First Kings begins with a point of contrast: back in 1 Samuel the young David is introduced as a man of action and seemingly boundless energy; now, his aged condition creates a situation in which Israel’s king is more acted on than acting. The opening scene (1:1–4) reveals that the servants of David have implemented a search for a young maiden whose body heat will increase the king’s waning temperature. It is unlikely that the servants are proposing a medicinal remedy; on the contrary, this rather appears to be a cover story either to prove the aged king’s virility to a doubting constituency or to produce an heir to the throne. Despite a plethora of offspring, at this point in the story David has not explicitly named his successor. The servants’ political motivation is evident when Abishag…