How many kings did Israel and Judah have?

After Saul, David and Solomon ruled the united kingdom, the northern kingdom of Israel had 19 kings (20 counting the rival Tibni) until Samaria fell to Assyria in 722 BC. Judah had 19 kings and one queen, Athaliah, until Jerusalem fell to Babylon in 586 BC.

Which kings of Judah were good?

Kings says that Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah (Azariah), Jotham, Hezekiah and Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, several with reservations. Every king of the northern kingdom is said to have done evil, with Jehu partly commended.

Why do dates for the kings differ?

The reign lengths and cross-references in 1–2 Kings do not add up simply. Edwin Thiele reconciled them with coregencies and different ways of counting accession years; William Albright proposed a lower chronology. The two usually differ by a few years to a decade.

Which kings are named outside the Bible?

Among others: Omri (Mesha Stele), Ahab (Kurkh Monolith), Jehu (Black Obelisk), Joash of Israel (Tell al-Rimah Stele), Menahem, Pekah, Hoshea and Ahaz (Tiglath-pileser III), Hezekiah (Sennacherib’s annals), Manasseh (Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal) and Jehoiachin (Babylonian ration tablets).

Kings of Israel and Judah

Every ruler from Saul to Zedekiah with dates in Edwin Thiele’s and William Albright’s chronologies, the reign length given in Scripture, the verdict in Kings and how each reign ended.

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United monarchy

Ruler	Thiele	Albright	Reign in the Bible	Verdict in Kings	End of reign	Passage
Saul	1050–1010 BC	1020–1000 BC	40 years (Acts 13:21); the Hebrew of 1 Sam 13:1 is incomplete	Did evil	Fell on his sword after defeat on Mount Gilboa	1 Samuel 9:1
Ish-bosheth also Eshbaal	1010–1008 BC	1000–998 BC	2 years	No verdict given	Murdered in his bed by two of his captains	2 Samuel 2:8
David	1010–970 BC	1000–962 BC	40 years: 7½ in Hebron, 33 in Jerusalem	Did what was right	Died in old age after making Solomon king	1 Samuel 16:1
Solomon also Jedidiah	970–930 BC	961–922 BC	40 years	Mixed	Died in Jerusalem	1 Kings 1:1

Kings of Judah

The southern kingdom, ruled from Jerusalem by the house of David, from the division of the kingdom (c. 931 BC) to the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem (586 BC).

