Southern Kingdom (Judah)

Published: 2009 May 13Modified: 2021 March 14, 18:32:35More details

Pillar-base figurines were common in the Iron IIC (after the fall of Samaria) in Judah. There are two types of pillar-base figurines: holding breasts; or holding a frame-drum. Pillar-base figurines are most often found in domestic contexts. Also, model shrines were prevalent -- they were like miniature temples with little figurines.

King	Time	Description
Rehoboam	~10th CENT BCE	Judean King Rehoboam ruled from Jerusalem 1 Kings 14:21-24. After his crushing loss that led to the fractionation of the United Monarchy, he built fortresses throughout Judah. In ~925 BCE, Shishak (Sheshonq) invades and attacks town in Israel and Judah 1 Kings 14:25-28.
Abijam
Asa
Jehoshaphat
Jehoram
Ahaziah
Athaliah
Joash	837 BCE - 800 BCE	Joash (aka Jehoash) stripped the temple to pay off Hazael, thus sparing Jerusalem preventing further damage to Judah 2 Kings 12 12:17. Also, Assyria attacked (and distracted) the Arameans and was thus seen as a savior of Judah 2 Kings 13:4.
Amaziah
Uzziah		Uzziah (aka Azariah).
Jotham
Ahaz
Hezekiah	727 BCE - 698 BCE	Hezekiah led massive religious reforms that oppressed Canaanite cults and favored Adonai-worship. Hezekiah's faith gave him the courage to rebel against Assyria, eventually regaining Judah's independence after a failed first attempt. A growth in literacy began under Hezekiah and continued through Josiah, as evidenced by an increase in inscribed items such as ostraca (shards used for quick notes), pottery (descriptive notes on the shoulders), inscribed weights, seals and bullae, amulets and inscriptions (monuments and tombs).
Sennacherib's Campaign	701 BCE	In 701 BCE, Assyrian king Sennacherib (704 BCE - 681 BCE) underwent an extensive invasion of Judah. This resulted in his locking Hezekiah into Jerusalem like a bird in a cage as attested in Sennacherib's hexagonal prism.
Rise of the Edomites		After the Assyrian conquest, Edomites entered Judah in hopes of exploiting its land.
Manasseh	698 BCE - 642 BCE	Migrants from the destroyed Northern Kingdom brought their Canaanite culture into the Southern Kingdom. Despite Hezekiah's reforms, there was a flourish of astrology, Ba'al worship (Ba'al is a traditional Canaanite deity) and other Canaanite characteristics. Also, the name Manasseh itself is from the Northern Kingdom, which is unusual considering Hezekiah's Adonai-worship. Manesseh grew desperate as Edomites and Assyria exerted pressure on Judah, even going so far as to perform the Phoenician practice of sacrificial infanticide.
Amon	642 BCE - 640 BCE
Josiah	639 BCE - 609 BCE	His reforms were massive. Josiah rebelled against Babylonians so they came and destroyed Jerusalem. Josiah died at Megiddo in 609.
Jehoahaz II	609 BCE	Son of Josiah; deported by Neco after only 3 months on the Judean throne 2 Kings 23:31.
Judah's Demise	608 BCE - 586 BCE	The destruction of Megiddo -- armageddon -- was 609 BCE under Josiah's reign 2 Kings 23:29-30 and marked the beginning of the end of Judah.
Jehoiakim	609 BCE - 598 BCE	Jehoiakim (born Eliakim and son of Josiah) was installed as king of Judah by Neco. Judah became a vassal to Babylonians for 3 years and Judah was beset by its neighbors (including the Edomites).
Jehoiachin	598 BCE - 597 BCE	Jehoiachin (aka Jeconiah) surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar during siege of Jerusalem 2 Kings 24:8. He was deported to Babylon, ending his reign prematurely at only 3 months. The Temple was stripped yet again and 10,000 Judeans were deported from Jerusalem. Jehoiachin was released from prison when he was 37, but he remained in Babylon (as attested by Babylonian sources).
1st Deportation	597 BCE	King Jehoiachin and Prophet Ezekiel were exiled to Babylon. Zedekiah was placed on throne.
Zedekiah	597 BCE - 587 BCE	Zedekiah (born Mattaniah and uncle of Jehoiachin) was installed as king of Judah by Babylon 2 Kings 24:18. However, he rebelled against Babylonian control and Jerusalem was besieged. Records indicate the onset of starvation within 6 months of the siege, and the city burned thereafter. Zedekiah was exiled to Babylon.
2nd Deportation	586 BCE	The Temple was destroyed and elites (craftsmen, administrators, etc) and the general populace were exiled 2 Kings 24-25. Many Judeans fled to Egypt Jeremiah 42–44. This was a watershed event, a major blow to the Israelites, who had come to believe that Jerusalem was impregnable when it repulsed the Assyrian onslaught, and much ensuing Biblical literature concerns the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, where God had resided, and the Israelite's loss of the land of Canaan.
3rd Deportation	581 BCE	Babylonia performed a third and final deportation of Judeans.
Gedaliah	586 BCE - ?	Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar installed Gedaliah as governor of Judah (ruling from Mizpah) immediately after Judah's demise in 586 BCE, but Gedaliah was assassinated there 2 Kings 25:22.
Sheshbazzar	538 BCE	Governor of Judah.
Zerubbabel	520 BCE - 510 BCE	Governor of Judah. Zerubbabel, a Davidite, constructed a temple.
Tattenai	518 BCE - 502 BCE	Tattenai was a governor of Beyond the River satrapy.
Elnathan	510 BCE - 490 BCE	Governor of Judah.
Yehoezer	490 BCE - 470 BCE	Governor of Judah.
Ahzai	470 BCE - ?	Governor of Judah.
Nehemiah		Governor of Judah.
Belshunu	407 BCE - 401 BCE	Belshunu (aka Belesys I) was a governor of the Beyond the River satrapy.
Belshunu	369 BCE - 345 BCE	Belshunu (aka Belesys II) was a governor of the Beyond the River satrapy.
Mazaeus	343 BCE - 332 BCE	Mazaeus was a governor of the Beyond the River satrapy.