The Kings of Judea,

Saul

David,

Solomon,

Rehoboam,

This has the meaning of may the people expand,. He was the son of Solomon by Naamah, an Ammonite princess. He was the last king of the united Monarchy, the first of the Kingdom of Judea.

Events connected with his reign are found in 1 Kings 12:21-31; 1 Kings 14:21-31; 2 Chronicles 9:31 to 2 Chronicles 12:16. There is some discussion on the length of his reign, it is assumed that his reign was seventeen years 2 Chronicles 12:13-16

"13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, the reigned: for Rehoboam was forty one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonites’s. 14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.
15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.
16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead."

Rehoboam rejected the advice of Solomons advisers and loaded his people with many taxes, this lead to the separation of the kingdom. For a time the King and the people followed the instruction of the Lord, but eventually evil crept in. So God punished, using Shishak, Pharaoh Sheshonq, who took off some of the Temple and Palace treasures. Shemaiah, the prophet told the people that this was due to national sin. Rehoboam and his princes turned nearly back to the Lord and so stopped Shishak action.

Abijah,

This means Yahweh is father. 1 Chronicles 3:10; 2 Chronicles 11:20; 2 Chronicles 13:1. Abijah reigned three years, with fighting with the Northern kingdom. 2 Chronicles 13:1-22

ASA,

The third king of Judah, he reigned for forty-one years. 1 Kings 15:9-24; 2 Chronicles 14 to 16. His reign started with a partial cleanup, abolishing prostitution and deposed of the Queen Mother and her image of the god Asherah, 1 Kings 15:13, He also removed certain high places, 2 Chronicles 14:3, others were allowed to remain. 1 Kings 15:14; 2 Chronicles 15:17. He appealed to Syria for help against Baasaof of Israel, but this was an act of unbelief, which created prophetic announcements. 2 Chronicles 16:7ff

Jehoshaphat,

"5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
6 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.
7 And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not."

The son of Asa. His reign is recorded in 2 Chronicles 17:1 to 21:1 and 1 Kings 22:41-50. In the start of his reign he strengthened his defences in the northern near Israel, but on arranging a marriage with Omri, 1 Kings 22:44, relaxed. His greater threat was from Syria. However his son Jehoram married the daughter of Ahab, Athaliah. But he sort the Lord. 2 Chronicles 17:3-6.

"3 And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;
4 But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
5 Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance.
6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah."

Jehoram,

2 Chronicles 21:5ff.

" 5 Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD."

Early in his reign he had six brothers murdered. This caused Elijah to send a letter warning him of his punishment, premature death, a disease of the bowels. 2 Chronicles 21:12-15.

Ahaziah,

He was the soul surviving member of the family. He was completely domination by his mother, Athaliah. 2 Chronicles 22:3

"2 Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri.
3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly.
4 Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction."

He was killed by Jehu while visiting his uncle Jehoram. 2 Kings 9:16-28.

Queen Athaziah,

Joash,

Son of Ahaziah, ninth king of Judah. As an infant he was rescued by his aunt when annihilation of royal family by Athaliah. He was made king at the age of seven, and Athaliah put to death. He reigned about forty years. The Temple was repaired and for a time full religion was restored, but this failed with time, idolatry appeared. Syria was his main problem. He stripped the temple of the gold and sent it to the Syrian king as a bribe. Soon after some officers assassinated Joash. He is one of three kings omitted from genealogy of Jesus. Matthew 1:8.

Amazaiah,

2 Kings 14:1-20; 2 Chronicles 25:1ff. His name means "Yahweh is mighty". Son of his father Joash, at his assassination. He reorganized the Judean military for reconquest of Edom. He was warned about using mercenaries from Israel. 2 Chronicles 15:7-10. This ended with complete victory over Edom. Unfortunately he plundered the Temple, earned him unpopular and ended in assassination.

Uzziah,

Name means "Yahweh is my strength. Found in 2 Kings 14:21; 15 1:6-8; Chronicles 3:1, King of Judah 791-740. Reigned fifty-two years,chosen by the people at sixteen to succeed his father Amaziah. The writer of the book Kings shows very little of what happened when Uzziah caught Leprosy or the earthquake which happened during his reign. The kingdom enjoyed great prosperity, probably due to the power of Assyria declining for a while. Uzziah had a few wars with Philistines and the Arabians as a result of the bad military folly of his father.

Jotham,

Son of Uzziah.
Began his reign during Uzziah leprosy period.

"5 And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king’s son was over the house, judging the people of the land."

He was a man who feared God, Built the high gate for the Temple and subdued the Ammonites Uzziah leper period, 2 Kings 15:5.

