unknown and ordinary folk (such as the besieged women [2 Kgs 6:26–30] or Hiel of Bethel [1 Kgs 16:34]) provide crucial plot turns or commentary within the ongoing story. But it is the kings around whom the story revolves. These figures are, however, indicators of two other important characters in 1-2 Kings. The first character is YHWH. Kings serve at YHWH’s behest and the monarchy is his allowance given his people when they rejected his own kingship (1 Sam. 8–12; Deut. 17:14–20). The monarchy is