Divided Kingdom

After Solomon's death, his son Rehoboam's harshness causes ten northern tribes to secede under Jeroboam, creating the northern kingdom of Israel. Only Judah and Benjamin remain loyal to the Davidic dynasty.

The prophet Elijah challenges 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, calling down fire from heaven to demonstrate that Yahweh alone is God. 'How long will you waver between two opinions?'

Elisha receives Elijah's mantle and a double portion of his spirit, performing numerous miracles — healing Naaman's leprosy, multiplying oil, raising a dead child, and feeding a hundred men with twenty loaves.

The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern kingdom of Israel, destroys Samaria, and deports the ten northern tribes. They never return as a distinct nation — the 'lost tribes of Israel.'

Isaiah prophesies during the reigns of four kings of Judah, delivering oracles of judgment and hope. His messianic prophecies (the virgin birth, the suffering servant, the prince of peace) are among Scripture's most remarkable.

The 'weeping prophet' Jeremiah warns Judah of coming destruction for forty years, foretelling the Babylonian exile but also promising a New Covenant written on hearts. He witnesses Jerusalem's fall.