Who wrote 1 Kings:

Originally 1 and 2 Kings were one book titled Kings. When the book was translated from Hebrew (a language using almost no vowels) to Greek (a language using vowels) the length of the translation could not fit on a single scroll. The book of Kings was divided into two books titled 1 and 2 Kings. As the books were initially one book, we must consider 2 Kings when determining the author of 1 Kings.

Given the literary style of 1 and 2 Kings, we can assume the same author(s) for both books. Traditionally Jeremiah as been considered the primary author of the book of Kings. Most scholars agree with this conclusion. Several clues within the text of Kings point to Jeremiah as the author:

• The Narrative of Kings ends in the final years of Judah. This means the author must have lived during the 70 year exilic period (the period following the end of Judah). This places the author in the same time period as Jeremiah.
• The author’s concern for the kings’ faithfulness to the laws of Moses matches the concern that dominates the book of Jeremiah.
• The use of records such as: “the book of annals of Solomon” (1 Kings 11:41), “the book of the annals of the kings of Israel” (1 Kings 14:19), and “the book of the annals of the kings of Judah” (1 Kings 14:29) suggest the author was a historian. This was a profession of Jeremiah.
• Identical texts can be found in 2 Kings and Jeremiah:

Identical Text Between 2 Kings and Jeremiah:

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done. It was because of the LORD’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence.

2 Kings 24:18-19

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done. It was because of the LORD’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence.

Jeremiah 52:1-2

Day by day the king gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived.

2 Kings 25:30

Day by day the king of Babylon gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived, till the day of his death.

Jeremiah 52:34

While issues can be found with the authorship of the end of 2 Kings, no such issues can be found with any of 1 Kings. We can conclude Jeremiah is most likely the author of 1 Kings.