2 Chronicles 10-12: Rehoboam & The Division of Israel

A look at the division of Israel and the rule of Rehoboam. Also covered in 1 Kings 12.

Introduction

Photocredit: Holy Spirit Interactive

Rehoboam takes the throne after Solomon, and shortly after, he is confronted by the tribes of the north. The tribes from the north were unhappy with how Solomon had treated them, likely during the building of the Temple. Instead of following the wise council of the elders to heed the tribes' request, Rehoboam decides to make it even harder for them. This prompts the splitting of the kingdom. God allowed Rehoboam to do this because he had already foretold that the kingdom would split and Jeroboam would be king of the north. This was punishment for Solomon's fall into idolatry and a consequence of Rehoboam's lack of a relationship with God.
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Battling the North

When the people of the north disassociate themselves from Rehoboam's rule, he tries to reign them back in using his chief overseer, Adoram. The northern tribes confirm this dissatisfaction and reinforce the split by killing the man. Following this, Rehoboam sets up a an army consisting of the men of Judah and the men of Benjamin, numbering 180,000. These men were to fight the rebelling tribes of the north, but before they go into battle, God speaks to the prophet Shemaiah and stops them from going forth. This is recounted in 1 Kings 12, as well. Although the army retreats, Rehoboam continues to build cities of defense (a way of listening to God without really listening to God).
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A Turning Point

Meanwhile, in the north, Jeroboam turns the people against the service of the Levites in fear that they will return to Jerusalem, which naturally leads to idolatry. Since the Levites are no longer of use in those territories, they leave their cities to live in Jerusalem. This placed them under Rehoboam's control and gave the southern kingdom an advantage. For 3 years, the southern kingdom of Judah followed the ways of God and were strong because of this.
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Wives

Like Solomon, Rehoboam had many wives. His wives were quite closely related to him (though not close enough to be considered incest) and bore him 28 sons and 60 daughters. Of his wives he loved Maachah most. Maacah is described as the daughter of Absalom, though this likely means granddaughter since the 2 Chronicles 13:12 refers to her as the daughter of Uriel (note that Michaiah is an alternate form of the name)^[1]. Her son Abijah (also called Abia and Abijam) would inherit the throne. It is interesting that the granddaughter of the man who attempt a coup to subvert power from Solomon; had Absalom succeeded, Rehoboam would never have inherited the throne.
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Shishak of Egypt

Once Rehoboam found his footing and was confident in his leadership, he turned away from God, thinking he could take care of everything himself. As punishment for turning away from God, God allows a pharaoh from Egypt (Shishak) to attack Jerusalem. As usual, God sends a message through His prophet warning Rehoboam and his generals of their evils. When they repent, God grants them reprieve, but that doesn't mean everything ends perfectly as though Rehoboam never rebelled. Shishak steals everything from the Temple.

The same is true today, God may welcome us back, and spare our lives, but we still have to pay the price for our actions. Unfortunately, in Rehoboam's case, this does not bring Rehoboam back to God permanently. One in the clear, he continues to live in sin.
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References

1. Zondervan. "Michaiah". via Bible Gateway. 1988

Rehoboam

Rehoboam, 1st king of Judah, is discussed.

Introduction

Rehoboam is the son of Solomon and Naamah. He becomes king of Israel upon Solomon's death. 1 Kings 14 tells us that he took the throne when he was 41 years old and reigned for 17 years. Most sources site the begin of his rule to be 931bc, which would mean he lived from 972-914bc and was king from 931-914bc. Some scholars date the split of the kingdom to 922bc.^[1] This would place Rehoboam's reign from 922-905bc, and his birth in 963bc. The bulk of Rehoboam's reign is given in 1 Kings 12, 1 Kings 14:21-31, and 2 Chronicles 10-12.
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Relationship with God

Kings were to lead by example, and whether the king followed God's law or not directly effected the state of the nation. Thus each kings' relationship with God is clearly defined. Rehoboam's relationship with God appears to be pretty bad. Rehoboam causes the kingdom to split by not listening to the elders. God sends word to Rehoboam through a prophet named Shemaiah to cease fighting with the northern tribes, however, Rehoboam fights with them for his entire reign (1 Kings 12:22-24 and 1 Kings 14:30). This tells us Rehoboam didn't listen to God. In 2 Chronicles 11:16-17, we learn that under Rehoboam, Israel followed the ways of God for 3 years. Considering the fact that he reigned for 17 years, this isn't a lengthy period of faithfulness. 2 Chronicles 12 confirms that while Rehoboam had brief moments where he submitted to God, his was known for his ungodly behavior.
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Family History

As the son of Solomon, Rehoboam was also the grandson of David and Bathsheba. He is thus descended from the tribe of Judah, which makes him a descendant of Boaz and Ruth.

Given the timeline, Rehoboam would have been about 2 years old when David died. One of my grandfathers died when I was 2 (about to turn 3) years old and I have no memory of him; however I still managed to pick up some of his habits. Likely, Rehoboam wouldn't have retained any memories of David, but it would have been possible for him to pick up some of David's mannerisms, quirks, and habits if he was around him long enough.

Rehoboam's mother is named Naamah. Naamah was not an Israelite, despite God specifically commanding kings to marry Israelite women. Her ties to Ammon and paganism likely influenced both Solomon and Rehoboam.^[2]

Rehoboam marries many women, like his father. The details of his marriages are listed in 2 Chronicles 11. Many of these women are quiet closely related to him, though not close enough to be defined as incest biblically. Maachah, the daughter (or granddaughter) of Absalom (Rehoboam's uncle who tried to steal the throne), becomes Rehoboam's favorite wife. Although Rehoboam has 28 sons and even more daughters, it is Maachah's son who succeeds him on the throne. Maachah's son is called Abijah, Abijam, and Abia throughout the text.

Battles and Wars

Egypt

In the fifth year of his reign, the city of Jerusalem is attacked by Shishak, the king of Egypt (1 Kings 14:25). Shishak, which is also written Shishaq, is generally identified as Egyptian pharaoh Shoshenq I. Interestingly, Shisak is the first pharaoh mentioned by name in the Bible. The account of Shishak launching an attack on Jerusalem is listed in the history texts of Egypt, as well.^[3][4]

Shishak brings a considerable army for his attack and is able to raid the Temple of all of its treasures. Although it is not mentioned, I have to wonder if this includes the Ark of the Covenant; after all the ark is not mentioned again after it is placed in the Temple under Solomon's rule. The Israelites were likely devastated by such a defeat, and were not able to replace the expensive treasures from before. Instead, Rehoboam replaces everything with brass replicas.

