In the Old Testament, forty-three kings ruled Israel and Judah from circa 1025 to 586 BC. Four kings ruled the United Kingdom of Israel from approximately 925 to 1025 BC before the kingdom was split. There was one evil king, two good kings, and one king who started as good but then turned evil.
Nineteen Kings ruled Israel from circa 925 to 721 BC; all of them did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Twenty kings ruled Judah from circa 925 to 586 BC. Six good kings ruled over Judah. Twelve kings did evil, and two started as good but turned evil in their old age. Ultimately, these wicked kings cause Israel and Judah to go into exile. Let’s review the good and evil kings of Israel. What caused God’s judgment of captivity by the Assyrians and the Babylonians?
It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established by righteousness. Proverbs 16:12 ESV
because of all the evil of the children of Israel and the children of Judah that they did to provoke me to anger— their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Jeremiah 32:32 ESV
The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria!” Isaiah 7:17 ESV
And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon. The king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officials, and the chief men of the land he took into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 Kings 24:15 ESV
Kings Of The United Kingdom
From 1025 to 925 BC, the kingdoms were united under Saul, David, and Solomon. During Ishbosheth’s reign, the kingdom was divided until his death. He was the son of Saul. He ruled Israel until his assassination. God did not anoint Ishbosheth to be king. God anointed David. Therefore, upon his death, David ruled both Israel and Judah.
I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, Psalm 89:20 ESV
Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. 1 Samuel 16:13 ESV
Saul, The First King
Saul became King when the people of God requested a king, just like the other nations before them. God’s people rejected God’s sovereignty for a human king. Saul is considered a bad king because he refused to obey God from the time he was first anointed as king. It began with Saul offering a sacrifice at Gilgal instead of waiting for the prophet Samuel. Also, in direct defiance of God, he did not completely annihilate the Amalekites. He spared the king and kept the spoils of the battle.
Saul’s Character
Saul allowed his pride, self-centeredness, self-preservation, and popularity to supersede God’s will and the needs of the people. King Saul was filled with fear, jealousy, and rage, and directed this against David. Saul had no repentance for any of his transgressions. He often made excuses to justify his transgressions. He took no responsibility for any of his sins against God and man. Finally, the first king of Israel visited a witch at Endor seeking to speak with the spirit of Samuel.
Saul lost Favor From God
These failures resulted in God taking away His favor and anointing David. The Lord God of Israel regretted that he made Saul king. Therefore, God rejected Saul and replaced him with David. King David would go on to be a good king.
Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. Acts 13:21 ESV
So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. 1 Samuel 11:15 ESV
So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. 1 Samuel 13:9 ESV
But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. 1 Samuel 15:9 ESV
And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” 1 Samuel 18:8 ESV
And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel. 1 Samuel 15:35 ESV
And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 1 Samuel 15:26 ESV
David, The King Of Judah, And Ishbosheth, The King of Israel
Before Israel could become a united kingdom, the son of Saul, Ishbosheth, had to be dealt with. Unfortunately, Ishbosheth was killed by Recab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite. The Beerothites were part of the tribe of Benjamin. They brought his head to King David, who immediately called for their execution. David considered Ishbosheth a righteous man. He did not need these men to avenge him. God was David’s redeemer. With God’s help, David went on to rule Israel as one nation. In the sight of the Lord, David sought after God’s own heart.
David’s Character
Obeying God, David made no effort to retaliate against Saul. He would allow the Lord to avenge him. David would not lay one hand on Saul, as Saul was God’s anointed too. Therefore, under the leadership of David, the people of Israel prospered through God’s blessing. David was not perfect, but his heart was always with God. Did he sin? Yes, but there was repentance and acceptance of God’s judgment. He passed down God’s word to his son Solomon. Solomon would be the new King of Israel upon David’s death.
How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 2 Samuel 4:11
But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity, 2 Samuel 4:9 ESV
And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. When they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,” 2 Samuel 2:4 ESV
And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ Acts 13:22 ESV
May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. 1 Samuel 24:12 ESV
King Solomon: Good To Bad
On King David’s deathbed, he proclaimed his own son king. Solomon’s reign began with Solomon asking for wisdom from God instead of riches. King Solomon knew that to reign over all of Israel would require help from the Lord. Solomon knew it would take great wisdom to rule the southern and the northern tribes of Israel. God was pleased with Solomon’s request for wisdom rather than more riches. God granted Solomon wisdom in abundance.
Solomon’s Changed Heart
Solomon ruled with wisdom for many years. However, in his later years, he allowed his wives to turn his heart from God. He began to worship the gods of his wives. This is why God forbade the people of Israel from entering into marriage with other nations. God knew this would turn their hearts from Him. Because of this unfaithfulness, God split the southern kingdom and the northern kingdom into Judah and Israel.
Southern and Northern Kingdoms
The southern kingdom consisted of Judah and Benjamin and was called Judah. The northern kingdom consisted of ten tribes and was named Israel. The Kingdom of Judah was ruled for about 339 years by nineteen different kings and one queen. The kingdom of Israel was ruled for about 204 years by 19 different kings. However, both kingdoms did evil in the eyes of the Lord, but Israel was a tad worse.
Jonathan answered Adonijah, “No, for our lord King David has made Solomon king, 1 Kings 1:43 ESV
King Solomon was king over all Israel, 1 Kings 4:1 ESV
Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” 1 Kings 3:9 ESV
so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. 1 Kings 4:30 ESV
For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. 1 Kings 11:4 ESV
from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 1 Kings 11:2 ESV
Kings of Israel
All the kings of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Hence, this would explain why they were taken into captivity by the Assyrians in just over 200 years. The nineteen kings that ruled Israel starting with King Jeroboam, Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, Ahab, Ahaziah, Jehoram (aka Joram), Jehu, Jehoahaz, Joash (AKA Jehoash), Jeroboam II, Zachariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, and Hoshea.