Ahaz,

Means "He has grasped" Became king on death of Jotham, his father. The length of his reign is a problem, 2 Kings 16:2; 2 Chronicles 18:1.

"1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father:"

Early in his reign Kings of Israel and Syria tried to force him to join the anti-Assyria group, but failed. This resulted in the two kings attacking Jerusalem, but failed. Many Judeans became prisoners. Oded, a prophet repatriated the prisoners. Isaiah tried many times to make Ahaz seek the Lord, instead he turned to Assyria, which resulted in a weak Judea. These were all divine judgement due to his apostasy, he restored corrupt worship in the high places, placed an Assyrian type alter in the Temple court and used a Solomon altar for divination. The Temple Sanctuary was closed.

Hezekiah,

An outstanding King, his piety and political activities. 2 Kings 18:5

"5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him."

2 Kings 18-20; Isaiah 38:9-20. We are uncertain of the length of his reign but was involved with Sennacherib of Assyria who invaded. He restored full worship, opened the Temple, including cleansing. The Passover festival was returned, 2 Chronicles 30:20-27. Hezekiah was involved with anti-Assyrian revolt, built up the defences of Jerusalem, constructed the Siloam water supply for the city. The presence of the Lord was obvious when Assyria attacked. Hezekiah was poorly advised by the political advisors. But his devotion to God cannot be questioned. 2 Kings 18:5-7.

"5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
6 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.
7 And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not."

Manasseh,

Son of Hezekiah and Hephzibah. Began his reign in Jerusalem at the age of twelve. He reigned for fifty-five years. 2 Kings 11:1; 2 Chronicles 33:1. His period was a time of falling away from God, Assyria and her cults and their ways of worship were predominate. He installed illegal altars in the Temple courts and "passed his son through the fire"

Amon

Son of Manasseh, 2 Kings 21:19-26; 2 Chronicles 33:21-25. He reigned for two years before he was assassinated. He appears to have supported the actions of his father, Idolatry. He was put to death by "the people of the land" seems to suggest that it was a court intrigue, not a popular revolution.

Josiah

Son of Amon. Reigned from eight years old, 2 Kings 22-23:30 and 2 Chronicles 34-35, covers his religious reformation. They discovered the Book of the Law. There were three stages of reform. In the eighth year of his reign he renounced the polytheistic religions of previous two kings, it is about this time that last king of Assyria died. Four years later it was expanded towards Jerusalem and beyond. The prophet Jeremiah was called soon after. The final period was as a result of the finding the Law Book, this expanded the religious policy. He destroyed all the High Places, He restored the Passover, repaired the Temple and renewed the covenant between Yahweh and the people. This revival spread very wide. However it did not change the hearts of the people, they reverted to idolatry after the kings death. This occurred at Megiddo with the Egyptians. 2 Kings 23:29,30; 2 Chronicles 35:20-24.

Jehoashaz,

Son of Josiah, following his fathers death, the people appointed him to the throne. He was not the eldest but more popular. Pharaoh Necho deposed him after three months reign, he was taken to Egypt where he died. 2 Kings 23:34; 2 Chronicles 21:17 to 25:23.

Jehoiakim,

Appointed by the Babylonians, he ruled for thee months and ten days. It was marked by evil and Jeremiah prophecies the end of rule and his dynasty. The king of Babylon, Nebuchadrezzar, change his mind about the appointment and besiege Jerusalem and took the king and his mother and relatives off to Babylon, there he was treated as a royal prisoner. After the death of Nebuchadrezzar, he was released.

Jeholachin,

Son of Josiah. Made king by Pharaoh Necho 11 of Egypt. His name was changed from Eliakim. 2 Kings 23:24 - 24:6; 2 Chronicles 36:4-6. To pay the Egyptians he put heavy taxes on the people. He built costly royal buildings and is considered an oppressive ruler. Religion decayed, noted by Jeremiah and Habakkuk, prophets.

Zedekiah,

Last king of Judah. Youngest son of Josiah and placed on throne by Nebuchadrezzar. The earlier accounts, 2 Kings 24:18 to chapter 25:7; 2 Chronicles 26:10-21; Jeremiah 39:1-10, cover his rebellion against Babylon. Nebuchadrezzar, sieged Jerusalem for eighteen months. Zedekiah and his army escaped but were captured near Jericho. The period was a corrupt religion and moral degeneration, as are portrayed by Ezekiel 8 to 10 and chapter 25. Zedekiah contacted Jeremiah during siege, Jeremiah 21:1-7; 37:17-21; 38:14-28. He was badly advised by local leaders. Ezekiel 21:25 described him as "25 And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end,"