Era:
    Kings of Judah

Dates:
    c. 3123 - 3638 AM [Chart]
    c. 1101 - 586 BC [Chart]
    [Table][Index]

Maps:
    Saul, David and Solomon
    Israel and Judah
    Assyrian Empire
    Prophets

Biblical References:
    1 Samuel 8 - 31
    2 Samuel
    1 Kings
    2 Kings
    1 Chronicles
    2 Chronicles
    Isaiah
    Jeremiah
    Ezekial
    Daniel
    Micah
    Zephaniah

Comments:

(comments common to both Israel and Judah)

    The reign of Saul marks the beginning of the era of the kings.   Saul reigned over all 12 tribes of Israel.  After Saul committed suicide the commander of Saul's army crowned Saul's son, Ish-Bosheth, as king.  However, at this time David went up to Hebron and the people of the tribe of Judah crowned David as their king.  For the next 7 years there was conflict between Saul's family and David's family, until David's family won out.  David was then crowned king of all Israel.   David's son, Solomon, also reigned over all of Israel.

After Solomon's death, his son, Rehoboam, succeeded him as king.  His actions, however, caused 10 of the tribes of Israel to revolt against him.  These 10 tribes formed what was to be known from then as the Kingdom of Israel.  The remaining 2 tribes - Judah and Benjamin - formed the Kingdom of Judah.

(comments specific to Judah)

The kingdom of Judah continues the line of David all the way through until the exile in Babylon and the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC.