These notes were originally the product of a Bible study class held in Brisbane during 1974 and 1975 upon the theme “The Kings of Israel and Judah.” The class undertook the study of the lives and characters of 39 kings who ruled over Israel and Judah from the division of the kingdom of Solomon in 931 BC to the overthrow of Judah in 586 BC.
A great deal of valuable instruction and exhortation can be derived from a consideration of the affairs of God’s ecclesia in this period of its history and these notes were prepared so that others might share some of the benefits of this study which is aptly suited to the times in which we live.
The life of each king is considered separately in essay and summary form, to which has been added verse by verse notes to assist study of the text. Every attempt has been made however, to retain a measure of synchronisation between contemporary kings as this is the method employed by the Divine chronicler.
The notes span the following sections of scripture:–
1 Kings chapters 12 to 22; 2 Kings chapters 1 to 25; and 2 Chronicles chapters 10 to 36.
Not all chapters listed receive consideration and those chapters dealing with the lives of Elijah and Elisha have been excluded except where they record events in the lives of the two great prophets that are interwoven with the lives of the kings under consideration. It also follows that where the history of the kings is repeated in almost identical form in the companion record it has been omitted as additional notes would serve no purpose.
In re-issuing these notes to the Brotherhood after many years of unavailability the publishers hope that they will be a helpful source of information for Bible students who undertake a study of the kings of Israel and Judah. A prayerful and careful study of this portion of the Scriptures is a most rewarding exercise and is commended to all.
Table of Contents
- Athaliah – “That wicked woman” (Judah)
- Joash – The Ungrateful Dependant (Judah)
- Amaziah – The Offensive Infidel (Judah)
- Jehoahaz – The Oppressed Idolater (Israel)
- Jehoash – The Indifferent Deliverer (Israel)
- Jeroboam – The Militant Restorer (Israel)
- Uzziah – The Presumptuous Pragmatist (Judah)
- Why Matthew excluded four rulers
- Jotham – The Upright (Judah)
- Ahaz – The Perfidious Idolater (Judah)
- Zachariah – The Unfortunate (Israel)
- Shallum – The Ephemeral (Israel)
- Menahem – The Rapacious Exactor (Israel)
- The kings of Assyria and the rulers of Babylon
- Pekaiah – The Obscure (Israel)
- Pekah – The Contemptible (Israel)
- Hoshea – The Treacherous (Israel)
- Hezekiah – Yahweh’s Trusting Servant (Judah)
- Manasseh – The Murderous Corruptor (Judah)
- Amon – The Reprobate (Judah)
- Josiah – The Youthful Reformer (Judah)
- Jehoahaz – The Preferred (Judah)
- Jehoiakim – The Arrogant Tyrant (Judah)
- Jehoiachin – The Helpless (Judah)
- Zedekiah – The Profane Rebel (Judah)
- History from the death of Josiah to the fall of Jerusalem