” The Sefer begins by mentioning that David HaMelech never rebuked Adoniyahu (Melachim I 1:6). We hear this each year during the Haftarah of Parashat Chayei Sarah.
The fact that David HaMelech never offers words of reproof to his son Adoniyah results in the latter’s inability to understand boundaries. As the son of the king, he is able to get anything he wants. He likely never learns the value of moderation. Thus, he is psychologically unbalanced, and is unable to cope with his being denied the kingship. He dies at a young age as a result of this failure, as he cannot reconcile himself with Shlomo’s ascension to the throne (as recorded at length in Melachim I 2).
The story repeats itself at the end of Sefer Melachim. Yehoyakim and Tzidkiyahu, the last two kings of significant reign, distinguish themselves by their disregard of Yirmiyahu’s repeated and incessant warning of impending doom. Their dogged refusal to reconcile with the reality articulated by the Navi is articulated in full in Sefer Yirmiyahu. Had these kings accepted Yirmiyahu’s call to refrain from rebelling for seventy years against the Babylonians, the Churban would have been avoided.
Stiff-necked refusal to accept prophetic Mussar is a recurrent theme throughout Sefer Melachim. Shlomo HaMelech tragically rejects the Achiyah HaShiloni-backed Mussar of Yarav’am ben Nevat, Yarav’am later rejects Achiyah HaShiloni’s Mussar, Achav rejects Eliyahu HaNavi and Michah ben Yimlah’s Mussar, Yehoram ben Achav rejects Elisha’s Mussar, and even Chizkiyahu does not act on the Mussar of Yeshayahu. Time and time again, the rejection of Mussar results in destruction.
David HaMelech as a Model
David HaMelech ranks high on our list of Jewish role models, since he took full responsibility for his actions, and was always willing to accept the Mussar of Natan the Navi. In fact, Shlomo HaMelech is able to rise to the throne due to David HaMelech’s acceptance of the Navi’s direction, as recorded in Melachim I 1. The kingship and Beit HaMikdash are lost to a great extent due to David’s descendants failing to follow in their illustrious ancestor’s path in this regard.
Hopefully, a full immersion in Sefer Melachim should impact a person’s character. One who has truly inculcated the lessons of Sefer Melachim sees Mussar not as a nuisance or hindrance, but rather as an opportunity to improve and emerge in the class of David HaMelech. And in doing so, we will be able to reverse course on our path from David to Destruction, and instead set out on the journey to the renewed Malchut Beit David and Beit HaMikdash.