pre# is approx. number of descendants, clans or cities
mentioned in 1-8 (mostly before the exile)
post# is the approx. number specifically referred to in chapter 9
(the first resettlers of Jerusalem after the exile)
| Chapter |
Outline of reign |
King and people |
King and priest (temple) |
King and God's word |
God faithful |
| NB |
* indicates a David / Solomon style of
leadership |
- Often shown by "Messianic feasts" where
all the people come together and feast under the
supervision of the king, associated with victory
over enemies and/or temple sacrifice.
- The kings are often called "kings of Israel",
not just of Judah, to emphasise the priority of
the house of David over all Israel
- The king often achieves victory for Israel, and
so is their saviour. This is an important theme
in the picture of the king.
|
|
- Many kings have a twofold reign – obedience/blessing
followed by immediate rebellion/retribution
- e.g. Rehoboam; he builds Judah and Jerusalem, the
true Israelites and Levites flock to him, then he
rebels and is attacked by Shishak king of Egypt.
This is seen as God's judgment
- See outline for others
|
God is seen as immediately judging the
rebellion of king and nation |
| 10-12 |
- Rehoboam
- 10 Rebellion of Israel against Rehoboam
- 11 The schism is seen to be God's doing, and the
people are purified (the true Israelites come to
Judah / Jerusalem)
- 12 Rehoboam rebels, God judges
|
10:16 "All Israel" breaks with Rehoboam
– this is a bad turn of events!
11:13-17 However, people from every tribe of
Israel who are true Israelites (follow the Lord
rather than the gods of Jeroboam) return to Judah
and Jerusalem and strengthen the king
12:1 The king and "all Israel with him"
abandons the law
|
11:13-17 The Levites side with Rehoboam because
Jeroboam has rejected them and the true worship (and
Rehoboam has the temple)
|
11:4 (Shemaiah --> Rehoboam) Rehoboam does not
go to war against Israel, because the schism is
God's doing
12:5 (Shemaiah --> Rehoboam) Pronounces God's
retribution (Egypt) against Rehoboam's rebellion.
Rehoboam humbles himself and there is some good
in Judah, but there are still dire consequences (many
of the treasures are carried off).
|
10:15 God is faithful to his word to Jeroboam to
give him the Israelite kingdom
|
| 13 |
|
13:5 Abijah reminds the northern kingdom that God
has granted the kingship of all Israel to Judah
|
13 Abijah calls the northern kingdom back to the
true worship of God through the Levites (which is
the practice of Judah)
|
13:18 God grants Abijah success against Israel
because they rely on him and they worship him
truly
|
13:5 God's covenant with David
|
| 14-16 |
- Asa*
- 14-15 Asa reforms the kingdom by calling them
back to the law and true worship
- 16 Asa does not trust God but sends the temple
treasures to Aram to make an alliance. God gives
war (not peace) to Asa and also a disease of the
feet
|
15:9 Large numbers of non-Judahites had come to
Judah when they saw that the Lord was with him
15 The whole of Judah swears an oath to worship
God truly, at the instigation of Asa
15:11 A Messianic feast associated with temple
worship and victory over enemies
|
14-15 Asa removes foreign altars and high places
15 More reforms: Asa repairs the altar and there
is a huge sacrifice
|
14 Asa commands the people to follow the law
15 (Azariah --> Asa) Encourages Asa to
continue with the reform because God is with him
16:7 (Hanani --> Asa) Rebukes Asa for relying
on Aram and pronounces God's retribution (war
with Aram)
|
14:11 God grants Asa success against Israel
because they rely on him and call on him
|
| 17-20 |
- Jehoshaphat*
- 17 Follows the law and is blessed by God
- 18 Insists on seeking the counsel of the Lord
before going to war
- (19) Is rebuked for siding with Ahab, and partial
wrath is pronounced against him
- 19 Introduces more reforms – judges and
officials
- 20 A very central chapter – God gives
victory to Jehoshaphat because he and the people
inquire of God's word at the temple.
