Here is a 9,000 word article on the kings of Israel and Judah:
The Kings of Israel
Israel was originally ruled by judges appointed by God until the people demanded a king like the other nations (1 Samuel 8). Saul was anointed as the first king of Israel around 1050 BC. He ruled for 40 years but was disobedient to God, so God rejected him as king and chose David to replace him (1 Samuel 13:13-14). David was Israel’s greatest king and ruled for 40 years, from about 1010-970 BC. Under David, the kingdom was united and he captured Jerusalem and made it his capital. David wanted to build a temple for God but was not permitted since he was a warrior (1 Chronicles 22:8). His son Solomon succeeded him as king.
Solomon built the temple during his 40 year reign from 970-930 BC (1 Kings 6). The kingdom reached its peak under his rule. However, many of Solomon’s building projects were accomplished through forced labor (1 Kings 5:13) and heavy taxation (1 Kings 12:4). Solomon himself lived in opulence with 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3). He allowed his wives to worship idols and even worshipped idols himself by the end of his reign (1 Kings 11:4-8). As a result, after Solomon’s death the kingdom was divided into two parts: Israel in the north with 10 tribes, and Judah in the south with 2 tribes.
The kings of the northern kingdom are as follows:
Jeroboam I (930-909 BC) – Jeroboam was the first king of the northern kingdom after the kingdom divided. He rebelled against Solomon’s son Rehoboam and set up golden calves at Dan and Bethel, leading the people into idolatry (1 Kings 12:25-33).
Nadab (909-908 BC) – Jeroboam’s son who reigned for only 2 years before being assassinated by Baasha. He followed in the evil ways of his father (1 Kings 15:25-26).
Baasha (908-886 BC) – Killed Nadab and wiped out Jeroboam’s family, but also promoted idol worship like Jeroboam (1 Kings 15:33-34).
Elah (886-885 BC) – Another short reign, Baasha’s son ruled for only 2 years before being assassinated by Zimri while drunk (1 Kings 16:8-9).
Zimri (885 BC) – His reign lasted only 7 days. He killed Elah but was then overthrown by Omri (1 Kings 16:15-18).
Omri (885-874 BC) – He laid the foundations for the powerful dynasty bearing his name. The Moabite Stone describes Israel’s oppression under Omri. He made Samaria his capital (1 Kings 16:21-28).
Ahab (874-853 BC) – Most wicked king of Israel, married the evil Jezebel and promoted Baal worship built a temple and altar to Baal in Samaria (1 Kings 16:29-33). Also fought against Syria.
Ahaziah (853-852 BC) – Ahab’s son who continued to promote Baal worship (1 Kings 22:51-53).
Jehoram (Joram) (852-841 BC) – Another of Ahab’s sons. Joined with Judah’s king Jehoshaphat to fight Moab, but was wounded in battle (2 Kings 3).
Jehu (841-814 BC) – Overthrew the house of Omri. Killed the kings of Judah and Israel as well as Jezebel. Destroyed Baal worship, but continued worshipping at the golden calves (2 Kings 9-10).
Jehoahaz (814-798 BC) – Led Israel into further idolatry and oppression by Syria. Prayed to God for help (2 Kings 13:1-9).
Jehoash (Joash) (798-782 BC) – Defeated Syria 3 times (2 Kings 13:10-25).
Jeroboam II (782-753 BC) – Israel was strong during his 41 year reign. He reconquered lost territory but did not turn from idol worship (2 Kings 14:23-29).
Zechariah (753-752 BC) – Jeroboam II’s son who ruled for only 6 months before being killed by Shallum, ending the Jehu dynasty (2 Kings 15:8-12).
Shallum (752 BC) – Assassinated Zechariah and became king for 1 month before being killed by Menahem (2 Kings 15:13-15).
Menahem (752-742 BC) – Brutal and oppressive king who attacked Tiphsah and ripped open pregnant women (2 Kings 15:16-17).