Note that some sources do not identify Shoshenq I as Shishak, instead they suggest Shishak should be identified as Thutmose III.^[5] This would require a significant change in the timeline as Thutmose III was pharaoh of Egypt from 1479–1426bc.^[6] On the other hand, Shoshenq I was pharaoh of Egypt from 945–924bc. Using the generally agreed upon date that Rehoboam began his reign in 931bc, his 5th year would have been 926bc, 2 years before the end of Shoshenq I's reign.^[4]

Cases have also been made for Rameses II to be the pharaoh called Shishak. Reading the different hypothesis is quite interesting.If you are interested in Biblical timelines and/or matching Biblical events to secular events, you should look up the information on which of these kings actually his Shishank.
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Israel

It isn't surprising that Rehoboam would have been furious when the northern kingdom split from him. I can't think of a single point in history where part of a country decided to form it's own sovereign nation and the original king (or president) didn't fight to retain the territory. Some of this is about pride, but many times, it's also about wealth and power. The northern kingdoms consisted of 10 whole tribes as opposed to Judah's 2 tribes. The loss of these 10 tribes robbed Judah of both wealth and man power, something no nation wants to lose. Rehoboam did just as one would expect and went to war with Jeroboam.

Liberty taken with the depiction of Rehoboam
the Bible does not give a description of Rehoboam.

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Related Posts

References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 605. 2014
2. Elizabeth Fletcher. "Naamah, wife of Solomon". Women in the Bible. 2006
3. Associates for Biblical Research. "What evidence has been found of the Egyptian king, Shishak?". Christian Answers. 1999
4. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Sheshonk I". Encyclopædia Brittanica. July 2, 2010
5. Elizabeth Mitchell, PhD. "Will the Real Shishak Please Stand Up?". Answers in Genesis. March 2, 2012
6. Peter F. Dorman and Margaret Stefana Drower. "Thutmose III". Encyclopædia Brittanica. July 1, 2010

1 Chronicles 27-29: The Last Days of David

The last few chapters of 1 Chronicles summarize David's legacy. Although the chapters are centered on David's rule as king, it is obvious that the main focus is on pricelessness of God.

Introduction

The last few chapters of 1 Chronicles summarize David's legacy. We are given a method to estimate the cost of materials used to construct the Temple, as well as, an example prayer to God. Although the chapters are centered on David's rule as king, it is obvious that the main focus is on pricelessness of God.
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Divisions of the State

In the previous chapters, we were given divisions related to the Temple and the service of God, but 1 Chronicles 27 outlines divisions dedicated to serving the nation and the king. We are told about the army, the princes of each tribe, and the overseers of the nations wealth.

Captain	Tribal Affiliation
Jashobeam	Judah
Dodai
Benaiah	Levi
Asahel
Shamhuth
Ira
Helez	Ephraim
Sibbecai
Abiezer	Benjamin
Maharai
Benaiah	Ephraim
Heldai

The army was divided into 12 units of 24,000 men with one unit serving per month during times of peace. Would assume from the number 12 that each division represented a different tribe, but when the captains of the units are listed this doesn't seem to be the case. Only some of the captains are identified by tribal affiliation and we see two captains from the Tribe of Ephraim. Likely each unit consisted of a mix of tribes and the captains were merely the best of all the army. This method would help unify the nation of evade the possibility of tribes turning on each other. If the units were organized by tribe, it would be much easier for a civil war to break out. Of course, we know that eventually the nation splits in half anyway.

Just as we have governors of states today, back then each tribe had a ruler. These leaders were important and influential among their tribe, and likely acted as liaisons between the tribes and the king. Despite 1 Chronicles 27 only naming one person per tribe, several passages of the Bible is indicates that there could be more the one prince of a tribe. Perhaps there existed a ranking among princes that elevated only one to ruler—a succession line, basically. The Tribe of Manasseh, which was split across the Jordan, is the only tribe to have 2 leaders, because each half of the tribe had their own a leader.

The last set of divisions given in 1 Chronicles 27, involve the men who oversaw the riches of the king and nation. These men were in charge of the treasuries, vineyards, herds, army, etc. It is here that we find Joab listed as the general of the army. His name had been noticeably absent when discussing matters of the army previously. Joab's murderous habits likely demoted his status, causing the chronicler to give him less focus. Interestingly the man over the camels was an Ishmaelite. This is further proof that strangers were brought into the fold of Israel. Those who made themselves loyal to God were apparently joined into the nation. Another set of familiar names found in this list is that of Ahithophel, who turns on David during Absalom's rebellion, and Hushai, who spies for David during the same time period.
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Appointing Solomon King

In 1 Chronicles 28, David makes a public showing of declaring Solomon heir to throne and giving him detailed instructions on building the Temple. This action was likely for the people, and to ensure there was no confusion or rebellion against the throne. Although we are not told when during David's rule this occurs, it seems likely that it occurs after Absalom's rebellion. In 1 Chronicles 29, Solomon is officially made king. Interestingly it says he was made king for the second time. This furthers the idea that first time was during Absalom's rebellion, which was done in haste, and this time was probably more formal and deliberate.^[1]

David presents Solomon with gold and riches for the Temple's construction and encourages him to be strong. Much emphasis is placed on the fact that God will see Solomon through the task. At first I wasn't sure why Solomon would need a pep talk about building a Temple. In my mind this was an easy task compared to Moses, or Joshua, or David. After deeper thought, it started to make sense.

People are often weary of change and the Temple would be a major change for Israel. Once it was constructed, there would be a centralized location for sacrifices to God. With that, people would have to travel to fulfill their duties. This would be an inconvenience, and may have been a contributing factor to the decline of Israel's relationship with God. When Solomon began construction, I imagine there would have been a fair amount of pushback from the people. David didn't want hesitancy form the nation to effect Solomon's ability to complete the task.
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David and the Magnificence of the Temple

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/JJ Jordan

The chronicler's focus on David's legacy are his exact contribution to the Temple. This reiterates how important it was that the Temple be built and how instrumental David was in its construction, despite not being the one to actually build it. David contributes 3,000 talents of gold and 7,000 talents of silver. This is equivalent to 226,194.28lbs of gold and 527,786.66lbs of silver.^[2] Today, gold is worth $39,776.87 per kilogram and silver is worth $579.68 per kilogram.^[3][4] By doing a little math, we see that David essentially contributed $4,081,106,843.94 worth of gold and $138,775,393.14 worth of silver.

