Kings of Israel and Judah

Rehoboam
Hebrew Name: Rechav'am ben Shlomo
Judah (Southern Kingdom)
Son of Solomon, Rehoboam was unable to hold his father’s kingdom together and ruled only in Judah. He wasted Judah in wars with Israel. When Pharaoh Shishek I invaded, Rehoboam lost his Red Sea outlet and had to pay heavy tribute to save Jerusalem. He built fifteen border fortifications, leaving only the north open in hopes of reconciliation with Israel. As did his father Solomon, he became snared in idolatry through his many foreign wives.

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Abijam
Hebrew Name: Aviyam ben Rechav'am
Judah (Southern Kingdom)
Reigned for 3 years. Attempted to conquer Israel but advanced only a few miles to Bethel.

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Asa
Hebrew Name: Asa ben 'Aviyam
Judah (Southern Kingdom)
Prophets: Elijah, Elisha
Israel tried to invade Judah, and Asa asked help of Ben-Hadad of Aram-Damascus, who attacked Israel. As soon as Israel withdrew, Asa fortified the border between them. Later he repelled an invasion by Zerah the Ethiopian.

Asa was a religious reformer who tried to stamp out idolatry, but was accused of relying too heavily on doctors instead of on God for curing his own ills. Reigned for 41 years and died from severe foot disease.

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The Jewish kings ruled over vastly different kingdoms in different periods of history. Starting in the early iron age with Saul, several kings ruled over an expanding, "United Kingdom." After the death of Solomon a fissure developed, with ten tribes separating into the Northern Kingdom of "Israel..."

( see table )

and the tribes of Benjamin and Judah continuing the Davidic line in the Southern Kingdom of "Judah."

( see table )

After the north was conquered by Assyria and the south by Babylon, a Jewish kingdom did not reappear until the second century BC with the establishment of the Hasmonean dynasty. The Hasmoneans were then followed in the first century BC by the Herodian rulers, this final group being clients of Rome, (and actually Idumean).