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Saul was born in Gibeah. He was the son of Kish the Benjamite.
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Samuel anointed Saul as king. He had received specific instructions from God.
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Jonathan and his armor-bearer attacked a Philistine garrison. He first asked a sign from God.
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David was a shepherd boy. Samuel anointed him king because God instructed him to. David didn't rule as king until much later.
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David played the harp for Saul. It was supposed to comfort Saul when he was troubled by an evil spirit.
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David hit Goliath with a stone from his sling. Goliath fell down and then David chopped Goliath's head off with a sword.
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Saul tried to kill David with a spear. David managed to escape.
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Jonathan became friends with David. They made a covenant and Jonathan gave his sword to David.
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Saul killed himself with his sword at the battle of Gilboa. He didn't want to be killed by the Philistines.
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Jonathan died in the battle of Gilboa. The Philistines defeated the Israelites.
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David became king over Israel and went on to reign for forty years. God chose him and said he was better than Saul.
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David showed kindness to Mephibosheth, a cripple. Mephibosheth was part of Jonathan's family.
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David sinned with Bathsheba. He eventually killed Uriah to get his wife.
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David fled Jerusalem. He was in danger because of Absalom's revolt. Absalom turned many of the people against David.
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Adonijah tried to take over David's kingdom. Solomon later had Adonijah killed.
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Solomon became king after David. He was David's second son from Bathsheba. Solomon went on to reign forty years like David did.
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David died and was buried in Jerusalem. Before he died, he instructed Solomon to build the temple.
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Solomon received wisdom from God. God also gave him riches.
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Solomon began construction of the temple. It took seven years to finish it.
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The queen of Sheba came and tested Solomon's wisdom by asking him difficult questions. She was very impressed and gave him expensive gifts such as rare spices and jewels.
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Rehoboam (a son of Solomon) became king when he was 41 years old. He ignored the counsel of old men, and eventually, the people turned against him. The kingdom was split and he was king over Judah and Benjamin in the South.
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When ten northern tribes rebelled against Rehoboam, they made Jeroboam their king. Jeroboam made golden bull images and put them in temples for the people to worship. He reigned for 21 years.
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Rehoboam allowed idol worship in Judah. Temples were built for pagan gods. Rehoboam disobeyed and did not destroy the pillars and groves of the Caananites.
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Jeroboam sent his wife to Ahijah to ask if their sick son would die. He told her to disguise herself. But God had told Ahijah who was coming and gave a message that the son would die and harm would come to Jeroboam's house because of his disobedience.
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Abijam (also written Abijah) was the son of Rehoboam. Abijam reigned over Judah for three years and continued the sins of his father.
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Asa reigned for 41 years. He obeyed God and destroyed idols. He defeated the Ethiopian army with God's help. At the end of his reign, he put his trust in a foreign king and rejected God's message to him.
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Nadab reigned for less than two years. He was wicked like his father Jeroboam. He was killed by Baasha, who wanted the throne.
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Baasha usurped Nadab's throne and reigned for 24 years. He led Israel in idolatry. God told Jehu that Baasha's whole house would be destroyed because of the sin.
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Elah (son of Baasha) reigned for about two years. He was killed by Zimri, one of his officials, who had plotted against him to get the throne. it was the fulfillment of the prophecy that Baasha's house would be destroyed.
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Zimri reigned for only seven days. He was the commander of half of Elah's chariot forces. He killed Elah to get the throne, and when people found out, they made Omri king instead. Zimri was wicked and rebellious.
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Israel made Omri king instead of Zimri. Omri had been the commander of the army. He reigned for about 44 years and led Israel in idol worship.
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Ahab reigned for 22 years. He married Jezebel and built an altar for Baal. Elijah rebuked him for it.
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Jehosaphat reigned over Judah for 25 years. He did not worship foreign gods, but the pagan temples in high places were not destroyed.
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During Ahab's reign, Elijah came with a message from God that He was sending a drought. It was judgment on Israel for worshipping Baal. Elijah fled into the wilderness. Later he spoke to the people at Mt. Carmel. God sent fire from heaven and the people turned away from Baal. The drought ended.
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Jehoshaphat sent Levites, priests, and princes to teach the Law of God throughout the kingdom of Judah. God blessed him for it. The kingdom prospered and some Philistine and Arabian rulers brought gifts to Jehoshaphat.
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Ahab coveted Naboth's vineyard. When Naboth refused to give it to him, Ahab had Naboth stoned. Elijah met Ahab in the vineyard and told him that his family would be destroyed and cut off.
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Ahab defeated the Syrian army of Ben-Hadad. Ahab foolishly spared Ben-Hadad's life. A prophet condemned him for releasing the man that God wanted him to kill.
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Ahab made a military alliance with Jehosaphat. Together they went to battle against Syrians. Ahab was in disguise, but he was shot and killed by an arrow. Micaiah's prophecy was fulfilled.
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Jehoshaphat allied with Ahab to fight the Syrians, even though Micaiah had prophesied that it would end in disaster. The Syrians won the battle, and Ahab was killed. Later, God (through Jehu) rebuked Jehosaphat for the bad decision he made.
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Ahaziah reigned for less than 2 years. He did evil in God's sight. One day he fell through a lattice and was severely injured. He sent messengers to inquire of Baal whether he would recover. Elijah stopped them. He told them to return to Ahaziah and tell him he would die.
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Elisha and Elijah were walking together when suddenly they saw chariots and horses of fire. Elijah was taken up into heaven. Elisha became the prophet after him.