That's enough to place the Temple at #4 on the list of today's most expensive buildings of the world.^[5] However, that wasn't everything that went into the Temple! The people also donate gold, silver, brass, and iron to the Temple. The most important part about the giving of the people, isn't the price associated with it however, it's the fact that they gave willingly. David didn't issue a donate or die decree or scare the people into giving; they truly wanted to please God and gave of their own free will.

Nonetheless, a considerable amount of wealth is added to the Temple due to this. The people gave 5,000 talents and 10,000 drams of gold, 10,000 talents of silver, 18,000 talents of brass, and 100,000 talents of iron. A dram is approximately 1lb^[6], making the amount of gold donated about 386,990.47lbs, which is worth $6,982,269,470.17. The people donated 753,980.93lbs of silver, which is worth $198,250,558.25. The average price of brass today is $1.16 per pound;^[7] the Israelites donated 1,357,165.67lbs of brass, which is worth $1,574,312.20. Iron costs $0.02 for .1kg if buying in bulk or $7.20 for .1kg.^[8] Since the Israelites donated 7,539,809.37lbs of iron, I'm going to use the bulk price to estimate its worth at $684,000.00. In total, the people donated $7,182,778,340.62 to the construction of the Temple! If we add the people 7.18 billion to David's donation, we can estimate the cost of the temple to be about 11.4 billion dollars! This would rank it at #2 on the list of today's most expensive buildings of the world, and remember, this total doesn't include anything Solomon added.
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Sacrifices

After pulling together that much wealth, the Israelites decide to offer sacrifices to God in celebration; this includes 1000 bulls, 1000 rams, and 1000 lambs. Reading this makes me understand the passage where God says He hates animal sacrifice (Isaiah 1:11). How sad is it that this many animals had to die to express gratitude and repentance? Although God mandated feasts and outlined sacrifices, you should note that God doesn't command them to sacrifice 3,000 animals at this point. This is something the Israelites did on their own. God didn't desire animals to die, however, there death was necessary to atone for our sins before Jesus' sacrifice. Over time, the Israelites confused this with God delighting in the sacrifice of blood.
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Prayer

When David ends his reign and transfers power to Solomon, he does so by praying to God. This prayer one of the many examples given of how we should pray to God. David exalts and praises God, then attests to God's mercy. He asks God to help Solomon keep the commandments. Even then, they knew that it is impossible to keep the commandments without God's help!
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References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 729. 2014
2. "Talents (Biblical Hebrew) to Pound Conversion". Unit Conversion; visited March 2017
3. "Gold Prices Today Per Ounce & Gold Chart Historical". APMEX; visited March 2017
4. "Silver Prices". APMEX; visited March 2017
5. Alice Young. "The 10 Most Expensive Buildings in the World". Constructing Global. June 10, 2016
6. "Dram". Bible Hub; visited March 2017
7. "Brass - US Scrap Prices". Recycle In Me; visited March 2017
8. "Iron Element Facts". Chemicool. October 6, 2012

2 Kings 13-15: Elisha's Death & 8 Kings of Israel

A consequence of this disloyalty to God is the instability of their throne. There is a constant struggle for the throne as worldly ideas pollute the people of Israel. Instead of being content to appoint God's heir to the throne, they vie for power and kill for what they desire.

Introduction

2 Kings 13-15 details the succession of many kings in the northern kingdom. Although Judah also struggled to be faithful to God, Israel remained in sin without God-fearing kings for majority of it's existence. A consequence of this disloyalty to God is the instability of their throne. There is a constant struggle for the throne as worldly ideas pollute the people of Israel. Instead of being content to appoint God's heir to the throne, they vie for power and kill for what they desire.
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Jehoahaz

Jehu's son, Jehoahaz, becomes king of Israel during the 23rd year of Judah's king Ahaziah. He continued to lead Israel down evil paths during his 17 year reign. Because of this, God allows Syria to over take Israel. Eventually Jehoahaz calls on God for aid. Per God's covenant that He would never completely abandon them, He sends a savior, but Israel does not repent or return to God.

God's decision to rescue Jehoahaz and the northern kingdom when they called on Him, despite knowing that they would not truly repent should remind us that we are never wrong to seek out God. God wants us to come back to Him and will always give us that chance, no matter what we have done. Of course, when we choose to seek out God, we should also choose to repent and follow God from then on out (unlike Jehoahaz).
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Jehoash

Once again, we find a king that shares his name with another king. This makes it crucial that when reading Kings and Chronicles, we pay close attention to determine who is being discussed. Jehoash of Israel not only shares a name with Jehoash of Judah, but their reigns overlap. Jehoash of Israel reigns for 26 years and is caught up in the re-ignition of the war with the southern kingdom. He is challenged by Jehoash of Judah's son Amaziah, and although he is reluctant to go to battle, eventually Jehoash delivers a crushing blow to Judah.

It is sad to read that while Syria and Assyria were battering the people of God, they were battling themselves. This problem occurs throughout the world on so many levels it's impossible not to see how this problem relates to today. A house divided cannot stand, but in almost every case you can think of, the house is divided. The U.S. allows division between race or political affiliation to incite violence and dictate possibly the worst election in the history of the United States. Our churches split because of in house fighting. This is not the way to build a strong body for Christ. While sometimes these divisions may be unavoidable because those we are divided with are truly against God, we have to remember that these divisions will inevitably leave us vulnerable to attack, so we should prepare for the worst.
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Elisha's Death

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Iddo Tal

The second of the 2 major prophets discussed throughout Kings, Elisha dies of an illness during Jehoash of Israel's reign. Fortunately Jehoash is able to consult with him about the fate of the northern kingdom before he dies.

Elisha uses a bow and arrow to prophesy that Israel will conquer Syria in Aphek. Elisha instructs the king to smite the ground with the arrows. When the king only does so 3 times, Elisha is upset. Elisha says that now they will only smite Syria 3 times, whereas if he had smote the ground more times, they would have utterly defeated them.

As Elisha has prophesied, Jehoash smites Syria 3 times. During this time Syria's king, Hazael, dies and his son Benhadad becomes king. Something tells me he named his son Benhadad before he killed the previous king Benhadad—though it is possible he did so after out of guilt.

After Elisha dies, Moabites also begin attacking Israel. During this battle a deceased soldier is dumped with Elisha's bones. When the body touches Elisha's bone, the soldier is revived. This last miracle is performed in death and a testament to how truly miraculous God is.
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Jeroboam II

After Jehoash, Jeroboam II takes over as king. Although he is not a direct descendant of Jeroboam I, nor referred to as Jeroboam II, many people refer to him as such to differentiate bettwen the two king's of the northern kingdom.

Jeroboam reigns for 41 years, possibly the longest reign for a king in the northern kingdom, despite his evil ways. Jonah, the famous prophet, served during this era. One accomplishment of Jeroboam II is the expansion of the kingdom, though he does not reclaim all of what Solomon had. His son Zachariah takes over after he dies.
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Zachariah

During the 38th year of Azariah's reign, Zachariah is made king of Israel; however, his reign only lasts 6 months. He is killed by Shallum, the son of Jabesh, and Shallum takes over as king. Like most kings of Israel, Zachriah does evil in the sight of the Lord.
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Shallum

By using the information given, we know that Shallum begins his reign during Azariah's 38th or 39th year, depending on when during Azariah's 38th year Zachariah becomes king. The text, however, tells us that Shallum began reigning during Uzziah's 39th year. The name Uzziah is used interchangeably for Azariah in both 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles, implying that they are the same person.^[2] Reading verses like 2 Chronicles 26:1 confirms this. Although it seems odd that the authors used different names for the same king, I think this is cultural. Imagine if someone 3000 years from now, who had no knowledge of Latin based languages, and particularly not English, heard the names Charles and Chuck. They would assume these were distinct names with no relation to each other. However, as native speakers of the language, we know that Chuck is a nickname for Charles, thus if you introduce us to a Charles then begin referring to him as Chuck, we will know you are still referring to Charles. The audience of the writers of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles would have known these names were referring to the same person and may have even called the king by both names (think P. Diddy vs. Puff Daddy).
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Menahem

Menahem enters into power by killing people in a city called Tiphsah. Apparently they did not welcome him, and his temper got the best of him. We know he was a ruthless person because he even killed the pregnant women of the city in his anger. Menahem sets up a power base in Israel's old capital of Tirzah, which probably made the people of Tirzah quite happy. Once the capital moved from their city to Samaria, they probably felt abandoned and possibly suffered economic losses. Their rallying power was enough to gain Menahem the crown to rule over all Israel from Samaria. Menahem reigns in Samaria for 10 years. Although it is not stated, I'm sure the people of Tirzah were disappointed Menahem didn't bring the capital back to them. In the same way Donald Trump has abanndoned his rallying cry for middle America, Menahem probably just used the people at Tirzah to gain power.

During Menahem's reign a king of Assyria named Pul invaded. Menahem gives Pul 1000 talents of silver, which allows him to keep his throne. Menahem taxes the people of Israel 50 shekels of silver each to give to Pul so that Pul will not attack them. This is further proof that the people were not in tune with God. God promised a self-sufficient nation, not one that had to buy their freedom.

Pul is the same as the historical Tiglath-pileser III who ruled Assyria from 745 to 727bc. It is thought that Pul or Pulu was either his personal name or a Babylonian name, as he uses this name when he takes over the throne of Babylon in about 729bc.^[1]
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Pekahiah

In Azariah's 50th year, Menahem's son Pekahiah becomes king of Israel. Pekiah only reigns for 2 years and continues in the sins of Israel's previous kings. The son of one of Pekahiah's captains conspires against him and kills him in the palace. We are given the name of the lead conspirator (Pekah), as well as 2 of his followers—Argob and Arieh. Together, they take 50 Gileadites to overwhelm the king. After his death, this rebel is crowned king.

Pekah

Pekah takes the throne during the 52nd year of Azariah.

Notice that at least 4 different kings have come and gone during Azariah's reign. When we follow God, we inherit longevity in all things. Many people abandon God for power, money, or fame, but whatever they accomplish is short lived. Think of all the celebrities that die young and athletes who file for bankruptcy. Meanwhile, there are local singers in your churches and coaches at your high school who are just as great in these roles. However these people are enjoying long happy lives because they followed God's path. That's not to say you can't be in a high position of power, because clearly Azariah was also a king. However, it is to say you must be following God's Will and God's Way to hang on to any power you receive. In our world today, it is less likely that the position of power you want and God's Will will be compatible.

Pekah reigns for 20 years and continues the trends of the other kings of the northern kingdom, leading Israel further into sin. During Pekah's reign Pul comes back, this time identified as Tiglath-pileser. He begins to carry away people as captives of Assyria. This is the beginning of the coming exile that caused the tribes of the northern kingdom to be lost "forever." This may also be the source of dissatisfaction in Israel that causes Hoshea, the son of Elah, to rise up and kill Pekah. As expected, Hoshea takes the throne of Israel in his stead.
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References

1. Donald John Wiseman. "Tiglath-pileser III: King of Assyria". Encyclopædia Britannica. December 1, 2000
2. W. Shaw Caldecott. "Uzziah (Azariah)". International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Online; visited February 2017

2 Kings 11-15: Four Good Kings in Judah

Beginning with Jehoash, Judah experiences a period of revival with 3 God-fearing kings. Although the effects are not permanent, these rulers give us a positive glimpse of David's dynasty, and prove that given the right leader, a nation can always return to God.

Introduction

Beginning with Jehoash, Judah experiences a period of revival with 3 God-fearing kings. Although the effects are not permanent, these rulers give us a positive glimpse of David's dynasty, and prove that given the right leader, a nation can always return to God.
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Jehoash

Judah is often represented by the lion
Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Chad Littlejohn

2 Kings 11 focuses mostly on the destructive Queen Athaliah, but we are also introduced to her successor, Jehoash. Hidden away by his aunt to escape Athaliah's massacre of Ahaziah's sons, Jehoash grows up in the Temple under protection. The priest does not wait until Jehoash is a full grown man (at least not by our standards today) to reveal Jehoash as king. Instead, Jehoash is crowned king at 7 years old with the support of several military leaders. Children were seen as adults as much younger ages back then, and the priest probably assumed that God's rightful heir needed to be on the throne as soon as possible.
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Reign

Johash's reign begins during the 7th year of Jehu king of the Northern kingdom. Because Jehoash was crowned at 7 years old, we also know that he was born the year Jehu took the throne. Following the ways of God, Jehoash reigns for 40 years—like David and Solomon. Johash does right by God but he doesn't rid Judah of pagan altars or illegal altars for God.
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Repairing the Temple

