CHIEF KINGS OF JUDAH

1. All the kings of Judah were of the line of David. The line was nearly broken in the days of Athaliah, only one escaping her destruction. While all the kings of Israel were wicked, following the example of Jeroboam, some of the kings of Judah are commended for imitating David. Owing to its being less exposed to invasion, and to its greater fidelity to Jehovah, the kingdom of Judah lasted one hundred and thirty-five years longer than that of Israel. Its kings were hampered from the beginning by the idolatry introduced by Solomon, and that they did not depart altogether from Jehovah is due largely to the influence of the temple with its worship, and to the fidelity of the prophets.

The main charges brought against the kings of Judah are idolatry and seeking help from outside powers. This latter policy was adopted by Asa, who sent to Syria for help; by Ahaz, who relied upon Assyria; and seemingly by Hezekiah, who appears to have contemplated an alliance with Babylon.

2. The books of Kings are devoted especially to the events of Israel, in order to show why God punished them. Accounts of the kings of Judah are given more fully in the books of Chronicles. Rehoboam foolishly refused the re quest of the Israelites to lighten their burdens; was pre vented from subduing the rebellious tribes by arms; is said to have followed David for a few years, and then turned from Jehovah; was punished by an invasion from Egypt, Shishak taking his fenced cities and receiving large booty from the riches of the temple and the royal palace. Various forms of idolatry were encouraged by Rehoboam. His son Abijah conquered Jeroboam.

3. Asa was a good king, but had some faults. He strengthened the cities of Judah; fortified her defenses; completely defeated the Egyptian forces; was commended by the prophet for his reliance upon Jehovah; carried out additional religious reforms, even deposing the queen mother because she had set up an image for the worship of Ashera; and led the people in making a covenant to serve Jehovah.

4. Jehoshaphat was one of the most important kings of Judah. Ahab had been on the throne in Israel four years when Jehoshaphat became king. At first he opposed the power of Israel, but afterward made an alliance with Ahab; his son married Ahab's daughter, and he aided the Israelites against Syria. This alliance proved only an evil. Jehoshaphat made Judah strong. His attempt to establish a line of commercial ships proved a failure.

5. Jehoshaphat designated his son Jehoram as his successor When he was established as king he killed all his brothers, possibly being induced to do so by his wife, Jezebel's daughter. He was a wicked king, and was punished by rebellions and invasions. His son Ahaziah became king; he was slain by Jehu, and then his mother, Athaliah, killed all that belonged to the royal family, except the child Joash, who was proclaimed king when seven years old. He ruled well as long as he was aided by the high priest Jehiada. His reign is especially noteworthy for his repairing the temple.

6. The reign of Amaziah was marked by an important victory over the Edomites, who had thrown off the yoke of Judah in the reign of Jehoram. Elated by this victory Amaziah sought a battle with Joash, of Israel, but met a severe defeat. Subsequently he fled from conspirators against his power, but was overtaken at Lachish and slain, His son, Uzziah, or Azariah, as his name is also given, was one of the best and most successful kings of Judah. But when he became so strong his heart was lifted up, and at tempting to offer incense, he was smitten with leprosy.

7. The next king, Jotham, increased the internal defenses of Judah and made the Ammonites tributary. The reign of his son Ahaz marks a crisis in the history of Judah. Ahaz was the most wicked king of Judah. He encouraged various forms of idolatry, and especially refused to trust in Jehovah for help when offered it by the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 7:4). The consequences of his reign did not cease till Judah was carried away captive.

Says Delitzsch: “In this hour, in which Isaiah stands before Ahaz, the fate of the Jewish people is decided for more than two thousand years.' Facts about the reign of Ahaz are given in Kings and Chronicles and in the prophecies of Isaiah. References to him are found on the As syrian monuments.

8. Hezekiah was probably the best king Judah had after the division. He did all in his power to counteract the evils of his father. The temple was cleansed; the worship resumed; the feasts observed; the sacrifices offered; the priests and Levites supported. He destroyed the implements of idol worship. He corrected the tendency to worship Jehovah at the high places. During his reign Judah was threatened by the Assyrians. Sennacherib took forty -six cities of Judah, and Hezekiah paid to him a large tribute, but afterward, when he demanded the surrender of Jerusalem, Hezekiah refused to submit, relying upon Jehovah for defense. A large part of the army of Sennacherib was suddenly destroyed, and the mighty king returned to Assyria.

9. Hezekiah was succeeded by his son Manasseh, an exceedingly wicked king. With twenty other kings he took gifts to Nineveh to Esarhaddon. He was afterward taken captive and held at Babylon, either by this king or by his son, Assur-banipal, king of Assyria. He was allowed to return to Judah, however. His reign is given as the longest of any of Judah's kings.

There is a tradition that Isaiah was killed by Manasseh. He resorted to all kinds of idolatrous practices. The statement that he was taken to Babylon was formerly regarded as a mistake, since the Assyrians were still in power while he was king, and their capital was Nineveh, not Babylon; but it is now known that Esarhaddon at least held his court at Babylon at times.

10. Josiah was another excellent king. He instituted many religious reforms; repaired the temple; observed the Passover; destroyed idol worship; and restricted the worship of Jehovah to the one sanctuary at Jerusalem. An import ant event in his reign was the discovery of the copy of the law while they were cleansing the temple. The loss of this is not so difficult to understand when we remember the long and wicked reign of Manasseh, who seems to have done all in his power to remove every vestige of the worship of Jehovah. For some reason Josiah attempted to oppose Necho, of Egypt, as he was going against Assyria, and was slain at Megiddo. He was highly esteemed and mourned by the people.

11. After the death of Josiah, Judah was no longer in dependent. Necho placed Jehoiakim on the throne, but Judah was soon conquered by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and was thereafter subject to that power. During his reign and that of his successor, Jehoiachin, invasions of the Babylonians occurred, resulting in the deportation of some of the people, and in the case of the latter, that of the king himself. His brother, Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, foolishly attempted to throw off the supremacy of Babylon, but he only brought upon himself swift destruction. Because of repeated rebellions against the Babylonian authority, Nebuchadnezzar took captive all the remaining Jews of any importance, destroyed Jerusalem, and thus fulfilled the threat made centuries before by Moses (Lev. 26:33; Deut. 28:64).

With the first captives carried to Babylon was Daniel. With the next lot of captives was Ezekiel. A few Jews were left at Jerusalem, and a governor was placed over them; but the latter was killed and the rest went down to Egypt. Judah was not colonized as Samaria was. The land seems to have been practically deserted till the return of the Jews.

SUMMARY.

1. The line of kings in Judah. The duration of the kingdom; the general character of the kings.

2. The reign of Rehoboam; the invasion of Shishak.

3. Asa's good reign; religious reforms; victory over the Ethiopians.

4. Reign of Jehoshaphat; a good king; allied with Israel; strengthens his kingdom.

5. Jehoram, wicked; killed his brothers; Ahaziah succeeds; is killed by Jehu; Joash king after Athaliah is slain; first part of reign good.

6. Amaziah's victory over the Edomites; slain at Lachish; Uzziah's reign successful; Judah made powerful; internal advancement; assumes priestly functions and is punished.

7. Jotham, next king, successful; his successor Ahaz wicked; marks a crisis; rejects Jehovah; consequences of reign perpetuated.

8. Hezekiah's reforms; tribute to Assyria; Sennacherib's success and defeat.

9. Manasseh's wicked reign; taken to Babylon; his return.

10. Reign of Josiah good; religious reforms; temple repaired; copy of Law found; opposing Necho is slain.

11. Judah now dependent; subject to Babylon; Zedekiah's resistance and punishment; Jews taken captive; Jerusalem destroyed. Some noted captives.