The two-part book of Kings can be confusing. First, there's one nation to keep track of, then two, then one again. In all, 39 rulers are profiled. Little wonder it takes a biblical scholar to keep all the details straight.
The following list of 38 kings and one queen should help clarify the history of Israel in the North and Judah in the South. As you come across the name of a ruler in one of the history books or in a book of the prophets, simply refer to the capsule description below for a brief summary of the life during the time of that ruler or prophet.
In all, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were united for 120 years and divided for just over 200 years. Then Israel disappeared and Judah lasted alone another 135 years. After that, no independent Jewish nation existed until the 20th century.
The timeline on the bottom of the pages places the major prophets in the appropriate time period, along with the rulers of their era. Prophets whose names appear in a shaded background spoke to Israel; those listed against a white background spoke to Judah. (Dating of some rulers is inexact because of overlapping reigns. |
