The History of the Kings Of Israel

The first king of Israel was Jeroboam, and he reigned for 22 years. To make sure his kingdom was independent, he introduced a new form of worship and set up idols. Some people moved to Judah but most remained in Israel. The Levites remained faithful to Judah because the religion was centered around Jerusalem. Jeroboam fought against Abijah, second king of Judah, but was defeated and forced to retreat. As punishment from God for disobeying Him, Jeroboam’s son falls ill and he sends him to a prophet who says that all the descendants of Jeroboam will die a violent death for the sins of Jeroboam. 

The next king was Nadab, Jeroboam’s son, who reigned for two years. Nadab and all the other descendants of Jeroboam were killed by Baasha. After Nadab, Baasha became king and he reigned for 24 years. He was a very wicked king. Baasha’s son, Elah, ruled after him, and reigned for only two years because he was murdered by Zimri. Zimri took his throne and he killed all descendants of Baasha. He only reigned for 7 days. He saw that the people did not accept him as king so he burned the king’s house with him inside. Then Zimri’s son, Omri, took his place and he reigned for 12 years. Omri made Samaria the capital of Israel, which has remained the capital to this day. 

Ahab was the next king after Omri. He reigned for 22 years. Ahab built a temple for Baal to please his wife. Ahab was warned to repent by the prophet Elijan. Twice Ben-hadad, King of Aram, brings an army up against the kingdom of Israel. Both times God tells Ahab that he will fight for the people and conquer the Syrians. The Syrians were defeated in both battles and Israel was freed from the threat of invasion. Ahab had abide by the law just as the people had to. Ahab was jealous of a specific vineyard  in the city that belonged to Naboth. Ahab and Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, both end up murdering Naboth. Ahab claims and takes the vineyard. Ahab’s punishment was that his whole household would be put to death. Ahab’s son, Ahaziah, took his throne and he reigned for 2 years. He fell out of a window and was injured very badly and died a short time after. Elijah, the prophet, warned him that he would die from the fall. 

The next king was Joram, who reigned for 12 years, and was the last king in the line of Zimri. He followed the advice of Elisha, and was not as wicked as his father or brother. Jehu was anointed king by Elisha and was incharge of killing all of Ahab and King Joram of Judah for their crimes. JHe also killed the prophets of Baal. He did not remove the idols of Jeroboam from the land. Jehu’s four sons reigned in Israel four generations after him. Jehoahaz reigned for 17 years, Jehoash reigned for 16 years, Jeroboam II reigned for 41 years, and Zechariah reigned for 6 months. Shallum was the next king who killed Zechariah and reigned for one month because then he was murdered by Menahem. As king, Menahem was cruel to his people and reigned for ten years. When he died, his son, Pekahian, became king. Pekahian reigned for two years and was also murdered by Pekah. Pekah reigned as king for 20 years and during his reign Tiglath-pileser III, King of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, invaded Israel. 

The last king of Israel was Hoshea, murdering Pekah for his throne. He reigned for nine years. During Hoshea’s reign, Shalmaneser III, King of Assyria, forced Hoshea to pay a tribute. When Shalmaneser III heard the plot of Hoshea not paying tribute, he took Hoshea in captivity. It is unknown what happened to Hoshea.