Kings of Israel and Judah

Updated September 9, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

The Kingdoms of Israel

The historical kingdom of Israel existed as a united kingdom for only a brief period of time. As related in the Old Testament and the Hebrew Bible, it lasted for just a few generations. According to archaeologists, the Israelite kingdom might never have been unified; the division between Judah and Israel may have been always been the historical fact. We have kept the traditional list here with the House of David ruling a unified Israel, but it may have been the case that David ruled just in Judah. 

Kings Before Division of Kingdom

• Saul: First King of Israel; son of Kish; father of Ish-Bosheth, Jonathan and Michal.
• Ish-Bosheth (or Eshbaal): King of Israel; son of Saul.
• David: King of Judah; later of Israel; son of Jesse; husband of Abigail, Ahinoam, Bathsheba, Michal, etc.; father of Absalom, Adonijah, Amnon, Solomon, Tamar, etc.
• Solomon: King of Israel and Judah; son of David; father of Rehoboam.
• Rehoboam: Son of Solomon; during his reign the kingdom was divided into Judah and Israel.

Kings of Judah (Southern Kingdom)

• Rehoboam: First King.
• Abijah (or Abijam or Abia): Son of Rehoboam.
• Asa: Probably son of Abijah.
• Jehoshaphat: Son of Asa.
• Jehoram (or Joram): Son of Jehoshaphat; husband of Athaliah.
• Ahaziah: Son of Jehoram and Athaliah.
• Athaliah: Daughter of King Ahab of Israel and Jezebel; wife of Jehoram; only queen to occupy the throne of Judah.
• Joash (or Jehoash): Son of Ahaziah.
• Amaziah: Son of Joash.
• Uzziah (or Azariah): Son of Amaziah.
• Jotham: Regent, later King; son of Uzziah.
• Ahaz: Son of Jotham.
• Hezekiah: Son of Ahaz; husband of Hephzi-Bah.
• Manasseh: Son of Hezekiah and Hephzi-Bah.
• Amon: Son of Manasseh.
• Josiah (or Josias): Son of Amon.
• Jehoahaz (or Joahaz): Son of Josiah.
• Jehoiakim: Son of Josiah.
• Jehoiachin: Son of Jehoiakim.
• Zedekiah: Son of Josiah; kingdom overthrown by Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar.

Kings of Israel (Northern Kingdom)

• Jeroboam I: Led secession of Israel.
• Nadab: Son of Jeroboam I.
• Baasha: Overthrew Nadab.
• Elah: Son of Baasha.
• Zimri: Overthrew Elah.
• Omri: Overthrew Zimri.
• Ahab: Son of Omri; husband of Jezebel.
• Ahaziah: Son of Ahab.
• Jehoram (or Joram): Son of Ahab.
• Jehu: Overthrew Jehoram.
• Jehoahaz (or Joahaz): Son of Jehu.
• Jehoash (or Joash): Son of Jehoahaz.
• Jeroboam Il: Son of Jehoash.
• Zechariah: Son of Jeroboam II.
• Shallum: Overthrew Zechariah.
• Menahem: Overthrew Shallum.
• Pekahiah: Son of Menahem.
• Pekah: Overthrew Pekahiah.
• Hoshea: Overthrew Pekah; kingdom overthrown by Assyrians under Sargon II.

Prophets

• Major. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel.
• Minor. Hosea, Obadiah, Nahum, Haggai, Joel, Jonah, Habakkuk, Zechariah, Amos, Micah, Zephaniah, Malachi.