- (20) Is rebuked again for siding with Ahaziah
king of Israel
|
19 Jehoshaphat introduces officials and judges
for all the people, and turns much of Ephraim
back to the Lord
20:3-4, 13 When Jehoshaphat seeks the Lord, all
of the people of Judah come together to be with
him
|
19:11 When it comes to judging, the final
authority is the high priest (Amariah) for all
matters concerning the Lord, and the leader of
Judah (Zebadiah) for all matters concerning the
king
20:5 Jehoshaphat's prayer to seek God's will
concerning the attacking Moabites and Ammonites
is at the temple, which was the plan back in 6:34-35
|
17 God blesses Jehoshaphat in his early years
because he worships God truly and seeks him
17:7-9 Jehoshaphat sends teachers of the law
throughout Judah
18:4 (Micaiah --> Jehoshaphat) Jehoshaphat
insists on listening to the counsel of the Lord (not
of the false prophets) before going to war
19:2 (Jehu --> Jehoshaphat) Rebukes
Jehoshaphat for siding with the apostate Ahab,
and pronounces partial judgment
20 Jehoshaphat's first reaction when hearing
about the attacking Moabites and Ammonites is to
inquire of the Lord
20:14 (Jahaziel --> Jehoshaphat) Encourages
Jehoshaphat that God is with them and will fight
against the Moabites and Ammonites
20:37 (Eliezer --> Jehoshaphat) Rebukes
Jehoshaphat for siding with Ahaziah, and
pronounces judgment
|
18:31 The Lord helps Jehoshaphat in battle
because he relies on him
|
| 21 |
|
21:11 Jehoram leads the whole of Israel astray
|
|
- 21:12 (Elijah --> Jehoram) Rebukes Jehoram and
pronounces immediate judgment (disease of the
bowels)
|
21:7 God does not destroy the kingdom even though
Jehoram is rebellious, for the sake of his
covenant with David
|
| 22 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 23-24 |
- Joash
- 23 The intrigue to get Joash on the throne
- 24:1-16 Joash restores the temple
- 24:17-27 Joash turns wicked after Jehoiada dies
and is rebuked
|
23:2 The whole of Israel supports Joash on the
throne
|
23-24 Jehoiada the priest, together with the
Levites, is actually the one who maintains and
controls the throne, for the good of Israel. He
schemes to get Joash on the throne, instigates
reform of the true worship of the Lord, and
advises Joash according to the counsel of the
Lord. When Jehoiada dies, Joash becomes evil.
24 Joash's restoration of the temple is very
important
|
24:20 (Zecharaiah --> Joash) Rebukes Joash for
his apostasy and is killed. The immediate
judgment is by the Arameans.
|
23:3 Reference to God's covenant with David
|
| 25 |
- 25 Amaziah (half-hearted)
|
|
|
- 25:4 Amaziah acts in accordance with the law in
not putting the sons to death for the sins of
their fathers
- 25:7 (Man of God --> Amaziah) Advises that God
is not with the troops Amaziah had hired from the
northern kingdom. Amaziah listens to him and
dismisses the Ephraimites.
- 25:15 (a prophet --> Amaziah) Rebukes Amaziah
for worshipping other gods and pronounces that
God will destroy him
|
|
| 26 |
- Uzziah
- 26:1-15 Follows God's word and is blessed
- 26:16-23 Pride leads to his downfall
|
|
- 26:16-18 The demarcation between king and priest
is upheld – it is not right for the king to
do the priestly duties. Uzziah tries to burn
incense and is immediately punished by leprosy.
This means that he is unclean, and therefore
excluded entirely from the temple.
|
26:5 Uzziah gets success as long as he follows
the instruction of the Lord
26:16-18 Uzziah does not follow the instruction
of the Lord with respect to the Levitical
priestly divisions (he burns incense) and so is
immediately cursed by leprosy
|
|
| 27 |
- 27 Jotham (good – but the people don't
follow him)
|
27:2 Jotham is a good king, yet the people do not
follow him and continue in their corrupt
practices. This is surprising and unnerving.
|
27:3 Jotham rebuilds part of the temple.
|
|
|
| 28 |
- 28 Ahaz (bad – the worst of all) He is
attacked severely and appeals to Assyria for help.
|
28:23 The gods of Damascus are the downfall of
Ahaz and of all Israel.
|
28 Ahaz completely abandons the worship of God
and even practises child sacrifice.
28:21, 24 Ahaz gives the temple furnishings as
tribute to Aram, and actually shuts the doors of
the temple and sets up altars on the street
corners of Jerusalem and high places in the towns
of Judah. This is ghastly!
|
28 The result of the worst apostasy yet (Ahaz,
without a single redeeming feature) is the worst
defeat of all, at the hands of both the Arameans
and the northern kingdom.
28:9 (Oded --> the Northern Kingdom) says that
even though God is angry with Judah, this does
not excuse the northern kingdom's fierce rage
against God's chosen people. The northern kingdom
listens to the prophet, highlighting even further
(by contrast) the apostasy of Ahaz.
|
28:9 Even though God is angry with Judah, this
does not excuse the northern kingdom's fierce
rage against God's chosen people.
|
| 29-32 |
- Hezekiah*
- 29-31 Reestablishes temple service and the feasts
- 32 Leads the people in dependent trust in God
when Sennacherib threatens Jerusalem, and God
prevails
- (32) Hezekiah is proud, but repents
|
30 Once Hezekiah has reestablished the temple
sacrifice, he invites all Israel to come and
celebrate the Passover. They couriers even go as
far as Zebulun, because by this time most of the
Northern Kingdom has been wiped out. Although
many from the old northern kingdom scorn the
invitation, some do come.