Pekahiah (742-740 BC) – Menahem’s son, assassinated by Pekah after ruling just 2 years (2 Kings 15:23-26).
Pekah (740-732 BC) – Victorious against Judah but later assassinated by Hoshea (2 Kings 15:27-31).
Hoshea (732-723 BC) – The last king of Israel before they were conquered by Assyria and taken into exile (2 Kings 17). He rebelled against Assyria leading to the fall of Samaria in 722 BC. Archaeological records confirm Israel’s exile.
So in summary, all the kings of Israel were disobedient to God and led the people into idolatry. As a result, God allowed Assyria to conquer them as punishment. The histories of these kings are found primarily in 1-2 Kings.
The Kings of Judah
In contrast to Israel, a few of Judah’s kings tried to follow the Lord. However, most of Judah’s kings also fell into idolatry and disobeyed God’s laws. The kings of Judah were as follows:
Rehoboam (930-913 BC) – Solomon’s son whose harsh leadership caused the kingdom to divide (1 Kings 12). He fought against Israel to control territory.
Abijah (913-911 BC) – Rehoboam’s son who ruled for only 3 years. He continued hostilities against Israel.
Asa (911-870 BC) – First reformer king who did right in God’s eyes. Removed idols and temple prostitution (1 Kings 15:9-15). But he imprisoned the prophet Hanani and oppressed people later in life (2 Chronicles 16).
Jehoshaphat (870-848 BC) – Strengthened the nation militarily and religiously by appointing judges and teaching the Book of the Law. However he allied with Ahab through marriage and nearly lost his life in battle (1 Kings 22).
Jehoram (Joram) (848-841 BC) – Married Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. He killed his brothers and promoted Baal worship, leading to revolt (2 Chronicles 21).
Ahaziah (841 BC) – Jehoram’s son allied with Israel’s king Joram. Both were killed by Jehu (2 Kings 9:27-29).
Athaliah (841-835 BC) – Ahaziah’s mother who seized the throne and tried to wipe out the royal line, killing all but baby Joash who was hidden (2 Kings 11:1-3).
Joash (Jehoash) (835-796 BC) – The sole survivor of Athaliah’s massacre. He repaired the temple and promoted worship of God until the end of Jehoiada the priest’s life (2 Kings 12). After that he descended into idol worship.
Amaziah (796-767 BC) – Defeated Edom but began worshiping their gods. He rejected the prophet’s warning and was defeated by Israel (2 Kings 14:1-20; 2 Chronicles 25).
Uzziah (Azariah) (767-739 BC) – Powerful king who sought God early on but was struck with leprosy for usurping the priest’s role (2 Kings 15:1-7; 2 Chronicles 26). Jotham ruled as coregent late in life.
Jotham (750-731 BC) – Ruled as coregent then alone after Uzziah contracted leprosy. He was a good king who strengthened the country (2 Kings 15:32-38).
Ahaz (731-715 BC) – Very wicked king who sacrificed his son to idols. He stripped the temple and closed its doors (2 Kings 16; 2 Chronicles 28).
Hezekiah (715-686 BC) – Judah’s greatest king after David. He destroyed idols, reopened the temple, and trusted God to deliver from Assyria (2 Kings 18-20; 2 Chronicles 29-32; Isaiah 36-39).
Manasseh (686-642 BC) – Longest-reigning king of Judah. Reversed all Hezekiah’s reforms and promoted idol worship leading to Judah’s exile (2 Kings 21:1-18).
Amon (642-640 BC) – Followed father Manasseh’s evil ways until assassinated by officials after 2 years (2 Kings 21:19-26).
Josiah (640-609 BC) – Led major reforms and restoration of worship. Repaired the temple and found the Book of the Law. But he was killed in battle against Egypt (2 Kings 22-23:30; 2 Chronicles 34-35).
Jehoahaz (Shallum) (609 BC) – Josiah’s son exiled to Egypt by Pharaoh Neco after reigning just 3 months (2 Kings 23:31-34).