Jehoash orders that the priests take the money they've collected to repair the Temple, but after 23 years of ruling, the Temple still wasn't repaired. It seems only natural that Jehoash would have special regard for the Temple given that he was brought up there. He does not let this stop his vision, but continues the effort to repair the Temple. The priests are told they can't receive any more money until the repairs are completed. They come up with a public method of collecting the money to make sure the task is carried out properly. The priests kept the money from the trespass and sin offerings.
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Pressure From Syria

Hazael, king of Syria attacks Gath and subsequently determines to attack Jerusalem. Caving to pressure, Jehoash gives Hazael all of the treasures that had been dedicated to God. This is a low point in Jehosah's reign. Instead of clinging to faith and trusting God, he gives away holy objects. When we are cornered by the world, we are not to give up anything that belongs to God. We are to prepare for battle and trust that God will fight for us.
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Death

Jehoash is killed by his servants, and his son Amaziah takes over his reign.
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Amaziah

Amaziah, the son of Jehoash, was also a good king, though not as good as David. He takes the throne at 25 years old and reigns for 29 years. When he takes the throne, he takes revenge on the servants who killed his father and kills them. He does not kill their children however, because the law states that we are not to such a thing.

Amaziah starts a war with the northern kingdom of Israel, which turns out disastrous for Judah. The king at Samaria shared a name with Jehoash of Judah, so it can be difficult to keep them straight. Jehoash of Samaria does not want to be involved in the war, but does what he feels is necessary for his people. Jehoash raids the Temple and breaks the wall. The failure of God's people often leads to the destruction of His temple. Similarly, when we fail today, we defile ourselves and destroy the new temples of our bodies.

Amaziah does not die in the war and actually outlived Jehoash of the northern kingdom by 15 years. He was killed in Lachish by people who conspired against him. Azariah takes over as king after his father is killed.
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Azariah

Azariah tops the previous record of longest reigning king, reigning 52 years. His reign begins when he is just 16 years old and Jeroboam II had been ruling Israel for 27 years. Azariah follows in his father's footsteps and was a good king. Although he follows God, he does not remove the high places or altars from the kingdom. Azariah's downfall is not told in 2 Kings, but we know something changes his course of behavior because we are told that God curses the king with leprosy. His crimes are listed in 2 Chronicles 26. After being cursed with leprosy, his son Jotham takes over as king.
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Jotham

Jotham becomes king of Judah during the 2nd year of Pekah and is 25 years old when he begins his reign. His reign lasts for 16 years (this figure does not include co-regency).^[1] Jotham walks in the way of the Lord, but again, does not remove the altars. He adds an addition to the Temple. During Jotham's reign both Syria and Israel began attacking Israel. After his death, his son Ahaz takes the throne.

References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 658. 2014

2 Kings 9&10: Jehu

Jehu may have been selected as king because God knew he would rid the land of Ahab's disastrous lineage, but Jehu isn't a Godly king by any stretch of the imagination.

Introduction

Back in 1 Kings, God told Elijah that Jehu was to be king of Israel, though He didn't specify when. This is similar to God's revelation that David would be king, despite that fact that Saul would continue to be king for quite some time after the revelation. 2 Kings 9 tells us of Jehu's anointing and 2 Kings 10 tells us a bit about his reign. Jehu may have been selected as king because God knew he would rid the land of Ahab's disastrous lineage, but Jehu isn't a Godly king by any stretch of the imagination.
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Anointing

Elisha instructs one of the prophets to anoint Jehu as king. Part of those instructions include fleeing after the job is done. At the time, Jehu was the captain of the army, likely entangled in battle. God had forewarned that He would cut of Ahab's line and Jehu was the fulfillment of this.
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Taking the Throne

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Aureily Movila

When Jehu's men follow him without hesitation, he begins to conspire against Jehoram, the current king of Israel. Jehu goes to see Jehoram while Jehoram is recovering from battle wounds. On guard, Jehoram sends 3 messenger to find out if Jehu is approaching in peace or anger, but not of the messengers return. Finally, Jehoram and Ahaziah (king of Judah) ride out to meet Jehu. Ironically, they meet Jehu on the same land that Ahab had stolen from Naboth in 1 Kings 21.
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Killing Jehoram

When Jehoram confronts Jehu, Jehu calls out Jezebel's idolatry and witchcraft, which had been plaguing the country. Jehoram flees; Jehu does not let him get away, instead he shoots him with a bow and arrow. The arrow goes straight through Jehoram's heart. His body is dumped in Naboth's field.

Ahazaiah is killed in this confrontation, as well. His servants take him back to Jerusalem to be buried with the rest of David's line. This was not part of God's instruction specifically, but it is possible Jehu believed he was accomplishing God's will since Ahaziah's mother was from Ahab's lineage.
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Killing Jezebel

When Jehu gets back to the palace, he takes over brazenly and decrees that Jezebel be thrown from the window in which she stands. Her dead body is left where it falsl as Jehu enjoys a meal. When Jehu finally commands the men to dispose of her body, only parts of it can be found. They recognize this as fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy that Jezebel would be eaten by dogs.
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Killing Ahab's Sons

Ahab had 70 sons, which means he probably had quite a few wives, though some of these "sons" may have been grandsons. Jehu issues letters to them all, challenging them to fight for their father's lost throne. In a second letter, Jehu challenges the people of the city to kill these heirs to the throne to prove their loyalty. The people take up Jehu's challenge and deliver the heads of all 70 sons to him in baskets.

Jehu takes God's command to rid the nation of Ahab's lineage as permission to kill everyone associated with Ahab (which is not what God said). Jehu kills Ahab's "great men" (likely the other captains) and priests. Jehu kills an entourage of Ahaziah's brethren who seem to be on their way to pay their respects. It seems as though Jehu became bloodthirsty with power. Unlike others who kept God in focus once they assumed the throne, Jehu was like Saul, he let the power go to his head. Jehu was no longer carrying out God's order, he was snuffing out his detractors and competition.
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Allies & Enemies

Jehu makes himself an ally with Jehonadab who was the son of Rechab. Jehonadab was a religious leader in the kingdom. Together, they continue killing those loyal to Ahab.

Jehu tricks the worshippers of Baal to gather in the pagan worship center. He cons them into believing that he will serve Baal the way Ahab's family had. When the people assemble, he orders them killed. He orders the images and worship center destroyed.