30:18 Although the people are not clean according
to the strict rules, and the Passover is not
celebrated at strictly the right time, Hezekiah
prays that God would accept their worship anyway
because it was the best they could do. God hears
him and "heals" the people.
30:23 The passover is a Messianic feast
associated with the rededication of the temple
31:3-4 Hezekiah makes his own contribution for
the Levites, and the people do the same.
32:8 The people are strengthened by the
confidence of Hezekiah, even though Sennacherib
is practising psychological warfare and trying to
erode the people's confidence.
|
29-31 Hezekiah is a great reformer, acting as a
"second Solomon".
He reopens the temple
He reestablishes Levitical duties in the temple
- Priests and sacrifice
- Musicians
- Treasurers and other office bearers
He reestablishes a covenant with God
He removes the defilement of the temple and
reconsecrates it
He reestablishes the Passover
He reestablishes the feasts as set down in the
law of Moses, making his own contribution and
ordering the people to do the same.
|
31 The king makes provision for the feasts as set
down in the law of Moses
31:21 The king wholeheartedly seeks the Lord
32:20 (Isaiah) Hezekiah and Isaiah cry out to the
Lord together – a true and perfect
partnership. God hears and achieves the greatest
victory ever for Hezekiah
|
32 God destroys the Assyrian army, as the
Israelites trust him
|
| 33:1-20 |
- Manasseh
- 33:1-11 Bad – even sets up foreign in the
temple
- 33:12-20 Learns his lesson, repents and restores
the temple
|
33:10 Neither the people nor Manasseh listen to
the prophets
|
33:1-11 Manasseh is as bad as Ahaz. He completely
abandons the worship of God and even practises
child sacrifice.
He even sets up foreign altars and images in the
temple itself – terrible!
33:12-17 But he repents and restores the temple
and removes the impurity
|
33:10 The Lord speaks to Manasseh, but he pays no
attention. So he is taken prisoner by the
Assyrians.
33:13 But he does humble himself, and is blessed.
|
|
| 33:21-24 |
|
|
- 33:22 Amon follows the bad ways of his father
Manasseh
|
|
|
| 34-35 |
- Josiah*
- 34:1-13 Reforms Israel
- 34:14-33 Finds the book of the law in the temple
- 35:1-19 Celebrates the passover again
- 35:20-27 Disobeys God and dies
|
34:29 The king reads the newly found book of the
law to the people, and renews the covenant
between the people and God.
35 The passover is celebrated again, another
"Messianic feast"
|
34-35 From a young age, Josiah reforms worship in
Judah and Jerusalem,
He repairs the temple
He reestablishes Levitical duties in the temple
- Priests and sacrifice
- Musicians
- Treasurers and other office bearers
He reestablishes a covenant with God
He removes the defilement of the temple and
reconsecrates it
He reestablishes the Passover
|
34 Josiah finds the book of the law and humbles
himself because of the sin of the people.
34:22 (Huldah --> Josiah) Josiah seeks God's
will through Huldah. She pronounces judgment on
Israel, but it is delayed and Josiah will not see
it.
35:6, 12 The Passover is celebrated according to
the Law of Moses.
35:22 Neco king of Egypt speaks at God's command
but Josiah refuses to listen to him. So he is
killed
|
|
| 36:1-4 |
- Jehoahaz (captured by king of Egypt)
|
|
|
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|
| 36:5-8 |
- Jehoiakim (bad, captured by Nebuchadnezzar)
|
|
- 36:7 Because of Jehoiakim's wickedness, articles
from the temple are taken to Babylon
|
|
|
| 36:9-10 |
- Jehoiachin (bad, captured by Nebuchadnezzar)
|
|
- 36:10 Because of Jehoiachin's wickedness, more
articles from the temple are taken to Babylon
|
|
|
| 36:11-21 |
- Zedekiah (bad, destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar).
Jerusalem beseiged and falls.
|
36:14 Zedekiah's wickedness leads to wickedness
of all the people
|
36:14 Zedekiah's wickedness leads to wickedness
of the priests
36:18 The whole temple is destroyed by fire and
all the articles from the temple are taken to
Babylon because of the wickedness of Zedekiah and
all the people.
|
36:12 (Jeremiah --> Zedekiah) Zedekiah does
not listen to Jeremiah and so is beseiged and
destroyed.
36:15-19 God sends messengers again and again,
but they are mocked so God destroys Jerusalem.
|
|
| 36:22-23 |
- The decree of Cyrus for the exiles to return and
build a temple.
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