The first eight chapters of the book of 1 Kings provides a bleak landscape for the devotional reader. It is a book that seems to appeal mainly to historians. As is often the case with relatively arid scenes, one must look a little closer. The Hebrews were living in a very primitive era. At that time there was a belief that the fertility of the king had a direct impact on the fertility of the nation. King David had become impotent, and, his kingship was in jeopardy.