God was ready to reward Jehu for following His command, but Jehu did not want to follow God's law. Jehu continues in the ways of the kings before him, leading Israel to continue to sin despite having purged the kingdom of Jezebel along with Ahab's sons.

Because Jehu is still a sinful king however, God allows Hazael to advance into Israel's territory. Jehu reigns for 28 years; when he dies, his son Jehoahaz becomes king.

References

2 Kings 3: Jehoram (Israel)

Jehoram, brother of Ahaziah and son of Ahab takes over as king of Israel and inherits the rebellion of the Moabites.

Introduction

2 Kings 3 discusses the reign of Jehoram, who took over the throne of Israel from Ahaziah. Confusingly, Jehoram is also the name of Jehoshaphat's son who is already reigning co-regent with his father. Thus when Jehoram comes to power there are two king Jehoram's reigning in Israel. Israel's Jehoram is actually Ahaziah's brother, not his son; he takes the throne because Ahaziah has no sons. His reign begins during Jehoshaphat's 18th year and Judah's Jehoram's 2nd year of co-regency. Jehoram reigns for 12 years and makes a few improvements in Israel, though he is still not seen as a righteous king.
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Moab Rebels

Desert in Jordan
Photocredit: FreeImages.com/aristock

The king of Moab had given tribute to Israel but when Ahab died, that alliance crumbled and the Moabites rebelled against God. Now, that his brother was dead, Jehoram bore the burden of preparing for battle. Jehoram numbers his army and travels to Judah to gain support from Jehoshaphat. Having already extended an olive branch to Israel, Jehoshaphat reiterates the fact that they are the same people and should stick together. The two kings travel by way of Edom and convince the Edomites to join them. Remember in terms of family, the Edomites were their brothers while the Moabites descended from the incestuous relationship of Lot (a distant relative of Jacob & Esau).

While the men are journeying to battle, they run out of water. Jehoram believes they are being delivered in to the hands of the Moabites, but Jehoshaphat, being the God-fearing king, inquires of a prophet to consult God. Elisha is the prophet who comes to their aid. Elisha tells them that water will appear, neither by rain nor by wind but by God's hand. In addition, God will give the Israelites the victory. They are to destroy everything in Moab, however. Just as Elisha prophesies, water appears and the Israelites go into battle smiting the Moabites and their cities.

When the king of Moab panics, he tries to pit his personal army against Edom to create an escape path, but God protects Edom as well. Seeing that he has failed, the king of Moab sacrifices his eldest son. This must have been a pagan ritual because God did not approve of human sacrifices; he barely approved of animal sacrifices—see Isaiah 66:3 and Psalm 40:6.
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Relating To Today

Leaders often inherit other people's problems just as Jehoram inherited his brother's. Many people point out the conflicting stance on whether God punishes the son for the father's sins, but I think this passage is a reminder of how this works. Because we come from imperfect parents and imperfect societies, we learn imperfect habits. Throughout 1 & 2 Kings, we are told that the new king followed the ways of the old king. Despite God postponing judgment from one king to another, we are told that the new king behaved in the same ungodly manner his father did. Had the new king repented and delivered the nation into the path of God, judgement would have been postponed once again. The problem is that we learn how to behave from our parents and the society around us, so if our parents and our society is corrupt, it is more likely that we too will be corrupt.

As members of society or as parents, we owe it to our neighbors and children to be a good example. We owe it to teach sound doctrine and consult God in each of our decisions. It is difficult to break habits, but not impossible. In 1&2 Kings we see glimmers of hope where prophets like Elisha and Elijah, or kings like Jehoshaphat and Asa, tried to lead the Israelites back to God. We want to be like those people. We don't want to be the cause of our children's failure.
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References

2 Kings 1: Ahaziah

And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.2 Kings 1:2

Ahaziah falls ill and seeks out Baalzebub for help, but Elijah intercepts and pronounces judgment of Ahaziah from God.

After the northern kingdom of Israel's King Ahab dies, Moab begins to rebel against Israel. Considering the fact that Israel had just fought Syria, I imagine the men of the army were quiet tried and not looking about a major battle. This conflict brews until the confrontation we learn about in 2 Kings 3.

The King Ahaziah, who replaces Ahab suddenly falls ill; but instead of asking God for help, he calls of the pagan deity Baalzebub. Just has Elijah's prayer were able to raise people from the dead, the king had the opportunity to live, but he chose not to. Instead, Ahaziah sent a convey of his men to Baalzebub. Baalzebub is another name for the devil. Essentially, Ahaziah's first attempt to cure himself was to go to the "prophet" who was all-the-range instead of seeking out the one true God.

Elijah intercepts the Ahaziah's messengers at God's request before they can make it to Baalzebub's shrine and asks them if it is because there is no relationship with the God of Israel that they seek out this false god. This answer is not actually answer, but a conversation starter to spark conversation. Elijah gives them the answer they seek from the true God: Ahaziah will die. The messengers abandon their mission and return to Ahab with a Elijah's message.

The messengers must have been very confident in the Word of God, and very shaken because they chose to go against Ahaziah's order. As one would expect; he was not happy about this! Ahaziah sends a captain with 50 soldiers to bring Elijah in, but Elijah calls on God to strike down the men with fire. Ahaziah sends another troop of 50, and again Elijah had God smite them with fire. When Ahaziah sends a third troop, the captain approaches Elijah with humility and pleads for him to have mercy on their lives. At this, Elijah obliges the request.

Elijah confirms the message to Ahaziah, who dies just as God said he would. After Ahaziah's death, his son Jehoram takes over. Interestingly, at the same time a different Jehoram is in his second year of ruling in Judah.
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References

Corrupt Leaders Corrupt Society

I think it's quite fitting that I'm reading 1 & 2 Kings at the beginning of Trump's tenure as president of the United States. We're only nine days in and he's already causing quite the commotion.

I think it's quite fitting that I'm reading 1 & 2 Kings at the beginning of Trump's tenure as president of the United States. We're only nine days in and he's already causing quite the commotion. The leader of a nation has the power to effect how their citizens behave, as well as, the people in surrounding nations. When I was younger, I believed people were less likely to give up their morals for "the powers that be." However, that's exactly what happened just before the Holocaust. The Nazi's took over and suddenly everything changed for the Jews. Hate crimes have been on the rise since President Trump's campaign took off and now Muslims have been banned from re-entering the country. We want to believe the best about people, but bad leadership brings out the worst in people and unfortunately, the worse is there to be brought out.

