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:''Judea is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel.''

The 'Kingdom of Judah' () (c.930 BCE–586 BCE) was one of the successor states to the "United Monarchy" often known as the Kingdom of Israel. It is often referred to as the 'Southern Kingdom' to distinguish it from the "Northern Kingdom" of Israel. According to the Hebrew Bible, the Kingdom of Judah first emerged after the death of Saul the King, when the tribe of Judah elevated King David to rule over them. The area of ''Har Yehudah'' (=the mountain (district) of the gorge(s)) seems to have originally been occupied by Kenites, Calebites, Othnielites, and in Jerusalem Jebusites. The tribe of Judah was Biblically initially the only one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel to follow the house of David to found the Southern Kingdom. Soon after, the tribe of Benjamin joined the tribe of Judah. According to the Book of Joshua (18:28), Jerusalem became the capital of the new kingdom.
After the death of Saul's son Ish-bosheth, David came to rule the other tribes of Israel, creating a united Kingdom of Israel. David's grandson Rehoboam was rejected by ten of the twelve Tribes of Israel during the disruption at Shechem, leaving only the Kingdom of Judah ruled by the Davidic line. The Northern Kingdom fell to the Assyrian Empire c. 720 BCE but the Kingdom of Judah survived for almost 350 years until it was conquered in 586 BCE by the Babylonian Empire under Nebuzar-adan, captain of Nebuchadnezzar's body-guard.(''2 Kings'' 25:8-21). This event coincided with the destruction of the First Temple of Jerusalem and with the Babylonian Captivity.

Contents

History

Timeline

Babylonian Captivity

Culture

Notable Personalities

Prophets Active in the Kingdom of Judah

Extent of the Kingdom

The Kings of Judah

The House of Saul

The House of David

From the end of the kingdom to the present

See also

External links

History

The United Monarchy was formed out of the territories of the twelve Hebrew tribes living in the area in and around modern Israel and Palestine. It existed from around 1030 BCE-920 BCE.
After the death of King Solomon, the son of King David, the ten northern tribes of the Kingdom of Israel revolted against the Davidic line, refusing to accept Rehoboam son of Solomon and instead chose as king Jeroboam who was not a member of King David's family.
When the disruption took place at Shechem, at first only the tribe of Judah followed the house of David. But very soon after the tribe of Benjamin joined the tribe of Judah, and Jerusalem became the capital of the new kingdom (Joshua 18:28), which was called the kingdom of Judah. The Second Book of Chronicles (2 Chronicles 15:9) also says that members of the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon "fled" to Judah during the reign of Asa.
The Kingdom of Israel, or Northern Kingdom, existed as an independent state from about 930 BCE until around 720 BCE when it was conquered by the Assyrian Empire. In myth, the Jews were exiled completely, becoming known as the The Ten Lost Tribes. However, it is estimated that only a fifth of the population (about 40,000) were actually resettled out of the area during the two deportation periods under Tiglath-pilaser III and Sargon II.(Finkelstein & Silberman 2001,The Bible Unearthed). Nevertheless, many Israelites fled south to Jerusalem, which appears to have expanded in size by 500% during this period, requiring a new wall to be built, and a new source of water (Siloam) to be provided by King Hezekiah.

Timeline

★ 727-698 BCE. Reign of king Hezekiah of Judah. He is noted in the Bible for initiating reforms that outlawed, or enforced Jewish laws against, idolatry (in this case, the worship of Ba'alim and/or Asherah, among other traditional Near Eastern divinities). [1]

★ c. 705 BCE Siloam inscription in Old Hebrew alphabet

★ 698-642 BCE. Reign of king Manasseh of Judah, sacrificed his son to Molech, .

★ 642-640 BCE. Reign of king Amon.
These two kings reversed Hezekiah's reforms and officially revived idolatry. According to later rabbinical accounts, Manasseh placed a grotesque, four-faced idol in the Holy of Holies.

★ 640-609 BCE. The reign of king Josiah was accompanied by a religious reformation. According to the Bible, while repairs were made on the Temple, a 'Book of the Law' was discovered (possibly the book of Deuteronomy). [2] See also , ,

★ 586 BCE. Babylon, under king Nebuchadnezzar II, seized Jerusalem. The First Temple was destroyed; the date was the 9th of ''Av'', or ''Tisha B'Av''. [3]
For the first sixty years, the kings of Judah aimed at re-establishing their authority over the kingdom of the other ten tribes, so that there was a state of perpetual war between them. For the following eighty years, there was no open war between them. For the most part, they were in friendly alliance, co-operating against their common enemies, especially against Damascus. After the destruction of Israel, Judah continued to exist for about a century and a half until its final overthrow in (586 BCE) by Nebuzar-adan, who was captain of Nebuchadnezzar's body-guard (2 Kings 25:8-21), an event which also saw the destruction of the First Temple.

