Judah's Kings (& One Queen) & Prophets

The History of the Kings of Judah: From Division to Exile

The history of the kings of Judah begins with the division of the United Kingdom of Israel after the death of King Solomon around 930 BCE. This period lasted until the Babylonian exile in 586 BCE.

Division of the Kingdom (1 Kings 12)

After Solomon's death, his son Rehoboam became king. However, due to his harsh policies, the northern tribes rebelled under Jeroboam, forming the Kingdom of Israel. Rehoboam was left ruling only Judah and Benjamin, which became the Kingdom of Judah.

Early Kings of Judah: The early kings of Judah had varying degrees of faithfulness to God

1. Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:21-31, 2 Chronicles 10-12)

   1. Reign: 17 years

   2. Summary: Son of Solomon. His harsh policies led to the division of the kingdom. He allowed idolatry in Judah and was attacked by Egypt.

2. Abijah/Abijam (1 Kings 15:1-8, 2 Chronicles 13)

   1. Reign: 3 years

   2. Summary: Son of Rehoboam. He continued in his father's sins but won a significant victory against Israel.

3. Asa (1 Kings 15:9-24, 2 Chronicles 14-16)

   1. Reign: 41 years

   2. Summary: Son of Abijah. He instituted religious reforms and removed idols. He made an alliance with Syria against Israel.

4. Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:41-50, 2 Chronicles 17-20)

   1. Reign: 25 years

   2. Summary: Son of Asa. He was a righteous king who promoted religious education. He made alliances with Israel and faced several military challenges.

Period of Conflict and Alliances: The next period saw increased conflict with Israel and alliances with foreign powers

5. Jehoram/Joram (2 Kings 8:16-24, 2 Chronicles 21)

   1. Reign: 8 years

   2. Summary: Son of Jehoshaphat. He married Ahab's daughter and promoted idolatry. His reign saw rebellions and invasions.

6. Ahaziah (2 Kings 8:25-29, 2 Chronicles 22:1-9)

   1. Reign: 1 year

   2. Summary: Son of Jehoram. He allied with Israel against Syria and was killed by Jehu.

7. Athaliah (2 Kings 11:1-16, 2 Chronicles 22:10-23:15)

   1. Reign: 6 years

   2. Summary: Mother of Ahaziah. She usurped the throne and tried to kill all royal heirs. She promoted Baal worship.

8. Joash/Jehoash (2 Kings 11:17-12:21, 2 Chronicles 23:16-24:27)

   1. Reign: 40 years

   2. Summary: Son of Ahaziah. He was hidden as a child and later crowned. He repaired the Temple but turned from God after his mentor's death.

9. Amaziah (2 Kings 14:1-20, 2 Chronicles 25)

   1. Reign: 29 years

   2. Summary: Son of Joash. He started well but later embraced idolatry. He unwisely challenged Israel and was defeated.

Kingdom's Peak and Decline: Judah reached its peak under Uzziah but began to decline afterwards

10. Uzziah/Azariah (2 Kings 15:1-7, 2 Chronicles 26)

    1. Reign: 52 years

    2. Summary: Son of Amaziah. His reign saw great prosperity and military success. He was struck with leprosy for attempting to offer incense in the Temple.

11. Jotham (2 Kings 15:32-38, 2 Chronicles 27)

    1. Reign: 16 years

    2. Summary: Son of Uzziah. He was a relatively good king who strengthened Judah's defenses.

12. Ahaz (2 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 28)

    1. Reign: 16 years

    2. Summary: Son of Jotham. He promoted idolatry and made an alliance with Assyria against Israel and Syria.

13. Hezekiah (2 Kings 18-20, 2 Chronicles 29-32)

    1. Reign: 29 years

    2. Summary: Son of Ahaz. He instituted major religious reforms and rebelled against Assyria. Jerusalem was miraculously saved from Assyrian invasion.

14. Manasseh (2 Kings 21:1-18, 2 Chronicles 33:1-20)

    1. Reign: 55 years

    2. Summary: Son of Hezekiah. He reversed his father's reforms and promoted idolatry. He was exiled to Babylon but repented and was restored.

15. Amon (2 Kings 21:19-26, 2 Chronicles 33:21-25)

    1. Reign: 2 years

    2. Summary: Son of Manasseh. He continued his father's early idolatrous practices and was assassinated by his officials.

Final Kings and Babylonian Exile: The last kings of Judah ruled during a time of increasing Babylonian power:

16. Josiah (2 Kings 22-23:30, 2 Chronicles 34-35)

    1. Reign: 31 years

    2. Summary: Son of Amon. He instituted major religious reforms after discovering the Book of the Law. He was killed in battle against Egypt.

17. Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:31-33, 2 Chronicles 36:1-4)

    1. Reign: 3 months

    2. Summary: Son of Josiah. He was deposed by the Egyptians and taken into exile in Egypt.

18. Jehoiakim (2 Kings 23:34-24:7, 2 Chronicles 36:5-8)

    1. Reign: 11 years

    2. Summary: Son of Josiah. He was a vassal of Egypt and later Babylon. He rebelled against Babylon, leading to the first deportation.

19. Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:8-16, 2 Chronicles 36:9-10)

    1. Reign: 3 months

    2. Summary: Son of Jehoiakim. He surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar and was exiled to Babylon along with many others.

20. Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:18-25:21, 2 Chronicles 36:11-21)

    1. Reign: 11 years

    2. Summary: Son of Josiah. He rebelled against Babylon, leading to the siege and destruction of Jerusalem and the final exile.

Exile To Babylon

The kingdom ended when Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieged Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and exiled much of the population in 586 BCE (2 Kings 25).

The Roles Of The Prophets

The prophets played a crucial role during the reigns of the kings of Judah. They served as God's messengers, providing guidance, warnings, and sometimes comfort to both the kings and the people. Here's an overview of some key prophets and their roles during this period:

1. Shemaiah (1 Kings 12:22-24, 2 Chronicles 11:2-4)

   1. Active during Rehoboam's reign. He prevented Rehoboam from going to war against Israel after the kingdom split.

2. Azariah son of Oded (2 Chronicles 15:1-7)

   1. Prophesied during Asa's reign, encouraging the king to continue his religious reforms.

3. Hanani (2 Chronicles 16:7-10)

   1. Rebuked Asa for relying on Syria instead of God, leading to his imprisonment.

4. Jehu son of Hanani (2 Chronicles 19:1-3)

   1. Criticized Jehoshaphat for allying with the wicked King Ahab of Israel.

5. Elijah (2 Chronicles 21:12-15)

   1. Although primarily a prophet to Israel, he sent a letter to Jehoram of Judah, warning him of God's judgment.

6. Zechariah son of Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 24:20-22)

   1. Condemned the people's idolatry during Joash's reign and was stoned to death.

7. Isaiah (2 Kings 19-20, Isaiah 1-39)

   1. Active during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. He played a significant role in guiding Hezekiah during the Assyrian crisis and prophesied about the coming Messiah.

8. Micah (Micah 1:1)

   1. Prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, warning of judgment and promising future restoration.

9. Huldah (2 Kings 22:14-20, 2 Chronicles 34:22-28)

   1. Prophetess who confirmed the authenticity of the Book of the Law found during Josiah's reign and predicted judgment on Judah.

10. Jeremiah (Book of Jeremiah)

    1. Active from Josiah's reign through the fall of Jerusalem. He warned of the coming Babylonian exile and called for repentance.

11. Habakkuk (Book of Habakkuk)

    1. Likely prophesied during Jehoiakim's reign, questioning God about the use of the Babylonians to punish Judah.

12. Zephaniah (Zephaniah 1:1)

    1. Prophesied during Josiah's reign, warning of the coming "day of the Lord" and calling for repentance.

13. Uriah (Jeremiah 26:20-23)

    1. Prophesied during Jehoiakim's reign and was executed for his messages.

14. Ezekiel (Book of Ezekiel)

    1. Though he primarily prophesied during the exile, he began his ministry in the last years of Judah's kingdom.

The prophets' roles included:

1. Calling for repentance: They often confronted kings and people about their sins, particularly idolatry.

2. Pronouncing judgment: They warned of God's impending punishment for disobedience.

3. Offering hope: Many prophets also spoke of future restoration and the coming Messiah.

4. Guiding national policy: Sometimes they advised kings on political and military matters.

5. Authenticating God's word: As with Huldah and the Book of the Law.

6. Preserving true worship: They stood against idolatry and religious syncretism.

7. Recording history and prophecy: Many of their writings became part of the Hebrew Scriptures.

The prophets served as a crucial counterbalance to the monarchy, reminding both rulers and people of their covenant obligations to God and warning of the consequences of disobedience. Their messages often went unheeded, ultimately leading to the fall of Judah and the Babylonian exile, as they had predicted.