1 Kings follows the monarchs of Israel, both as a united kingdom and as a divided kingdom. While there are a few decent leaders, most of the kings (particularly in the northern kingdom) are idolators who drive the Israelites into paganism. When these kings sanction pagan sacrifices and worship, the people follow suit. It probably started with those who just wanted a seat at the table, so to speak. Like in the world today, there are people who will easily give up their morals for money or power. Once the powerful players are corrupted, society follows suit from peer pressure. Suddenly, those who are trying to do the right thing are the minority and ostracized for their beliefs. In Israel, prophets like Elijah were hunted down for staying true to God, just as people who try to adhere to God's word today are often criticized.

Over the next four years (if we make it that far), I expect to see the hate that Donald Trump has been normalizing to spill into our day-to-day lives. However, we must be like Elijah and stand firm in the love and compassion God has given us through His spirit.
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1 Kings 22: Jehoshaphat Makes Peace

The last chapter of Kings brings the southern kingdom of Judah back into focus. For the first time since the division of the kingdom, we see the two kingdoms come together.

Introduction

1 Kings 22 introduces us to a new king in Judah, Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa. For the first time since the split of the kingdom, the two kings are seen trying to broker peace.
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An Update to the War With Syria

The war between Syria and Israel mentioned in 1 Kings 18 had come to an unofficial end when Ahab signed a treaty with Benhadad. There hadn't been any battles for 3 years. However, Israel had not reclaimed all of their land that the Syrians had conquered during the war.
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Peace Between the Two Kingdoms

A Peaceful Scene
Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Tom Low

During this time, Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, met with Ahab, the king of Israel. This is the first mentioning of the two kings coming together in peace, and leads to an agreement between the two to recapture Israel's lost city. Jehoshaphat says that if God gave His blessing, he would help Ahab reclaim the lost territory and reminds him that despite their differences, they are of the same people.

Often as Christians we forget that we are supposed to be of the same body. We allow petty differences to divide us, but that only makes all of us weaker. Had Israel been a unified nation, they may have never lost the territory in the first place.
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Consulting the Prophets

The king of Israel calls for his prophets and they claim God has blessed the task, however, Jehoshaphat enquires of a real prophet of God. Ahab's prophets must have been involved in pagan practices. Despite Elijah executing a large number of them, Jezebel and Ahab's promotion of paganism likely led more to spring up.

Ahab mentions that there is a prophet of God named Micaiah, but he is despised by the king. Like we saw with Ahab and Elijah, the king was at odds with this prophet because he spoke the Word of God, and the king was at odds with the Word of God. Anytime you are against God you will begin to despise those who uphold His Word. This happens in our world today, as well.

Jehoshaphat stands up for Micaiah and has him brought in for counsel. As Christians, we are to stand up for our fellow believers rather than let the world deny them. We are to stand together in Christ. Jehoshaphat understood this and knew that if he was going into battle, he need a real prophet to get instruction from God.
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Michaiah

Initially, Micaiah gives the same answer as the rest of the prophets, but Ahab seems to think Micaiah is being disingenuous and prompts him for a real answer. This time he foretells of the scattering of Israel. Micaiah says that God deliberately wants Ahab to attack the city, that he has sent an angel to persuade Ahab to go into battle. A lying spirit (possibly the devil) had come forth and agreed to put lies on the tongues of the prophets. This spirit apparently only had the power to deceive the false prophets. Just as in the end times, God's people can not be fooled because they are in one accord with Him.

One of the false prophets is angered and slaps Micaiah. This seems like something that would occur on a reality TV show today. Despite the false prophet being guilty of assault, Micaiah is the one sentenced to prison. Micaiah, seemingly unbothered, says that if the people return in peace he isn't a prophet of the Lord. This is the essence of Deuteronomy 18:22; the way to see a true prophet is to see if their prophecies come true. This past year, many so called "prophets" were predicting President Obama would be assassinated before the end of his term or declare martial law to stop the next president from taking office. Since neither of these things happened, we know they are false prophets. Similarly, if Israel was not scattered, the people would know that Micaiah was not a true prophet, as well.
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On to Battle

Despite these warnings, both kings went to battle. At the edge of battle, Ahab begins to fear, probably due to Michaiah's vision, and disguises himself. When the king of Syria commands his army to contend with the king of Israel, they attack Jehoshaphat instead of Ahab. When they realize their mistake, they retreat from attacking Jehoshaphat, find Ahab, and kill him. He dies in his chariot and is carried back to Samaria, where just as Elijah predicted, the dogs licked his blood. As Michaiah had warned, the battle was not for Ahab to win.
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Jehoshaphat & Ahaziah

Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he took the throne; he reigned for 25 years in Judah. Like his father (Asa), he walked with God and did what was right. However, like Asa, he still refused to remove the altars for pagans and the people of Israel still committed idolatry. Jehoshaphat is the king that brought peace between Judah and Israel. His desire for God is what prompts him to reach out to Michaiah for consuel.

Ahaziah takes the throne after his father's death, during Jehoshaphat's 17th year, but he only takes the throne for 2 years. He was an evil king, like the kings of Israel before him. He served Baal and provoked God's wrath.

After the war, Jehoshaphat sends ships to Ophir for gold, but the ships are not able to make the journey. Instead they break at Eziongeber. Ahaziah offers to help, but Jehoshaphat refuses. Perhaps Jehoshaphat took this as a sign that God did not want him going after gold. It is also possible that after seeing the idolatry of the kings of Israel, Jehoshaphat no longer wanted to be associated with them.
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References

1 Kings 16: A Series of Coups

We have to remind ourselves that just because someone has power and wealth does not been they have peace of mind, happiness, or favor.

Introduction

1 Kings 16 focuses on five kings of Israel (the northern kingdom—if you aren't caught up, check out 1 Kings 12: The Division of Israel). The chapter opens discussing Baasha, who was of the tribe of Issachar and stole the throne from Nadab, and closes with Ahab. Almost every succession in this chapter seems to be the result of a coup rather than a Godly anointing, or inheritance. The leadership is far from orderly, which implies the kingdom was far from orderly as well. During the reign of all 5 of these corrupted kings, Asa maintains his faith in God and continues to lead the southern kingdom of Judah.
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Baasha & Jehu, the Prophet

Baasha's reign begins during the 3rd year of Asa's reign, but unlike Asa, he continues to lead Israel on the path of idolatry as the kings before him. God sends a message to Baasha through Jehu the prophet; this message conveys God's disappointment in Baasha's behavior. God tells Baasha that his house will fall, just as Jeroboam's did. Furthermore, in addition to losing his prosperity, a curse is placed on them to die undignified deaths in which animals ate their remains. This is fulfilled during his son's reign (just as Baasha killed Jeoboam's son). Having an improper burial is seen as a disgrace in many cultures around the world, and it was no different in Israel.

