Kings of Israel and Judah

Determining the chronology of a sequence (or otherwise) of events such as those of the Old Testament is fraught. There are many wise scholars who have somewhat different opinions, because the methodology is complex – there was no calendar as we know it - dates of events, such when a king ascended a throne, were relative, often to the lives of prominent people, such as other kings. For example, King Ahab's reign is narrated as: In the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years (1 Kings 16:29).

Of course there are some who dispute everything, such as those who think David got no further than ruling a small part of Judah, not a united Israel, but this view requires dispensing with Biblical truth, and thus the work of the Holy Spirit, so no further mention is warranted.

This table is based on that of William Thiele[1], who has his critics but many quote him over others. William F Albright commences the chronology ~40 years earlier, but Gershon Galil (a newish scholar[2]) from Israel, is similar to Thiele in many ways with some quirks. Kenneth Kitchen (from Britain) whose expertise is on Egyptian chronology, has also contributed to this literature and worth examining[3]. Some go way out on a limb such as Floyd Nolen Jones who asserts all are wrong, and provides and alternative view, commencing with the reign of David in 1055 BC, but has Zedekiah ascending the throne in the same year as Thiele provides.[4]

 

King Walked with the Lord Year ascent (Thiele) Reign (yrs) Prophets

First King

Judah Israel
1. Saul Yes/No 1050 BC 40

Davidic Kingdom

1. David Yes/No 1010 BC 40
2. Solomon Yes/No 970 BC 40

Divided Kingdom

Kings of Judah Kings of Israel
1. Rehoboam No 931 BC 17
1. Jeroboam I No 931 BC 22 (Ahijah)
2. Abijah No 913 BC 3
3. Asa Yes 911 BC 41
2. Nadab No 910 BC 2
3. Baasha No 909 BC 24 (Jehu)
4. Elah No 886 BC 2
5. Zimri No 885 BC 7 days
6. Omri Evil 885 BC 12
7. Ahab Evil 874 BC 22 (Elijah)
4. Jehoshaphat Yes 870 BC 25 (Micaiah)
8. Ahaziah No 853 BC 2 (Elisha)
9. Joram Yes/No 852 BC 12
5. Jehoram No 848 BC 8
6. Ahaziah No 841 BC 1
10. Jehu Yes/No 841 BC 28
7. Queen Athaliah No 841 BC 6
8. Joash Yes/No 835 BC 40 Joel (estimate)
11. Jehoahaz No 814 BC 17
12. Jehoash No 798 BC 16
9. Amaziah Yes/No No 796 BC 29 Jonah (to Nineveh) (approx)
13. Jeroboam II No 782 BC 41 Amos,
No Hosea (until Hezekiah)
10. Uzziah (Azariah) Yes/No 767 BC 52 Isaiah (until Hezekiah)
14. Zechariah No 753 BC 6 months
15. Shallum No 752 BC 1 month
16. Menahem No 752 BC 10
17. Pekahiah No 742 BC 2
18. Pekah No 740 BC 20
11. Jotham Yes 740 BC 16 Micah (until Hezekiah)
12. Ahaz No 732 BC 16
19. Hoshea No 732 BC 9
13. Hezekiah Yes 716 BC 29
14. Manasseh No 687 BC 55
15. Amon No 642 BC 2 Nahum (to Nineveh) (approx)
16. Josiah Yes 640 BC 31 Zephaniah
Jeremiah (into exile)
17. Jehoahaz No 609 BC 3 months
18. Jehoiakim Evil 609 BC 11 Habakkuk (approx)
19. Jehoiachin No 597 BC 3 months
20. Zedekiah No 597 BC 11

Captivity - Israel & Judah ruled by Gentile Nations [5]

592 BC Ezekiel,
Daniel
587 BC (maybe) Obadiah
520 BC Haggai, Zechariah
(Esther) 478 BC
(Ezra) 458 BC
(Nehemiah) 445 BC
433 BC Malachi

[1] E.R. Thiele, The Chronology of the Kings of Judah and Israel (1944) Jounral of Near Eastern Studies III(3) July 1944 https://archive.org/details/E.r.ThieleTheChronologyOfTheKingsOfJudahAndIsrael1944  (accessed November 2024)

[2] Gershon Galil, The Chronology of the Kings of Israel and Judah (1996), Brill Academic Publishers.

[3] Kenneth Kitchen, On the Reliability of the Old Testament (2003), Eerdmans Publishing

[4] Floyd Nolen Jones, The Chronology of the Old Testament: Solving the Bible's Most Intriguing Mysteries 15th Edition, (2005), Master Books.

[5] 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.

David L Simon
2024 December 4
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