Babylonian Captivity

In the wake of the conquest by the Babylonian Empire much of the populate of the Kingdom of Judah was dispersed throughout that empire.

Culture

Notable Personalities

Prophets Active in the Kingdom of Judah

★ Amos, born in Judah but prophesied in Israel

★ Habakkuk

★ Isaiah, cousin of king Uzziah

★ Jeremiah

★ Joel

★ Micah

★ Obadiah

★ Zechariah

★ Zephaniah

Extent of the Kingdom

The Kingdom of Judah was the nation formed from the territories of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, and was named after Judah, son of Jacob (Israel).
Its capital was Jerusalem.
The kingdom maintained a separate existence for three hundred and eighty-nine years. It occupied an area of about 8,900 km² (3,435 square miles).

The Kings of Judah

For this period, most historians follow the chronology established by William F. Albright, by Edwin R. Thiele, or by Gershon Galil, all of which are shown below. All dates are BCE.

Albright dates	Thiele dates	Galil dates	Common/Biblical Name	Regnal name and style	Biblical Reign length and cause of death	Notes
The House of Saul
922–901	931–910	931–909	'Saul'	''שאול המלך or 'Sha'ul'	Reigned in Israel & Judah for 40 years: He killed himself during the war with the Philistines in Mount Gilboa.
The House of David
1000–962		1010–970	'David'	'דוד' בן-ישי מלך ישראל 'Daud' ben Yeshy, Melekh Ysr’al	Reigned over Israel & Judah in Jerusalem for 33 years and 7 years in Hebron, 40 years in total. Death: Natural causes
962–922		970–931	'Solomon'	'שלמה' בן-דוד מלך ישראל 'Shelomoh' ben Daud, Melekh Ysr’al	Reigned 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 Adonijah
922–915	931–913	931–914	'Rehoboam'	'רחבעם' בן-שלמה מלך יהודה 'Rehav’am' ben Shlomoh, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 17 years. Death: Natural Causes
915–913	913–911	914–911	'Abijam'	'אבים' בן-רחבעם מלך יהודה '’Aviyam' ben Rehav’am, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 3 years. Death: Natural Causes
913–873	911–870	911–870	'Asa'	'אסא' בן-אבים מלך יהודה '’Asa' ben ’Aviyam, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 41 years. Death: Severe foot disease
873–849	870–848	870–845	'Jehoshaphat'	'יהושפט' בן-אסא מלך יהודה 'Yehoshafat' ben ’Asa, Melekh Yahudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 35 years. Death: Natural Causes
849–842	848–841	851–843	'Jehoram'	'יהורם' בן-יהושפט מלך יהודה 'Yehoram' ben Yehoshafat, Melekh Yahudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 8 years. Death: Severe Stomach disease
842–842	841–841	843–842	'Ahaziah'	'אחזיהו' בן-יהורם מלך יהודה '’Ahazyahu' ben Yehoram, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 1 year. Death: Killed by Jehu, who usurped the throne o f Israel
842–837	841–835	842–835	'Athaliah'	'עתליה' בת-עמרי מלכת יהודה '‘Atalyah' bat ‘Omri, Malkat Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem 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
837–800	835–796	842–802	'Jehoash'	'יהואש' בן-אחזיהו מלך יהודה 'Yehoash' ben ’Ahazyahu, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 40 years. Death: Killed by his officials namely: Zabad, son of Shimeath, a Moabite Woman, and Jehozabad, son of Shimrith, a Moabite Woman.
800–783	796–767	805–776	'Amaziah'	'אמציה' בן-יהואש מלך יהודה '’Amatzyah' ben Yehoash, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 29 years. Death: Killed in Lachish by the men sent by his officials who conspired against him.
783–742	767–740	788–736	'Uzziah' ('Azariah')	'עזיה' בן-אמציה מלך יהודה '‘Uziyah' ben ’Amatzyah, Melekh Yehudah 'עזריה' בן-אמציה מלך יהודה '‘Azaryah' ben ’Amatzyah, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 52 years. Death: Leprosy	George Syncellus wrote that the First Olympiad took place in Uzziah's 48th regnal year.
742–735	740–732	758–742	'Jotham'	'יותם' בן-עזיה מלך יהודה 'Yotam' ben ‘Uziyah, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 16 years. Death: Natural Causes
735–715	732–716	742–726	'Ahaz'	'אחז' בן-יותם מלך יהודה '’Ahaz' ben Yotam, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 16 years. Death: Natural Causes	The Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III records he received tribute f rom Ahaz; compare 2 Kings 16:7-9
715–687	716–687	726–697	'Hezekiah'	'חזקיה' בן-אחז מלך יהודה 'Hizqiyah' ben ’Ahaz, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 29 years. Death: Natural Causes	Contemporary with Sennacherib of Assyria and Merodach-Baladan of Babylon.
687–642	687–643	697–642	'Manasseh'	'מנשה' בן-חזקיה מלך יהודה 'Menasheh' ben Hizqiyah, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 55 years. Death: Natural Causes	Mentioned in Assyrian records as a contemporary of Esarhaddon
642–640	643–641	642–640	'Amon'	'אמון' בן-מנשה מלך יהודה '’Amon' ben Menasheh, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 2 years. Death: Killed by his officials, which were killed later on by the people of Judah.
640–609	641–609	640–609	'Josiah'	'יאשיהו' בן-אמון מלך יהודה 'Yo’shiyahu' ben ’Amon, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 31 years. Death: He was shot by archers during the battle against Neco of Egypt. He died upon his arrival on Jerusalem.
609	609	609	'Jehoahaz' ('Ahaz')	'יהואחז' בן-יאשיהו מלך יהודה 'Yeho’ahaz' ben Yo’shiyahu, Melekh Yehudah 'אחז' בן-יאשיהו מלך יהודה '’Ahaz' ben Yo’shiyahu, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 3 months. Death: Neco, king of Egypt, dethroned him and was replaced by his brother , Eliakim. Then he was carried off to Egypt, where he died.
609–598	609–598	609–598	'Jehoiakim'	'יהויקים' בן-יאשיהו מלך יהודה 'Yehoyaqim' ben Yo’shiyahu, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 11 years. Death: Natural Causes	The Battle of Carchemish occurred in the fourth year of his reign (Jeremiah 46:2)
598	598	598–597	'Jehoiachin' ('Jeconiah')	'יהויכין' בן-יהויקים מלך יהודה 'Yehoyakhin' ben Yehoyaqim, Melekh Yehudah 'יכניהו' בן-יהויקים מלך יהודה 'Yekhonyahu' ben Yehoyaqim, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 3 months & 10 days. Death: King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon sent for him and brought him to Babylon, where he lived and died.	Jerusalem was captured by the Babylonians and Jehoiachin deposed on 16 March, 597 BCE. Called Jeconiah in Jeremiah and Esther
597–587	597–586	597–586	'Zedekiah'	'צדקיהו' בן-יהויכין מלך יהודה 'Tzidqiyahu' ben Yo’shiyahu, Melekh Yehudah	Reigned over Judah in Jerusalem for 11 years. Death: Unknown.	His reign saw the second rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar (588-586 BC). Jerusalem was captured after a lengthy siege, the temple burnt, Zedekiah blinded and taken into exile, and Judah reduced to a province.