Of all of these listed, King Ahab was the worst of the lot. All the kings were guilty of leading the Israelites away from God by having them worship in high places, which were unauthorized places of worship. The Temple of Jerusalem is the sole authorized holy place for worshipping God.
Idol Worship By All The Kings
In these new high places, there was idol worship, worship of false gods, and immoral and promiscuous rituals. This included ceremonial prostitution and child sacrifices. The people built altars and asherah poles to these pagan gods. The asherah pole was a symbol of the goddess of Aherah. She was the Canaanite fertility goddess. None of these practices was of God.
Reign of Ahab
However, King Ahab was the most wicked of the evil kings of Israel. He actively and consistently promoted idolatry to the Jewish people. He replaced all worship of God with the worship of the god Baal. King Ahab led the entire nation into a sharp spiritual decline. Encouraged by his wife Jezebel, King Ahab built a temple and altar for Baal in Samaria. He built an Asherah pole for pagan worship. King Ahab supported the killing of God’s prophet by his wife, Jezebel. However, God sent the prophet Elijah to rebuke all Aherah and Baal worship.
King Ahab’s Greed
The most egregious injustice exhibited by King Ahab was the killing of Naboth to acquire his vineyard. In his greed, Ahab falsely accused Naboth of blasphemy and treason, which led to his murder. Hence, this was a dark period in Israel’s history. Ahab did nothing to control or condemn his powerful but manipulative wife, Jezebel. Therefore, God dealt harshly with Ahab, Jezebel, and his household.
And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 1 Kings 16:33 ESB
There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. 1 Kings 21:25 ESV
And as soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. 1 Kings 21:16 ESV
Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.1 Kings 21:21 ESV
And you shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, so that I may avenge on Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord. 2 Kings 9:7 ESV
Kings of Judah
The Kings of Judah were slightly better than the Kings of Israel. King Rehoboam was the first king after the split of Israel. After him came Abijam (AKA Abijah), Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram (AKA Joram), Ahaziah (AKA Azariah or Jehoahaz), Athaliah (the only queen), Joash (AKA Jehoash), Amaziah, Uzziah (AKA Azariah), Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah, Jehoahaz (AKA Shallum), Jehoiakim (AKA Eliakim), Jehoiachin (AKA Coniah, or Jeconiah), and Zedekiah (AKA Mattaniah).
Among these rulers, only Asa, Jehoshaphat, Uzziah, Jotham, Hezekiah, and Josiah did right. Joash and Amaziah, as young men, did right, but in their old age they did evil. After King Josiah, the last four kings did evil in the sight of God. They were the proverbial last straw. God sent the prophet Isaiah with a message to repent before the day of judgment. This message was also filled with hope if God’s people would serve him with love and humility. However, the people chose to follow their leaders and continue to sin against God.
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Isaiah 1:1 ESV
If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 1:19-20
if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV
Judgment On Israel and Judah
After more than 300 years, God sent prophet after prophet begging his people to return to him. The history of Israel is outlined in the Old Testament, detailing their refusal. From the prophet Elijah to the prophet Isaiah, God’s people refused to submit to Him. God’s people preferred to worship idols rather than the one true God. They also oppressed foreigners, the fatherless, widows, and shed innocent blood. Both nations did evil in their thoughts and their hearts.
They refused to reason with God when he offered forgiveness. Judah and Israel became enemies of God, and he sent the Assyrians and the Babylonians to avenge Himself.
Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made. Isaiah 2:8 ESV
if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, Jeremiah 7:6 ESV
Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways. Isaiah 59:7 ESV
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Isaiah 1:18 ESV
Therefore the Lord declares, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: “Ah, I will get relief from my enemies and avenge myself on my foes. Isaiah 1:24 ESV
Jesus Christ: King of Kings
No matter the evil we all do from time to time, God loves us. He loved us so much that he sent his son to die for us. We only need to believe in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. We should believe in the resurrection. And also that Jesus is coming again, as told in the New Testament. No matter what our sins may be, we serve a God who wants to forgive us. We only need to confess our sins, repent, and, if possible, make amends for our sins. God wants to forgive us. He is faithful and will never forsake us.
On the new Earth and in the new heaven, Jesus is the King of Kings. One day, He will rule over all creation.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. John 14:1 ESV
who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 1 Peter 1:21 ESV
and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11 ESV
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 ESV
On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Revelation 19:16 ESV
Recap: The Good And Evil Kings Of Israel In The Bible
In the Old Testament, the good and evil kings are all revealed. However, God desires to dwell with His people. The entire word of God is about forgiveness and love. If only the kings and God’s people had turned from their evil ways. If the Evil people had returned to God, they would have changed the story completely. Our Holy God would have saved them and healed the land. They only had to humble themselves before God. Instead, a line of increasingly evil kings led the people from God into idolatry and sin. However, God had a plan that included Jesus, the King of Kings. One day, He will return, and there will be no more suffering.
Jesus assures us that one day He will return and give us salvation. We must believe He is the Son of God and that He died for all our sins. He will come again. Amen!
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4 ESV
He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! Revelation 22:20 ESV
Additional Reading…
Why Is The Last Sentence Of The Bible About Grace?
Stories Of The Bible About Mercy And God