THE 40 RULERS OF THE DIVIDED KINGDOM

 Seth Asare Ofei Badu

The two books of Kings turn on the house of King OMRI the founder of Samaria, the more famous capital of the Northern Kingdom, Israel. His 4-generation dynasty had succeeded two failed dynasties (of JEROBOAM I-NADAB, and BAASHA-ELAH), and two other usurpers (ZIMRI and TIBNI). REHOBOAM, ABIJAH and ASA, the first three kings of the Southern Kingdom (Judah), had stayed aloof of the idolatry instituted by Jeroboam I (founder of the Northern Kingdom). But the next three kings of Judah, namely, JEHOSHAPHAT, JEHORAM and AHAZIAH kept very familiar ties with Omri’s successors, AHAB, AHAZIAH and JORAM. The first book therefore closes with Elijah’s severe ministry in a bid to end idolatry in Israel, which threatened to rope in Judah by virtue of the close association of the two kingdoms' then ruling houses. 

2 Kings shows the commencement of Prophet Elisha’s ministry that triggers the unlike but parallel ‘house-cleanings’. In Israel JEHU exterminates the house of Omri in a bid to end Baal worship, killing Joram of Israel and Ahaziah of Judah in the process. Ahaziah’s mother, ATHALIAH, seizes opportunity of the vacuum created to attempt the extermination David’s royal line, and rules Judah for about seven years. 

Jehu rules Israel as its 11th king for 28 years, but because he does not depart from Jeroboam’s idolatry, his territory shrinks severely and his dynasty lasts only for just over 70 more years through JEHOAHAZ, JEHOASH, JEROBOAM II and ZECHARIAH. The severely weakened Northern Kingdom is wiped out by the Assyrians 40 years later, after four (Zechariah, SHALLUM, PEKAHIAH and PEKAH) of its lasts six kings were assassinated. Only MENAHEM was peacefully succeeded by his son Pekahiah. HOSHEA, who assassinated Pekah, was deported along with all his people by Shalmaneser of Assyria.  

The Southern kingdom, Judah, however, survived for about 300 years after Jehu killed Ahaziah. JOASH replaced Athaliah on the throne of David, and his successors, AMAZIAH, UZZIAH and JOTHAM ruled fairly well for about 100 years. AHAZ, whose rule coincided with the deportation of Israel, interrupted the good rulership by seeking help from Assyria and instituting some idolatry. This led to the shrinking of Judah’s territory too. HEZEKIAH, his successor brought good reforms, but the two kings after him, MANASSEH and AMON, reverted to idolatry in far worse forms. Amon’s son, JOSIAH, however, did a lot to return Judah to God’s ways, but it seemed too little too late, as his two sons (JEHOAHAZ and JEHOIAKIM) and a grandson (JEHOIACHIN) who became kings after him were successively deported. Eventually, ZEDEKIAH, a third son of Josiah, was captured when Jerusalem and the temple were finally destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. 

Thus, when the United Kingdom of Israel split after Solomon, 20 persons ruled Israel and 20 persons ruled Judah, and all their names are capitalized in this write-up. This covers a period of some 400 years (930BC to 568 BC) that is well documented in secular history. One significance of the books of Kings in the Bible is the fact that some 12 of the 17 books of Prophets were put together in the period of the kings. Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi are clearly known to have prophesied after the exile closed. Also, almost all of 2 Chronicles alludes to the books of Kings.

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