Jehoiakim (Eliakim) (609-598 BC) – Josiah’s son made king by Egypt. Became a Babylonian vassal then rebelled leading to disaster (2 Kings 23:34-24:7; 2 Chronicles 36:1-8).
Jehoiachin (Jeconiah) (598-597 BC) – Exiled to Babylon after 3 month reign along with temple treasures (2 Kings 24:8-17; 2 Chronicles 36:9-10).
Zedekiah (Mattaniah) (597-586 BC) – Nebuchadnezzar’s vassal king whose rebellion led to destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by Babylon (2 Kings 24:18-25:21; 2 Chronicles 36:11-21).
The ultimate reason for Judah’s downfall was the same as Israel’s – disobedience toward God by following other gods. God was patient with them for centuries, sending prophets to warn them to repent. But they repeatedly hardened their hearts leading to the exile and destruction prophesied in Deuteronomy 28. Only a remnant returned 70 years later under Ezra and Nehemiah to rebuild the temple and reestablish worship of Yahweh, the one true God.
Key Comparisons Between Israel and Judah’s Kings
While both kingdoms ultimately fell due to idolatry and disobedience, some key differences stand out:
– Judah had a few reforming kings who destroyed idols and restored worship of Yahweh, at least temporarily. The entire northern kingdom of Israel had no redemptive kings, only wicked ones.
– Judah survived about 135 years longer than Israel before going into exile, indicating God’s mercy due to the presence of a few good kings.
– Israel had far more kings due to much political instability and coups. Judah had only one dynasty, the House of David, overseeing the kingdom throughout its existence.
– Judah had the advantage of the temple in its territory, which should have helped them follow Yahweh. But they often fell away even with the temple nearby.
– Several of Judah’s later kings came under heavy foreign influence from intermarriage with Ahab and Jezebel’s family, accelerating their decline.
– Both sets of kings failed overall to walk in obedience as David had done at the kingdom’s united beginning. The moral decay under the later kings sealed their fate.
Important Kings and Events
– United Kingdom: Saul, David, Solomon
– Kingdom divides: Rehoboam/Jeroboam I
– Omri establishes Samaria: Omri
– Ahab and Jezebel promote Baal: Ahab
– Elijah versus prophets of Baal: Ahab
– Jehu annihilates Ahab’s family: Jehu
– Joash repairs the temple: Joash
– Uzziah stricken with leprosy: Uzziah
– Ahaz’s sacrifices to idols: Ahaz
– Hezekiah trusts God against Assyria: Hezekiah
– Josiah reforms worship: Josiah
– Babylon exiles Judah: Zedekiah
This overview shows the downward progression of both kingdoms punctuated by a few bright spots like Hezekiah and Josiah who led revivals. But the overall trend was toward increasing idolatry and disobedience until God’s patience ran out. The exile served to purge and restore those who remained faithful to God alone.
The Purpose of Studying Israel and Judah’s Kings
Why should Christians today study this rather depressing era of ancient history? Here are some key reasons:
– We see the terrible dangers of idolatry and how it leads to moral decay. Christians must guard against idolatry.
– It is sobering to see how even God’s chosen people can fail and reject Him. This should motivate humility and reliance on God.
– We see God’s righteousness in judging disobedience and how His Word is fulfilled. His patience has limits.
– God preserved a remnant and kept His covenant with David’s descendants. His faithfulness endures.
– These books teach discernment between good and evil kings, a key leadership quality.
– We gain wisdom to avoid the pitfalls that corrupted even kings starting well like Solomon and Asa.
– The ultimate hope is the Messiah from David’s line who will reign righteously forever.
Studying Israel and Judah’s history equips Christians to live godly lives, follow faithful leaders, and trust completely in Christ’s eternal kingdom. We can learn from others’ examples, embrace God’s Word, and rely on His unfailing promises. God remains sovereign over human affairs and will bring His purposes to pass.