From the end of the kingdom to the present

After the end of the ancient kingdom the area passed into foreign rule, apart from brief periods, under the following powers:

★ 586–539 BCE: Babylonian Empire

★ 539–332 BCE: Persian Empire

★ 332–305 BCE: Empire of Alexander the Great

★ 305–198 BCE: Ptolemaics

★ 198–141 BCE: Seleucids

★ 141–37 BCE: The Hasmonean kingdom in Israel established by the Maccabees, after 63 BC under Roman supremacy

★ 37 BCE–70 CE: Herodian Dynasty ruling Judea under Roman supremacy (37 BCE-6 CE, 41-44 CE), interchanging with direct Roman rule (6-41, 44-66). This ended in the first Jewish Revolt of 66 - 73, which saw the Temple destroyed in 70.

★ 6 CE Census of Quirinius and establishment of Roman Iudaea Province

★ 70–395: province of Roman Empire first called Judea, after 135 called Palaestina. In 395 the Roman Empire is split into a Western and an Eastern part.

★ 395–638: Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire

★ 638–1099: Arab Caliphates and subject rulers

★ 1099–1187: Crusader states, most notably the Kingdom of Jerusalem

★ 1187–1260: dominated by the Ayyubids of Egypt and Damascus

★ 1260–1516: dominated by the Mamluks of Egypt

★ 1516–1917: Ottoman Turks, having previously conquered the Byzantine Empire in 1453

★ 1918–1948: British mandate of Palestine under, first, League of Nations, then, successor United Nations; the Emirate of Trans-Jordan was separated from the rest of Palestine in 1922, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan became independent upon the expiration of the League of Nations Mandate in 1946.

★ May 1948 to present: independent State of Israel
:
★ 1948-1967 the Judea and Samaria was occupied by, and in 1950 annexed to, Jordan. Gaza Strip was occupied by Egypt
:
★ 1967 to present: the Judea and Samaria with Gaza administered by Israel in the Six Day War, since :1994 a civil autonomous non-jewish entity Palestinian Authority governs certain cities in the Judea and Samaria and Gaza Strip.

See also

★ Government of ancient Israel

★ History of ancient Israel and Judah

★ Israel

★ Judah

★ Judea
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External links

★ The Jewish History Resource Center Project of the Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

★ Complete Bible Genealogy A synchronized chart of the kings of Judah and Israel