The article addresses the biblical and historical kings of the Land of Israel: Abimelech of Sichem, the three kings of the United Kingdom of Israel and those of its successor states, Israel and Judah, followed in the Second Temple period, part of classical antiquity, by the kingdoms ruled by the Hasmonean and Herodian dynasties.
The Hebrew Bible describes a succession of kings of the United Kingdom of Israel and then of divided kingdoms: Israel and Judah.
In contemporary scholarship, the united monarchy is debated due to a lack of archaeological evidence. It is generally accepted that a "House of David" existed, but some scholars believe that David could have been only the king or chieftain of Judah, which was likely small, and that the northern kingdom was a separate development. There are some dissenters to this view, including those who support the traditional narrative, and those who support the united monarchy's existence but believe that the Bible contains theological exaggerations.
Overview tables Kings and prophets This table describes the kings, their parents, the ages at which they lived, the prophets who influenced them, and the emperors they encountered in battle.
Diagrams, Saul to Zedekiah
Abimelech, son of Gideon Abimelech, the son of Gideon, was the first man declared a king in the Land of Israel; he ruled from Sichem over the territory of Manasseh.
House of Saul
According to the Bible, the Tribes of Israel lived as a confederation under ad hoc charismatic leaders called judges. In around 1020 BCE, under extreme threat from foreign peoples, the tribes united to form the first United Kingdom of Israel. Samuel anointed Saul from the Tribe of Benjamin as the first king.
Saul (1020–1000 BCE) or (1040-1000 BCE) Ish-bosheth (Esbaal) (1000–998 BCE)
House of David: united monarchy
AlbrightThieleGalilKitchenCommon/BiblicalnameRegnal Nameand styleNotes1000–962 1010–9701010–970DAVIDדוד בן-ישי מלך ישראל David ben Yishai, Melech Yisra'elReigned over Judah for 7 years in Hebron, then Israel & Judah in Jerusalem for 33 years; 40 years in total. Death: natural causes962–922 970–931971–931Solomonשלמה בן-דוד מלך ישראל Shelomo ben David, Melech Yisra'elReigned over Israel & Judah in Jerusalem for 40 years. Death: natural causes Son of David by Bathsheba, his rights of succession were disputed by his older half-brother Adonijah922–915931–913931–914931–915Rehoboamרחבעם בן-שלמה מלך יהודה Rechav'am ben Shlomo, Melech Yehudah Reigned for 17 years. After 3 years, the kingdom was split into the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. Death: natural causes
Separation into two kingdoms After the death of King Solomon the United Kingdom of Israel was divided into two – the northern Kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam, with its capital, first in Shechem, then Penuel, Tirzah, and finally Samaria, and ruled by a series of dynasties beginning with Jeroboam; and the southern Kingdom of Judah with its capital still in Jerusalem and ruled by the House of David. Under Hezekiah's rule in the Kingdom of Judah, the Neo-Assyrian Empire conquered and destroyed the northern kingdom in 722 BCE, leaving only the southern kingdom of Judah.
In biblical narrative, the kings of Israel and Judah are judged by their fidelity to the laws of God (The Torah); on this basis they all belong to one of the categories: the good kings, the bad kings, and the kings who acted both good as well as bad.Gijsbert J.B. Sulman, Facts, Fiction, and the Bible. The Truth Behind the Stories in the Old Testament. (2016), p. 65
All kings of Israel are considered to be bad, except for Jehu who is considered to have acted both good, since he is credited with the suppression of a cult of Baal, as well as bad, since he failed to suppress a cult of golden calves in Bethel and Dan.
Amongst kings of Judah, five of them are judged to have acted good throughout their reign: Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jotham, Hezekiah, and Josiah, whereas Jehoash, Amaziah, Uzziah and Manasseh are all described as kings who acted good as well as bad during their reign. The remaining monarchs are considered to have acted badly throughout their reign.
Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) AlbrightThieleGalilKitchenCommon/Biblical nameRegnal Name and styleNotes The House of Jeroboam 922–901 BCE931–910 BCE931–909 BCE931–911 BCEJeroboam Iירבעם בֵּן-נבט מלך ישראל Yarob'am ben Nevat, Melekh Yisra'elLed the rebellion and divided the kingdoms. Reigned in Israel (Northern Kingdom) for 22 years. Death: Natural Causes901–900 BCE910–909 BCE909–908 BCE911–910 BCENadabנדב בֵּן-ירבעם מלך ישראל Nadav ben Yarob'am, Melekh Yisra'elReigned in Israel for 2 years. Death: Killed by Baasha, son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar, along with his whole family. The House of Baasha 900–877 BCE909–886 BCE908–885 BCE910–887 BCEBaashaבעשא בֵּן-אחיה מלך ישראל Ba'sha ben Achiyah, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Tirzah for 24 years. Death: Natural Causes877–876 BCE886–885 BCE885–884 BCE887–886 BCEElahאלה בֵּן-בעשא מלך ישראל 'Ela ben Ba'sha, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Tirzah for 2 years. Death: Zimri, one of his officials, got him drunk and killed him at his house in Azra. The House of Zimri 876 BCE885 BCE884 BCE886 BCEZimriזמרי מלך ישראל Zimri, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Tirzah for 7 days. Death: He set his palace on fire when Omri and all the Israelites with him withdrew from Gibbethon and laid siege to Tirzah. The House of Tibni 876–871 BCE885–880 BCE––Tibniתבני מלך ישראל Tibni, Melekh Yisra'elRival claimant to Omri, reigned for several years. Death: Was apparently killed while assailed by the soldiers of Omri – his death is recorded, but the circumstances surrounding it go unexplained. The House of Omri 876–869 BCE885–874 BCE884–873 BCE886–875 BCEOmriעמרי מלך ישראל 'Omri, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Samaria for 12 years. Death: Natural Causes869–850 BCE874–853 BCE873–852 BCE875–853 BCEAhabאחאב בֵּן-עמרי מלך ישראל Ach'av ben 'Omri, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Samaria for 22 years. Death: Shot by an archer during the battle at Ramoth Gilead. He died upon his arrival at Samaria.850–849 BCE853–852 BCE852–851 BCE853–852 BCEAhaziahאחזיהו בֵּן-אחאב מלך ישראל 'Achazyahu ben 'Ach'av, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Samaria for 2 years. Death: He fell through the lattice of his upper room and injured himself. Elijah the prophet told him he would never leave his bed and would die on it.849–842 BCE852–841 BCE851–842 BCE852–841 BCEJoramיורם בֵּן-אחאב מלך ישראל Yehoram ben 'Ach'av, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Samaria for 12 years. Death: Killed by Jehu, the next king of Israel The House of Jehu 842–815 BCE841–814 BCE842–815 BCE841–814 BCEJehuיהוא בֵּן-נמשי מלך ישראל Yehu ben Yehoshafat, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Samaria for 28 years.Considered to be a contemporary of the Assyrian King Shalmaneser III (858–824 BCE) to whom he paid tribute. This is based on an inscription on The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III showing "Yaua" son of Omri paying tribute, dated to 841 BCE. Death: Natural Causes815–801 BCE814–798 BCE819–804 BCE814–806 BCEJehoahazיהואחז בֵּן-יהוא מלך ישראל Yeho'achaz ben Yehu, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Samaria for 17 years. Death: Natural Causes801–786 BCE798–782 BCE805–790 BCE806–791 BCEJehoash (Joash)יואש בֵּן-יואחז מלך ישראל Yo'ash ben Yeho'achaz, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Samaria for 16 years. Death: Natural Causes786–746 BCE782–753 BCE790–750 BCE791–750 BCEJeroboam IIירבעם בֵּן-יואש מלך ישראל Yarob'am ben Yo'ash, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Samaria for 41 years. Death: Natural Causes. The Book of Jonah or Jonah's journey to Nineveh (when a whale or fish swallowed him) happened at that time.746 BCE753 BCE750–749 BCE750 BCE Zachariahזכריה בֵּן-ירבעם מלך ישראל Zekharya ben Yarob'am, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Samaria for 6 months. Death: Shallum, son of Jabesh, killed him in front of the people and succeeded as king. The House of Shallum 745 BCE752 BCE749 BCE749 BCEShallumשלם בֵּן-יבש מלך ישראל Shallum ben Yavesh, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Samaria for 1 month. Death: Menahem son of Gadi attacked Shallum and assassinated him. The House of Menahem (also known as the House of Gadi) 745–738 BCE752–742 BCE749–738 BCE749–739 BCEMenahemמְנַחֵם בֵּן-גדי מלך ישראל Menachem ben Gadi, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Samaria for 10 years. Death: Natural Causes738–737 BCE742–740 BCE738–736 BCE739–737 BCEPekahiahפקחיה בֵּן-מְנַחֵם מלך ישראל Peqachya ben Menachem, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Samaria for 2 years. Death: Pekah, son of Remaliah, one of the chief officers, took 50 men with him and assassinated the king in his palace at Samaria. The House of Pekah 737–732 BCE740–732 BCE736–732 BCE737–732 BCEPekahפקח בֵּן-רמליהו מלך ישראל Peqach ben Remalyahu, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Samaria for 20 years. Death: Hoshea, son of Elah, conspired against him and assassinated him. The House of Hoshea 732–722 BCE732–722 BCE732–722 BCE732–722 BCEHosheaהושע בֵּן-אלה מלך ישראל Hoshea' ben 'Ela, Melekh Yisra'elReigned over Israel in Samaria for 9 years.Paid tribute to the Assyrian King Shalmaneser V (727–722 BCE) but rebelled in 725 BCE. Shalmaneser besieged the capital, Samaria, but died shortly before the fall of the city. His brother Sargon II (722–705 BCE) completed the siege with success in 722. Some of the Northern Kingdom's population was exiled to other parts of the Assyrian Empire, and new groups were resettled in the newly established Assyrian province of Samaria. A small group of people fled south to take refuge in Judah. Death: King Shalmaneser attacked and captured Samaria. He charged Hoshea with treason, and he put him in prison, then he deported the Israelites to Assyria.
Kingdom of Judah
AlbrightThieleGalilKitchenCommon/Biblical nameRegnal Name and styleNotes House of David 915–913913–911914–911915–912Abijahאבים בן-רחבעם מלך יהודה 'Aviyam ben Rechav'am, Melekh YehudaReigned for 3 years. Death: natural causes.913–873911–870911–870912–871Asaאסא בן-אבים מלך יהודה 'Asa ben 'Aviyam, Melekh YehudaReigned for 41 years. Death: severe foot disease.873–849870–848870–845871–849Jehoshaphatיהושפט בן-אסא מלך יהודה Yehoshafat ben 'Asa, Melekh YehudaReigned for 25 years. Death: natural causes.849–842848–841851–843849–842Jehoramיהורם בן-יהושפט מלך יהודה Yehoram ben Yehoshafat, Melekh YehudaReigned for 8 years. Death: severe stomach disease.842–842841–841843–842842–841Ahaziahאחזיהו בן-יהורם מלך יהודה 'Achazyahu ben Yehoram, Melekh YehudaReigned for 1 year. Death: killed by Jehu, who usurped the throne of Israel. House of Omri 842–837841–835842–835841–835Athaliah (Queen)עתליה בת-עמרי מלכת יהודה 'Atalya bat 'Omri, Malkat YehudaReigned for 6 years. Death: killed by the troops assigned by Jehoiada the Priest to protect Joash. Queen Mother, widow of Jehoram and mother of Ahaziah. House of David 837–800835–796835–802835–796Jehoash (Joash)יהואש בן-אחזיהו מלך יהודה Yeho'ash ben 'Achazyahu, Melekh YehudaReigned for 40 years. Death: killed by his officials, namely Zabad, son of Shimeath, an Ammonite woman, and Jehozabad, son of Shimrith, a Moabite woman.800–783796–767805–776796–776Amaziahאמציה בן-יהואש מלך יהודה 'Amatzyah ben Yehoash, Melekh YehudaReigned for 29 years. Death: killed in Lachish by the men sent by his officials who conspired against him.783–742767–740788–736776–736Uzziahעזיהו בן-אמציה מלך יהודה 'Uzziyahu ben 'Amatzyah, Melekh YehudaReigned for 52 years. Death: Tzaraath. George Syncellus wrote that the First Olympiad took place in Uzziah's 48th regnal year.742–735740–732758–742750–735/30Jotham יותם בן-עזיהו מלך יהו Yotam ben 'Uzziyahu, Melekh YehudaReigned for 16 years. Death: natural causes.735–715732–716742–726735/31–715Ahazאחז בן-יותם מלך יהודה 'Achaz ben Yotam,