Before Israel was divided, there were three kings who ruled over all twelve tribes: Saul, David, and Solomon.
♛ Saul was the first king, chosen by God and anointed by the prophet Samuel. He started well, but his disobedience led to his downfall. When he refused to fully obey God’s command concerning the Amalekites, Samuel rebuked him:
“So Samuel said: ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.’” (1 Samuel 15:22)
Because of Saul’s rebellion, the kingdom was taken from him and given to another.
♛ David was that man. He was called a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), and though he sinned grievously—especially in the matter of Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1-27)—he was quick to repent. His psalms of repentance, like Psalm 51, reveal his deep sorrow over sin. The Lord promised that David’s throne would be established forever, a prophecy ultimately fulfilled in Christ (2 Samuel 7:16).
♛ Solomon, David’s son, was given wisdom beyond any man before or after him (1 Kings 3:12). His reign brought peace and prosperity to Israel. He built the first temple in Jerusalem, fulfilling his father’s desire to establish a house for the Lord (1 Kings 6:1). Yet, his downfall came through his love for foreign women, who turned his heart away from God. The Lord warned him:
“For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David.” (1 Kings 11:4)
Because of this, the kingdom would be torn in two after his death.
The Kings of the Northern Kingdom: Israel
After Solomon’s death, the kingdom split. The northern ten tribes became the kingdom of Israel, while Judah remained in the south. Every single king of Israel was evil, leading the people further into sin.
♛ Jeroboam was the first king of Israel, and he immediately led the people into idolatry. Fearing they would return to Jerusalem to worship, he set up golden calves in Bethel and Dan, saying:
“It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!” (1 Kings 12:28)
This sin plagued Israel for generations.
♛ Nadab, his son, followed in his father’s wicked ways, doing evil in the sight of the Lord (1 Kings 15:25-26). He was assassinated by ♛ Baasha, who then took the throne and continued the idolatry of Jeroboam (1 Kings 15:33-34).
♛ Elah, Baasha’s son, ruled only briefly before being killed by ♛ Zimri, who reigned for a mere seven days before being overthrown by Omri (1 Kings 16:8-18).
♛ Omri established the city of Samaria as Israel’s capital, but he was even worse than those before him.
“Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse than all who were before him.” (1 Kings 16:25)
♛ His son, Ahab, was the most wicked of them all. He married Jezebel, a priestess of Baal, and together they led Israel into the darkest idolatry. Elijah confronted him on Mount Carmel, calling down fire from heaven to prove the Lord’s power (1 Kings 18:36-39). Though Ahab repented briefly, his heart remained corrupt, and he died in battle as foretold by the prophet Micaiah (1 Kings 22:19-23).
♛ His son Ahaziah ruled briefly, following in his father’s evil ways. When he sought counsel from Baal-Zebub instead of the Lord, Elijah rebuked him:
“Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?” (2 Kings 1:3)
♛ Jehoram, his brother, took the throne after him and continued in sin, though he removed the Baal worship his father established. Even still, he refused to truly follow the Lord (2 Kings 3:1-3).
♛ Jehu was anointed by Elisha to bring judgment on Ahab’s house. He executed God’s wrath on Jezebel and Ahab’s descendants (2 Kings 9:7-10), but he still did not walk in full obedience, clinging to the sins of Jeroboam (2 Kings 10:29-31).
♛ The kings that followed—Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jeroboam II, Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, and Hoshea—all continued in wickedness. Finally, after years of warnings from the prophets, Israel was conquered by Assyria in 722 B.C.
“So Israel was carried away from their own land to Assyria, as it is to this day.” (2 Kings 17:23)
The Kings of the Southern Kingdom: Judah
Judah, though having some righteous kings, also suffered greatly from sinful leadership.
♛ Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, rejected wise counsel, leading to the split of the kingdom (1 Kings 12:13-14).
♛ Abijam followed, doing evil like his father, though the Lord preserved Judah for David’s sake (1 Kings 15:3-4).
♛ Asa, however, was a godly king, removing idols and calling the people back to the Lord.
“But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!” (2 Chronicles 15:7)
♛ Jehoshaphat continued in righteousness, seeking God and strengthening Judah militarily and spiritually (2 Chronicles 17:3-6).
♛ However, his son Jehoram turned away, leading Judah into idolatry. The prophet Elijah warned him of God’s coming judgment (2 Chronicles 21:12-15).
The cycle of wicked and righteous kings continued…
♛ Uzziah prospered but became proud and was struck with leprosy (2 Chronicles 26:16-21).
♛ Hezekiah later brought revival, restoring the temple and seeking God’s favor (2 Kings 18:5-6).
♛ His son, Manasseh, led Judah into deep wickedness but repented late in life (2 Chronicles 33:12-13).
♛ Josiah was Judah’s last righteous king, bringing one final revival before the nation fell to Babylon (2 Kings 23:25-27).
In the end, the sins of Judah led to their captivity.
“And the Lord said, ‘I will also remove Judah from My sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen.’” (2 Kings 23:27)
My Final Thoughts
Every king of Israel and Judah failed in some way. Even the best among them—David, Hezekiah, Josiah—fell short. The people were constantly led astray, showing that no earthly ruler could bring lasting righteousness.
This is why we need Jesus. He is the true King, the Son of David, who reigns with perfect justice and righteousness.
“For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
Men will fail, but Christ reigns forever. He is the King who will never lead us astray, the One whose kingdom will never fall.