Ruler	Thiele	Albright	Reign in the Bible	Verdict in Kings	End of reign	Passage
Rehoboam	931–913 BC	922–915 BC	17 years	Did evil	Died in Jerusalem	1 Kings 12:1
Abijah also Abijam	913–911 BC	915–913 BC	3 years	Did evil	Died in Jerusalem	1 Kings 15:1
Asa	911–870 BC	913–873 BC	41 years	Did what was right (with reservations)	Died with a disease in his feet	1 Kings 15:9
Jehoshaphat	870–848 BC	873–849 BC	25 years	Did what was right (with reservations)	Died in Jerusalem	1 Kings 22:1
Jehoram also Joram	848–841 BC	849–842 BC	8 years	Did evil	Died of a painful disease of the bowels, “to no one’s regret”	2 Kings 8:16
Ahaziah also Jehoahaz	841 BC	842 BC	1 year	Did evil	Killed by Jehu’s men while visiting Joram of Israel	2 Kings 8:25
Athaliah	841–835 BC	842–837 BC	6 years	Did evil	Executed when the priest Jehoiada crowned Joash	2 Kings 11:1
Joash also Jehoash	835–796 BC	837–800 BC	40 years	Did what was right (with reservations)	Assassinated by his servants	2 Kings 11:21
Amaziah	796–767 BC	800–783 BC	29 years	Did what was right (with reservations)	Assassinated at Lachish	2 Kings 14:1
Uzziah also Azariah	767–740 BC	783–742 BC	52 years	Did what was right (with reservations)	Died a leper, having lived apart while Jotham governed	2 Kings 15:1
Jotham	740–732 BC	742–735 BC	16 years	Did what was right (with reservations)	Died in Jerusalem	2 Kings 15:32
Ahaz	732–716 BC	735–715 BC	16 years	Did evil	Died in Jerusalem	2 Kings 16:1
Hezekiah	716–687 BC	715–687 BC	29 years	Did what was right	Died in Jerusalem	2 Kings 18:1
Manasseh	687–643 BC	687–642 BC	55 years	Did evil	Died and was buried in the garden of his house	2 Kings 21:1
Amon	643–641 BC	642–640 BC	2 years	Did evil	Assassinated by his servants	2 Kings 21:19
Josiah	641–609 BC	640–609 BC	31 years	Did what was right	Killed by Pharaoh Neco at Megiddo	2 Kings 22:1
Jehoahaz also Shallum	609 BC	609 BC	3 months	Did evil	Deposed by Neco and taken to Egypt, where he died	2 Kings 23:31
Jehoiakim also Eliakim	609–598 BC	609–598 BC	11 years	Did evil	Died as Babylon moved against Jerusalem	2 Kings 23:34
Jehoiachin also Jeconiah, Coniah	598–597 BC	598–597 BC	3 months	Did evil	Surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar and taken to Babylon	2 Kings 24:8
Zedekiah also Mattaniah	597–586 BC	597–587 BC	11 years	Did evil	Captured near Jericho, blinded and taken to Babylon	2 Kings 24:17

Kings of Israel

The northern kingdom, ruled from Shechem, Tirzah and finally Samaria by nine dynasties, until the Assyrian conquest (722 BC).

Ruler	Thiele	Albright	Reign in the Bible	Verdict in Kings	End of reign	Passage
Jeroboam I	931–910 BC	922–901 BC	22 years	Did evil	Struck down by the LORD	1 Kings 11:26
Nadab	910–909 BC	901–900 BC	2 years	Did evil	Assassinated by Baasha at Gibbethon	1 Kings 15:25
Baasha	909–886 BC	900–877 BC	24 years	Did evil	Died at Tirzah	1 Kings 15:32
Elah	886–885 BC	877–876 BC	2 years	Did evil	Killed while drunk by Zimri	1 Kings 16:8
Zimri	885 BC	876 BC	7 days	Did evil	Burned the palace over himself when Omri besieged Tirzah	1 Kings 16:9
Tibni	885–880 BC	876–871 BC	Not stated	No verdict given	Died, leaving Omri sole king	1 Kings 16:21
Omri	880–874 BC	876–869 BC	12 years, 6 of them at Tirzah	Did evil	Died at Samaria	1 Kings 16:15
Ahab	874–853 BC	869–850 BC	22 years	Did evil	Killed by a random arrow at Ramoth-gilead	1 Kings 16:29
Ahaziah	853–852 BC	850–849 BC	2 years	Did evil	Died after falling through a lattice, having consulted Baal-zebub	1 Kings 22:51
Joram also Jehoram	852–841 BC	849–842 BC	12 years	Did evil (with reservations)	Shot by Jehu at Jezreel	2 Kings 3:1
Jehu	841–814 BC	842–815 BC	28 years	Mixed	Died at Samaria	2 Kings 9:1
Jehoahaz	814–798 BC	815–801 BC	17 years	Did evil	Died at Samaria	2 Kings 13:1
Jehoash also Joash	798–782 BC	801–786 BC	16 years	Did evil	Died at Samaria	2 Kings 13:10
Jeroboam II	782–753 BC	786–746 BC	41 years	Did evil	Died at Samaria	2 Kings 14:23
Zechariah	753–752 BC	746–745 BC	6 months	Did evil	Assassinated in public by Shallum	2 Kings 15:8
Shallum	752 BC	745 BC	1 month	No verdict given	Killed by Menahem in Samaria	2 Kings 15:10
Menahem	752–742 BC	745–738 BC	10 years	Did evil	Died at Samaria	2 Kings 15:14
Pekahiah	742–740 BC	738–737 BC	2 years	Did evil	Assassinated by his officer Pekah	2 Kings 15:23
Pekah	740–732 BC	737–732 BC	20 years	Did evil	Assassinated by Hoshea	2 Kings 15:25
Hoshea	732–722 BC	732–724 BC	9 years	Did evil (with reservations)	Imprisoned by Shalmaneser V before Samaria fell	2 Kings 17:1

Prophets during the monarchy

Samuel (c. 1070–1015 BC): 1 Samuel 3:19
Gad (c. 1015–975 BC): 2 Samuel 24:11
Nathan (c. 1000–965 BC): 2 Samuel 7:2
Ahijah (c. 935–910 BC): 1 Kings 11:29
Shemaiah (c. 931–913 BC): 1 Kings 12:22
Elijah (c. 875–848 BC): 1 Kings 17:1
Micaiah (c. 854–853 BC): 1 Kings 22:8
Elisha (c. 850–797 BC): 2 Kings 2:1
Jonah (c. 790–770 BC): 2 Kings 14:25
Amos (c. 765–750 BC): Amos 1:1
Hosea (c. 755–715 BC): Hosea 1:1
Isaiah (c. 740–686 BC): Isaiah 1:1
Micah (c. 735–700 BC): Micah 1:1
Nahum (c. 663–612 BC): Nahum 1:1
Zephaniah (c. 640–621 BC): Zephaniah 1:1
Jeremiah (c. 627–580 BC): Jeremiah 1:1
Huldah (c. 623–621 BC): 2 Kings 22:14
Habakkuk (c. 609–598 BC): Habakkuk 1:1
Daniel (c. 605–536 BC): Daniel 1:1
Ezekiel (c. 593–571 BC): Ezekiel 1:1

Key events

1010 BC: David becomes king at Hebron (2 Samuel 2:4)
966 BC: Solomon begins the temple (1 Kings 6:1)
930 BC: The kingdom divides (1 Kings 12:16)
925 BC: Shishak of Egypt plunders Jerusalem (1 Kings 14:25)
853 BC: Battle of Qarqar against Assyria (1 Kings 22:1)
841 BC: Jehu’s revolt; tribute to Shalmaneser III (2 Kings 9:24)
734 BC: Syro-Ephraimite war against Judah (Isaiah 7:1)
732 BC: Assyria takes Damascus (2 Kings 16:9)
722 BC: Samaria falls; Israel deported to Assyria (2 Kings 17:6)
701 BC: Sennacherib besieges Jerusalem (2 Kings 18:13)
622 BC: Book of the Law found; Josiah’s reform (2 Kings 22:8)
612 BC: Nineveh falls (Nahum 1:1)
605 BC: Babylon defeats Egypt at Carchemish; first exiles (Jeremiah 46:2)
597 BC: Nebuchadnezzar takes Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:10)
586 BC: Jerusalem and the temple destroyed (2 Kings 25:8)
562 BC: Jehoiachin released in Babylon (2 Kings 25:27)

The nations around Israel

Rulers of Egypt, Aram-Damascus, Assyria, Babylon and Persia who appear in the history of Israel and Judah.

