Kings of Israel and Judah


The article deals with the biblical and historical kings of the Land of Israel—Abimelech of Sichem, the three kings of the United Kingdom of Israel and those of its successor states, Israel and Judah, followed in the Second Temple period, part of classical antiquity, by the kingdoms ruled by the Hasmonean and Herodian dynasties.
The Hebrew Bible describes a succession of kings of a United Kingdom of Israel, and then of divided kingdoms, Israel and Judah.
In contemporary scholarship, the united monarchy is debated, due to a lack of archaeological evidence for it. It is generally accepted that a "House of David" existed, but some scholars believe that David could have only been the king or chieftain of Judah, which was likely small, and that the northern kingdom was a separate development. There are some dissenters to this view, including those who support the traditional narrative, and those who support the united monarchy's existence but believe that the Bible contains theological exaggerations.

Overview tables

Kings and prophets

Diagrams, Saul to Zedekiah


Abimelech, son of Gideon

According to the Bible, the Tribes of Israel lived as a confederation under ad hoc charismatic leaders called judges. In around 1020 BCE, under extreme threat from foreign peoples, the tribes united to form the first United Kingdom of Israel. Samuel anointed Saul from the Tribe of Benjamin as the first king.
  • Saul or
  • Ish-bosheth

    House of David: united monarchy

AlbrightThieleGalilKitchenCommon/
Biblical
name		Regnal Name
and style		Notes
1000–962 1010–9701010–970Davidדוד בן-ישי מלך ישראל
David ben Yishai,
Melekh Yisra'el		Reigned over Judah for 7 years in Hebron, then Israel & Judah in Jerusalem for 33 years; 40 years in total.
Death: natural causes
962–922 970–931971–931Solomonשלמה בן-דוד מלך ישראל
Shelomo ben David,
Melekh Yisra'el		Reigned over Israel & Judah in Jerusalem for 40 years.
Death: natural causes
Son of David by Bathsheba, his rights of succession were disputed by his older half-brother Adonijah
922–915931–913931–914931–915Rehoboamרחבעם בן-שלמה מלך יהודה
Rechav'am ben Shlomo,
Melekh Yehudah		Reigned for 17 years. After 3 years, the kingdom was split into the kingdoms of Judah and Israel.
Death: natural causes

Separation into two kingdoms

After the death of king Solomon the United Kingdom of Israel was divided in two – the northern Kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam, with its capital, first in Shechem, then Penuel, Tirzah, and finally Samaria, and ruled by a series of dynasties beginning with Jeroboam; and the southern Kingdom of Judah with its capital still in Jerusalem and ruled by the House of David. Under Hezekiah's rule in the Kingdom of Judah, the Neo-Assyrian Empire conquered and destroyed the northern kingdom 722 BCE leaving only the southern kingdom of Judah.
The Bible judges all kings of Israel and Judah by their attitude towards Hashem's Torah, and on this basis they all belong to one of the categories: the good kings, the bad kings, and the kings who acted both good as well as bad.
All kings of Israel are considered to be bad, except of Jehu who is considered to have acted both good, since he is credited with the suppression of a cult of Baal, as well as bad, since he failed to suppress a cult of golden calves in Bethel and Dan.
Amongst kings of Judah, five of them are judged to have acted good throughout their reign: Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jotham, Hezekiah, and Josiah, whereas Jehoash, Amaziah, Uzziah and Manasseh are all described as kings who acted good as well as bad during their reign. The remaining monarchs are considered to have acted bad throughout their reign.

Kingdom of Israel (Samaria)

The [House of Jeroboam]

Yarob'am ben Nevat, Melekh Yisra'el
Nadav ben Yarob'am, Melekh Yisra'el

The [House of Baasha]

Ba'sha ben Achiyah, Melekh Yisra'el
'Ela ben Ba'sha, Melekh Yisra'el

The [House of Zimri]

Zimri, Melekh Yisra'el

The House of Tibni

Tibni, Melekh Yisra'el

The House of Omri">Omrides">House of Omri

'Omri, Melekh Yisra'el
Ach'av ben 'Omri, Melekh Yisra'el
'Achazyahu ben 'Ach'av, Melekh Yisra'el
Yehoram ben 'Ach'av, Melekh Yisra'el

The [House of Jehu]

Yehu ben Yehoshafat, Melekh Yisra'el
Yeho'achaz ben Yehu, Melekh Yisra'el
Yo'ash ben Yeho'achaz, Melekh Yisra'el
Yarob'am ben Yo'ash, Melekh Yisra'el
Zekharya ben Yarob'am, Melekh Yisra'el

The [House of Shallum]

Shallum ben Yavesh, Melekh Yisra'el

The House of Menahem (also known as the [House of Gadi])

Menachem ben Gadi, Melekh Yisra'el
Peqachya ben Menachem, Melekh Yisra'el

The [House of Pekah]

Peqach ben Remalyahu, Melekh Yisra'el

The [House of Hoshea]

Hoshea' ben 'Ela, Melekh Yisra'el

Kingdom of Judah

House of David

'Aviyam ben Rechav'am,
Melekh Yehuda
'Asa ben 'Aviyam,
Melekh Yehuda
Yehoshafat ben 'Asa,
Melekh Yehuda
Yehoram ben Yehoshafat,
Melekh Yehuda
'Achazyahu ben Yehoram,
Melekh Yehuda

House of Omri

'Atalya bat 'Omri,
Malkat Yehuda

House of David

Yeho'ash ben 'Achazyahu,
Melekh Yehuda
'Amatzyah ben Yehoash,
Melekh Yehuda
'Uzziyahu ben 'Amatzyah,
Melekh Yehuda
Yotam ben 'Uzziyahu,
Melekh Yehuda
'Achaz ben Yotam,
Melekh Yehuda
Chizeqiyahu ben 'Achaz,
Melekh Yehuda
Menashe ben Chizeqiyahu,
Melekh Yehuda
'Amon ben Menashe,
Melekh Yehuda
Yo'shiyahu ben 'Amon,
Melekh Yehuda
Yeho'achaz ben Yo'shiyahu,
Melekh Yehuda
Yehoyaqim ben Yo'shiyahu,
Melekh Yehuda
Yehoyakhin ben Yehoyaqim,
Melekh Yehuda
יכניהו בן-יהויקים מלך יהודה
Yekhonyahu ben Yehoyaqim, Melekh Yehuda
Tzideqiyahu ben Yo'shiyahu,
Melekh Yehuda

Hasmonean Dynasty

Hasmonean Dynasty

King and High Priest of Judaea
King and High Priest of Judaea
Queen of Judaea
King and High Priest of Judaea
King and High Priest of Judaea; Ethnarch of Judaea
King and High Priest of Judaea

Herodian Dynasty

  • Herod the Great
  • Herod Agrippa

    Family Tree