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Elisha helped a poor widow who had nothing except a pot of oil. He told her to gather as many vessels as she could. The little bit of oil she had filled all the jars and provided for her family.
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Jehoram reigned for less than eight years. His wife was Athaliah, a daughter of Ahab. He followed her in Baal worship. Jehoram also made high places of idol worship in Judah.
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Elijah the prophet sent Jehoram a letter with a message from God. The letter warned of punishments because Jehoram had led Judah in evil. The punishments came years later. The Philistines plundered Judah and Jehoram died of a bowel disease.
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Jehu killed Jehoram so that he could be king of Israel after him. Jehu killed Jezebel and all of Ahab's family in Israel. Jehu also killed Ahaziah (Judah) who was visiting Jehoram. Jehu then killed all the Baal worshippers but did not stop the calf worship. Jehu reigned for 28 years.
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Athaliah was the wife of Jehoram and the mother of Ahaziah. When Jehu killed Ahaziah, Athaliah usurped the throne by executing all of Ahaziah's offspring. What she didn't know was that someone had hidden Joash, preserving the family line.
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Ahaziah became king of Judah after Jehoram (Judah). He was 22 when he started to reign, and he reigned for less than a year. He went to visit Jehoram of Israel but ended up being killed during Jehu's revolt.
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Joash became king when he was about 7 and reigned for 40 years. He had been hidden when he was a baby because Athaliah wanted to kill all of Ahaziah's sons. Joash became king and Athaliah was overthrown and executed. Joash restored the temple and worship with the help of Jehoiada.
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Naaman was a leper of Syria. His servant (a captive girl from Israel) told him of a prophet. Elisha told Naaman to wash in the Jordan 7 times. Naaman's leprosy was healed, and Elisha refused any gifts.
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Jehoahaz was king of Israel after Jehu and reigned for 17 years. He led Israel in evil but eventually cried out to God when they were oppressed by the Syrians.
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While Jehoida (high priest and Joash's uncle) was living, Joash followed God. But after Jehoiada's death, Joash allowed Judah to worship idols. Jehoida's son cried out against it, but Joash had him stoned.
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Jehoash reigned for 16 years. He continued the sins of Jeroboam (calf worship). Jeroboam II became king of Israel after him.
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Amaziah ruled over Judah for 29 years. He was faithful to God at the beginning of his reign. Then, after a victory over Edom, he brought back Edomite gods and worshipped them. a prophet rebuked him and said he would be destroyed. Amaziah challenged Joash of Israel to battle but was defeated.
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Jeroboam II reigned for 41 years. He got back Israel's territory on the coasts. He worshipped idols like Jeroboam I.
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Uzziah was a followed God at the beginning of his reign. He built cities and towers and strengthened Judah's army. But then he got proud. He went into the temple to offer incense. (only priests were supposed to do that). he was struck with leprosy as punishment.
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Zechariah was an evil king and followed in the idol worship of the kings before him. He reigned for about 6 months and then was assassinated by Shallum.
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Shallum assassinated Zechariah and reigned for a month Then he was murdered by Menahem.
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After killing Shallum, Menahem reigned over Israel for 10 years. He taxed Israel so he could pay tribute to Assyria and gain their support. Menahem killed people in Tiphsah because they didn't want him to be king.
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Pekahiah reigned for two years and was an evil king. He led Israel in calf worship. He was killed by Pekah,
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Pekah was king of Israel after Pekahiah. Pekah was an evil king. he allied with Rezin of Damascus.
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Jotham was a good king but he didn't destroy all the high places of idol worship. Jotham defeated the Ammonites. He also built a gate for the temple and repaired part of the wall.
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Hoshea was the last king of Israel (northern kingdom). He killed Pekah to become king. He paid tribute to Assyria, but then made an alliance with Egypt. Shalmaneser (Assyria) got angry and besieged Samaria. Israel was exiled because of their sin. (722 BC)
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Ahaz was Jotham's son and a wicked king of Judah. He made images of Baal and sacrificed his sons to idols.
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Hezekiah was a good king. He removed high places and pillars of idols. He repaired the temple and restored temple worship. Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked Judah, but God delivered them.
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Hezekiah was deathly ill, but when he prayed to God, God promised him 15 more years to live. Hezekiah asked for a sign. The sundial moved backward 10 degrees.
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Manasseh led Judah in evil. He rebuilt the high places of idols that his father had torn down. He erected altars for Baal. He ignored the warnings of prophets. As a punishment, he was captured by Assyrian kings. When Manasseh repented, God brought him back to Jerusalem.
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Amon became king when he was 22, and reigned for 2 years. He served idols and abandoned God. Some people conspired against him and killed him in his house. The people of Judah struck down the conspirators and made Josiah king instead.
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Josiah was 8 when he became king, and he reigned for 31 years. During his reign, he destroyed idols and had God's temple repaired. Hilkiah found the law in the temple. (622 BC) Josiah began to restore true worship and they kept the Passover.
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Jehoahaz was Josiah's son but he did not follow God like his father. Jehoahaz practiced idolatry. After reigning for 3 months, Jehoahaz was captured by Pharoah Necho and taken to Egypt. He died there.
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When his brother Josiah was taken to Egypt, Jehoiakim became king. He basically undid everything his father had accomplished in the religious reforms. He burned the prophecy of Jeremiah that Judah was doomed.
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Jehoiachin was the son of Jehoiakim. Jehoiachin was captured by Nebuchadnezzar. Ten thousand other captives were taken, including Ezekiel the prophet.
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Zedekiah was the last king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar invaded and destroyed Jerusalem. They were deported to Babylon.