Ruler	Nation	Dates	Passage
Shishak Shoshenq I	Egypt	c. 945–924 BC	1 Kings 14:25
So probably Osorkon IV	Egypt	c. 730–715 BC	2 Kings 17:4
Tirhakah Taharqa	Egypt	690–664 BC	2 Kings 19:9
Neco II Necho	Egypt	610–595 BC	2 Kings 23:29
Hophra Apries	Egypt	589–570 BC	Jeremiah 44:30
Ben-hadad I	Aram-Damascus	c. 900–860 BC	1 Kings 15:18
Ben-hadad II Hadadezer	Aram-Damascus	c. 860–842 BC	1 Kings 20:1
Hazael	Aram-Damascus	c. 842–796 BC	2 Kings 8:15
Ben-hadad III	Aram-Damascus	c. 796–775 BC	2 Kings 13:24
Rezin	Aram-Damascus	c. 750–732 BC	2 Kings 16:5
Ashurnasirpal II	Assyria	883–859 BC
Shalmaneser III	Assyria	858–824 BC
Adad-nirari III	Assyria	810–783 BC
Tiglath-pileser III Pul	Assyria	745–727 BC	2 Kings 15:19
Shalmaneser V	Assyria	727–722 BC	2 Kings 17:3
Sargon II	Assyria	722–705 BC	Isaiah 20:1
Sennacherib	Assyria	705–681 BC	2 Kings 18:13
Esarhaddon	Assyria	681–669 BC	2 Kings 19:37
Ashurbanipal Osnappar	Assyria	669–631 BC	Ezra 4:10
Merodach-baladan Marduk-apla-iddina II	Babylon	722–710 BC	2 Kings 20:12
Nabopolassar	Babylon	626–605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar II	Babylon	605–562 BC	2 Kings 24:1
Evil-merodach Amel-Marduk	Babylon	562–560 BC	2 Kings 25:27
Nabonidus	Babylon	556–539 BC
Cyrus the Great Cyrus II	Persia	539–530 BC	Ezra 1:1
Cambyses II	Persia	530–522 BC
Darius I Darius the Great	Persia	522–486 BC	Haggai 1:1
Ahasuerus Xerxes I	Persia	486–465 BC	Esther 1:1
Artaxerxes I	Persia	465–424 BC	Nehemiah 2:1
Darius II	Persia	423–404 BC

Recorded contacts with the kings

925 BC: Shishak plunders Jerusalem: Shishak and Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:25); Karnak victory relief of Shoshenq I
895 BC: Asa pays Ben-hadad to attack Baasha: Ben-hadad I and Asa (1 Kings 15:18)
857 BC: Ben-hadad besieges Samaria: Ben-hadad II and Ahab (1 Kings 20:1)
853 BC: Battle of Qarqar: Shalmaneser III and Ahab (1 Kings 22:1); Kurkh Monolith: “Ahab the Israelite” with 2,000 chariots
842 BC: Joram wounded fighting Hazael at Ramoth-gilead: Hazael and Joram (2 Kings 8:28)
841 BC: Jehu’s tribute to Assyria: Shalmaneser III and Jehu (2 Kings 10:32); Black Obelisk: “Jehu, son of Omri” pays tribute
815 BC: Joash buys off Hazael with temple treasures: Hazael and Joash (2 Kings 12:17)
810 BC: Israel oppressed by Hazael: Hazael and Jehoahaz (2 Kings 13:3)
796 BC: Jehoash pays tribute to Assyria: Adad-nirari III and Jehoash (2 Kings 13:5); Tell al-Rimah Stele: tribute of “Joash of Samaria”
790 BC: Jehoash recovers cities from Ben-hadad: Ben-hadad III and Jehoash (2 Kings 13:25)
743 BC: Menahem pays 1,000 talents: Tiglath-pileser III and Menahem (2 Kings 15:19); Annals of Tiglath-pileser III: tribute of “Menahem of Samaria”
734 BC: Rezin and Pekah besiege Jerusalem: Rezin and Ahaz (2 Kings 16:5)
734 BC: Ahaz becomes Assyria’s vassal: Tiglath-pileser III and Ahaz (2 Kings 16:7); Tribute list of Tiglath-pileser III: “Jehoahaz of Judah”
732 BC: Galilee and Gilead annexed: Tiglath-pileser III and Pekah (2 Kings 15:29); Tiglath-pileser III: “they overthrew Pekah their king”
732 BC: Hoshea placed on the throne: Tiglath-pileser III and Hoshea (2 Kings 15:30); Tiglath-pileser III: “I placed Hoshea as king over them”
725 BC: Hoshea appeals to Egypt: So and Hoshea (2 Kings 17:4)
725 BC: Hoshea imprisoned; siege of Samaria: Shalmaneser V and Hoshea (2 Kings 17:3)
722 BC: Samaria falls: Sargon II and Hoshea (2 Kings 17:6); Sargon II’s annals: conquest of Samaria
703 BC: Envoys from Babylon: Merodach-baladan and Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:12)
701 BC: Siege of Jerusalem: Sennacherib and Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:13); Sennacherib’s annals (Taylor Prism) and the Lachish reliefs
701 BC: Tirhakah marches against Sennacherib: Tirhakah and Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:9)
673 BC: Manasseh a vassal of Assyria: Esarhaddon and Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:11); Esarhaddon’s prism: “Manasseh, king of Judah”
609 BC: Josiah killed at Megiddo: Neco II and Josiah (2 Kings 23:29)
609 BC: Jehoahaz deposed and taken to Egypt: Neco II and Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:33)
604 BC: Jehoiakim becomes Babylon’s vassal: Nebuchadnezzar II and Jehoiakim (2 Kings 24:1)
597 BC: Jehoiachin surrenders: Nebuchadnezzar II and Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:12); Babylonian Chronicle: Jerusalem taken, 2 Adar 597 BC
588 BC: Egypt briefly relieves Jerusalem: Hophra and Zedekiah (Jeremiah 37:5)
586 BC: Jerusalem and the temple destroyed: Nebuchadnezzar II and Zedekiah (2 Kings 25:8)
562 BC: Jehoiachin released: Evil-merodach and Jehoiachin (2 Kings 25:27); Babylonian ration tablets name “Ya’ukin, king of Judah”

