Map of the region in the 9th century BCE
- Ruling Family of the Jewish Nation
Rulers of the Kingdom of Judah[]
- See also Biblical Patriarchs - Adam to Jesus Christ.
House of David begins with the 2nd king - David (c1040 BC-c970 BC).
- King Saul - King of Israel & Judah
- King David - King of Israel & Judah
- Solomon- King of Israel & Judah
- Roboam- King of Judah - 930 BC - Split of the Kingdom
- Abijah- King of Judah
- Asa- King of Judah
- Josaphat- King of Judah
- Joram- King of Judah
- Ahaziah - King of Judah
- Athaliah - Queen
- Jehoash - King of Judah
- Amaziah - King of Judah
- Uzziah (?-742 B.C.) - King of Judah - great Earthquake of 760.
- Joatham - King of Judah - a contemporary with the prophets Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, and Micah, by whose advice he benefited
- Achaz - King of Judah
- Ezekias - King Hezekiah
- Manasses - longest reigning king of Judah.
- Amon - assassinated for his heavy wickedness
- Josias - (r. 641-609 BC / 15th king of Judah) killed in Battle of Megiddo by Assyrians
- Jehoahaz - (r. 609 BC / 16th king of Judah) (3rd son of Josiah, born 632 BC) ruled 3 months in 609 before being deposed by Pharoah Necho II and taken captive into Egypt where he dies.
- Jehoiakim - (r 609-598 BC / 17th king of Judah) (2nd son of Josiah, born 634 BC) appointed by Egyptians as King, but switches sides to Babylonia in 605 BC. Died during Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in 598 BC) to the fall of Jerusalem.
- Jaconias - (r. 598 BC / 18th king of Judah) (son of Jehoiakim) installed by Nebuchadnezzer and reigned three months, but then taken captive into Babylon in March 597 BC. Note: Gospel of Matthew traces Christs birthright to Jaconias, but skips his father Jehoiakim. "And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; (Matthew 1:11-12)
- Zedekiah (c618 BC-) - (uncle of Jaconias / younger) 19th and last King of Judah / Babylonian vassal state.
Contemporary Timeline[]
- 930 B.C. - Split of the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel under Rehoboam (974 BC-915 BC).
- 760 B.C. - Great Earthquake (8.0 magnitude?) in the reign of Uzziah of Judah. (Amos 1:1).
- 720 B.C. - Kingdom of Israel carried away captive by the Assyrians
- 640 B.C. - Assasination of King Amon for his wickedness.
- 609 B.C. - Battle of Megiddo - Death of King Josiah fighting against Egyptian Pharoah Necho II.
- 597 B.C. - Babylonia captivity / First Fall of Kingdom of Judah.
Downfall of House of David[]
After the destruction of the Israelite Army of King Josiah at the Battle of Megiddo, Egyptian Pharoah Necho left a sizable force behind, and returned to Egypt. On his return march, Necho found that Jehoahaz had been selected to succeed his father, Josiah. (2 Kings 23:31) Necho deposed Jehoahaz, who had been king for only three months, and replaced him with his older brother, Jehoiakim. Necho imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents of silver (about 33⁄4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons) and a talent of gold (about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms). Necho then took Jehoahaz back to Egypt as his prisoner. The defeat of Josiah at Megiddo essentially represents the end of the rule of the Davidic line, since not only were Josiah's successors short-lived, but also Judah's relative independence had crumbled in the face of a resurgent Egypt bent on regaining its traditional control of the region, and the imminent rise of the Babylonian empire which also sought control.
Necho had left Egypt in 609 BCE for two reasons: one was to relieve the Babylonian siege of Harran, and the other was to help the king of Assyria, who was defeated by the Babylonians at Carchemish. Josiah's actions may have provided aid to the Babylonians by engaging the Egyptian army.[24]
References[]
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