Baasha stole the throne from Jeroboam's line, but in the end he was going to lose the throne as well. You reap what you sew, and in this case, Baasha had sewn thievery and deceit. Even though we may get away with something momentarily, God works things out. We often see people succeed by ungodly means, then loose heart because we are struggling down the path of righteousness. However, the Bible makes it clear that these evil kings were plagued with disaster. Saul and even Solomon became paranoid. Here, we see Baasha suffer an untimely and disgraceful death. We have to remind ourselves that just because someone has power and wealth does not been they have peace of mind, happiness, or favor.
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# of Years Reigned

Elah

When Baasha dies, his son Elah takes over, as expected. Elah begins his reign during the 26th year of Asa, king of Judah. Not much is told about Elah except that he is killed while drunk during a coup by his own captain, Zimri. God tells us not to be drunk because of situations like this. It's not that God is a "prude;" this is God warning us of the dangers we encounter while drinking. Had Elah been sober, he might have avoided death. Elah's murder occurs during the 27th year of Asa's reign. At most, if Elah took the throne during the beginning of Asa's 26th year and was murdered during the late part of Asa's 27th year, he may have reign for just less than 2 years. It is also possible that he was made king near the end of Asa's 26th and killed during the beginning of the 27th year; this would mean he reigned less than a few months. Whichever the case (or something in the middle), Baasha had a very short role as king.
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Zimri

Zimri takes the throne of Israel in Elah's stead (why else murder than man, right?). To ensure his reign, Zimri kills Baasha's entire line and any supporters he had. As mentioned in previous posts, it was very common for new kings to elimination legitimate threats to their prower. Zimri's reign, as expected, was quite short, lasting only 7 days. When the Israelites hear what he has done to Elah, they rise up to put an end to him. Zimri commits suicide by fire when he sees the people coming for him. Omri is placed in charge of the opposition and takes the throne upon defeating Zimri.
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Omri & Tibni

Before Omri fully takes the throne, there is a struggle between him and a man named Tibni. Half of the Israelites chose Tibni to rule, while the other half proclaimed Omri king. Eventually, Omri and his men prevail against Tibni, resulting in Tibni's death. Omri officially takes the throne in Asa's 31st year. Omri is said to be even worse that the previous kings in God's sight. Omri buys the city of Samaria, which would become the capital of the northern kingdom.
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Relating to Today

I find the struggle between Omri and Tibni to be interesting; it highlights an issue we still grapple with today: how do we select a leader? Ancient Israel wasn't a democracy, but clearly the people had some say in who they would follow. Before the decline of the kingdom, we are given clear signs of God anointing each king (at least clear from the reader's perspective), but even then there are moments when the people clearly "choose" their king. For example, David prompts the men of Judah to ask him to be king again when he askS why they haven't already chosen this path. Furthermore in God's kingdom, everyone will have agreed to make Jesus their King; those who don't choose Him, won't be there.

I find this interesting now that we have "survived" the wackiest season of "the Election." There is a definite polarization of the public over each candidate. We know that Omri turns out to be a corrupt king, but we aren't told whether Tibni was good or bad. Considering the disarray Israel was in, and the fact that God did not intervene to place Tibni on the throne, I would assume Tibni was also corrupt. Thus, the Israelites probably felt a lot like Americans during this past election. In 1 Kings 19, during Ahab's reign, we learn that there are still 7000 righteous people in the northern kingdom. Similarly, there were plenty of true God-fearing people in the US, yet in both situations the people ended up with horrible options for rulers.

Aside from the competition between Tibni and Omri, we aren't told of a mass insurrection carried out by God's people. It seems that they aren't involved in the chaos at all. This is interesting, because we have to wonder what would have happened if one of them had taken the throne instead? Now, when we think about the numbers 7000 may not have been enough to launch a viable campaign, and that could be why they stayed out of the picture. However, I also have a feeling it was about what the people of Israel actually wanted.

Often when we are on God's side, people don't want to hear it. People would rather watch distasteful "reality" TV shows or follow gossip magazines than see positive wholesome images. Controversy and scandals keep people glued to the TV screen or to the radio or to the newspaper. The love of "reality" TV clearly spilled into the election, and despite people claiming they were disappointed, it didn't stop them from tuning in to see what happened next. People couldn't wait to see what crazy thing Donald Trump tweeted next, or if Hilary's email's would get interesting. We had an election where both presidential candidates were on trial for committing crimes! Yet, the public outrage didn't lead to the first election of a third party candidate or changes in media coverage. People were either enthralled by the spectacle, or too "alone" to make a difference.

During the tug-of-war between Tibni and Omri, God's people probably felt that they were a minority and chose not to speak up because they didn't think it would make a difference. It's also possible, that like with this election, they really were a minority, and when they spoke up people shot them down. Like a child who wants perfectly straight teeth, but doesn't want to wear braces, we often aren't willing to make sacrifices for a better path.
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Ahab

After Omri dies, his son Ahab, takes the throne during the 38th year of Asa. One of the more popular kings of Israel, Ahab reigns from the northern capital of Samaria for 22 years. He does not bring change about in Israel, but continues to do evil before God.

Ahab's wife Jezebel is also a well known figure in the Bible. She played a heavy role in Ahab's journey to idolatry. Probably in an effort to please his wife, Ahab makes an altar to the pagan god of Jezebel, but he doesn't stop there. He also makes an idol another pagan god. Of all Israel's kings that had already come before him. Ahab made God the angriest.

During Ahab's reign, the city of Jericho is rebuilt, defying the curse Joshua had placed on the city when Israel first entered the promised land. This shows that the Israelites had either forsaken the Lord, or they had not been properly taught. Considering how superstitious people can be, even today, I believe the Israelites became slack in teaching the Word of God (just as we have today). Without that foundation, people would make decisions, such as the one to rebuild Jericho, without ever thinking about what God has said about the action.
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Unsuccessful Leadership

It is important to notice that the kings who followed God ruled much longer than those who did not. Further, in each record, it is made clear that God did not approve of these king's lifestyles or actions and that is why they could not keep the throne.
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References