After the exile

539 BC: Cyrus takes Babylon (Daniel 5:30)
538 BC: Cyrus’s decree; the first return (Ezra 1:1)
520 BC: Zerubbabel resumes the temple (Haggai 1:1)
516 BC: The second temple completed (Ezra 6:15)
483 BC: Ahasuerus’s feast (Esther) (Esther 1:3)
458 BC: Ezra comes to Jerusalem (Ezra 7:8)
445 BC: Nehemiah rebuilds the walls (Nehemiah 2:1)
432 BC: Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem (Nehemiah 13:6)

Frequently asked questions

How many kings did Israel and Judah have?: After Saul, David and Solomon ruled the united kingdom, the northern kingdom of Israel had 19 kings (20 counting the rival Tibni) until Samaria fell to Assyria in 722 BC. Judah had 19 kings and one queen, Athaliah, until Jerusalem fell to Babylon in 586 BC.
Which kings of Judah were good?: Kings says that Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah (Azariah), Jotham, Hezekiah and Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, several with reservations. Every king of the northern kingdom is said to have done evil, with Jehu partly commended.
Why do dates for the kings differ?: The reign lengths and cross-references in 1–2 Kings do not add up simply. Edwin Thiele reconciled them with coregencies and different ways of counting accession years; William Albright proposed a lower chronology. The two usually differ by a few years to a decade.
Which kings are named outside the Bible?: Among others: Omri (Mesha Stele), Ahab (Kurkh Monolith), Jehu (Black Obelisk), Joash of Israel (Tell al-Rimah Stele), Menahem, Pekah, Hoshea and Ahaz (Tiglath-pileser III), Hezekiah (Sennacherib’s annals), Manasseh (Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal) and Jehoiachin (Babylonian ration tablets).

Dates are approximate. Thiele: The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings (3rd ed., 1983). Albright: “The Chronology of the Divided Monarchy of Israel”, BASOR 100 (1945). Dates for Saul, David and Solomon are conventional estimates.