ZIMRI, 7 days

OMRI, 12 years

AHAB, 22 years ELIJAH

JEHOSHAPHAT, 25 years

AHAZIAH, 2 years

JORAM, 11 years

JEHORAM, 8 years

AHAZIAH, 1 year

ATHALIAH, 7 years JEHU, 28 years ELISHA

JOASH, 40 years

JEHOAHAZ, 17 years

JOASH, 16 years

AMAZIAH, 29 years

UZZIAH, 52 years JEROBOAM II., 41 years AMOS

ZECHARIAH, 6 months

SHALLUM, 1 month

MENAHEM, 10 years

JOTHAM, 16 years HOSEA

AHAZ, 16 years PEKAHIAH, 2 years

PEKAH, 20 years

HOSHEA, 9 years

HEZEKIAH, 29 years CAPTIVITY. 721 B. C. ISAIAH

MANa.s.sEH, 55 years MICAH

AMON, 2 years

JOSIAH, 31 years

JEHOAHAZ, 3 months

JEHOIAKIM, 11 years

JEHOIACHIN, 3 months

FIRST CAPTIVITY. 597 B. C.

ZEDEKIAH (regent), 11 years

_Destruction of Jerusalem and_ SECOND CAPTIVITY. 586 B. C.

The dates given in this table are only approximate. It is impossible to give the exact dates of many of the events in Bible history. In many cases no date is given in the Bible itself, and many times the date is in round numbers or is obscure. Accuracy in the matter of dates was not thought to be so necessary in those days as it is now.

{237}

THE KINGDOM OF THE SOUTH.

REHOBOAM.

_How a Foolish Young King Lost the Best Part of His Kingdom_.

(Under the great King Solomon, the kingdom of Israel rose to the zenith of its power and glory. Its territory stretched from sea to sea, its commerce was world-wide. Jerusalem with its great temple and its luxurious palaces became a magnificent city. But even during the reign of Solomon there began to be mutterings of discontent. Solomon was a great king, but his very magnificence laid heavy burdens upon the people. Taxes must be raised, very burdensome taxes, and a great number of servants and slaves must be kept. Solomon was strong enough to prevent an open rebellion in his own day, but as soon as he died the smoldering fire burst into flame. His son Rehoboam was an arrogant and very foolish young man. The people pet.i.tioned for a redress of their grievances and a lightening of their burdens. The elders whom the king consulted advised him to listen to these reasonable requests.

But he gave heed instead to the advice of young men as willful and as inexperienced as himself, and replied that he would lay heavier burdens yet upon the people.

Then the old cry of protest, "To your tents, O Israel," was raised.

The people of the North seceded, and under the leadership of a man named Jeroboam, set up a kingdom of their own. This division became permanent, and was the source of endless war. Even in the time of Christ, the Samaritans, who were the {238} descendants of the people of the old Northern kingdom, and the people of the South hated each other, and had no dealings with each other.)

After the death of Solomon, Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. And Jeroboam and all the a.s.sembly of Israel came, and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, "Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee." And he said unto them, "Go away for three days, then come again to me." And the people departed.

And King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, "What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?" And they spoke to him, saying, "If thou wilt be a servant to this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever."

But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that stood before him. And he said unto them, "What counsel give ye, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, 'Make the yoke that thy father did put upon us lighter'?"

And the young men that were grown up with him spoke to him, saying, "Thus shalt thou say to this people that spoke to thee, saying, 'Thy father made our yoke heavy, {239} but make thou it lighter unto us'; thus shalt thou speak unto them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's loins. And now whereas my father did load you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.'"

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, "Come to me again the third day." And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him; and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions."

So the king hearkened not unto the people. And when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, "What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David." So Israel departed unto their tents.

But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was the taxgatherer; and all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam made haste to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. So Israel rebelled against the house of David, unto this day. And it came to pa.s.s, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was returned, that they sent and called him unto the a.s.sembly, and made him king over all Israel: {240} there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he a.s.sembled all the house of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. But the word of G.o.d came to Shemaiah the man of G.o.d, saying, "Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying, 'Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me.'"

So they hearkened to the word of the Lord, and returned and went their way, according to the word of the Lord.

And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. And Judah did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, above all that their fathers had done.

And it came to pa.s.s in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem: and he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon {241} had made. And King Rehoboam made in their stead shields of bra.s.s, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king's house. And it was so, that as often as the king went into the house of the Lord, the guard bore them, and brought them back into the guard chamber. And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. And Rehoboam died, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David.