Jerusalem, the capital (1 Kings 14:2121And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. (1 Kings 14:21)), distant from the Mediterranean about thirty miles. The kingdom, which consisted of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, existed nearly 400 years under twenty sovereigns, and was finally destroyed by the Chaldeans, under Nebuchadnezzar, 588 B.C.
Notes
About the half of those sovereigns were good; hence the long continuance of the kingdom over that of Israel.
It will be observed that, as a rule, the mothers of the Judah kings are specially named, but not so in the case of the kings of Israel.
There is only one female sovereign amongst those of Judah, and not one amongst the sovereigns of Israel.
The fathers of the godly kings, Hezekiah and Josiah, were bad men, thus illustrating the sovereign goodness and choice of God.
It is worthy of careful observation that, according to the personal piety and faithfulness of the monarch, Judah was blest, and the country enjoyed peace and prosperity.
The longest reign was that of Manasseh’s, fifty-five years; while the shortest was that of Jehoahaz, which lasted only three months.
The books of the Chronicles specially detail the doings of these kings.
Accession to the Throne of Judah
B. C.
975 Rehoboam Solomon’s only son.
958 Abijah Blest for David’s sake.
955 Asa Diseased in his feet.
914 Jehoshaphat The godly king.
889 Jehoram The murderer and idolater.
885 Ahaziah Wicked, like the house of Ahab.
884 Athaliah The only queen.
878 Jehoash The youngest king.
839 Amaziah The vacillating monarch.
810 Uzziah The leprous king.
758 Jotham One of the few godly kings.
742 Ahaz Wicked and idolatrous.
726 Hezekiah The zealous reformer.
698 Manasseh The aged king who turned to the Lord.
643 Amon Slain in his own house.
641 Josiah The determined uprooter of idolatry.
610 Jehoahaz Deposed and taken captive to Egypt.
610 Jehoiachim Deposed and taken captive to Babylon.
610 Jehoiakin Deposed by the King of Babylon.
599 Zedekiah Taken to Babylon in fetters.