From: Thompson Chain Reference Bible Topic 4235

The diagram portrays the moral heights and depths in the lives of the kings of Judah.

As the people followed the example of their rulers, it vividly pictures the causes of the downfall of the kingdom. The lines of elevation and depression tell the story of the life of the Hebrews in those ancient days. Such kings as David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Jotham, Hezekiah, and Josiah were spiritual mountaineers in spite of their defects. These rulers saved the nation from destruction for a long period. But a large majority of the monarchs, as shown in the drawing, did not live on the plane of righteousness but descended into gross sins and idolatry which brought upon them divine judgments and ended in captivity in Babylon.

1.  Rehoboam – took advice of younger men.  Made burden heavier causing the split. Sodomites and other abominations remained.

2.  Abijah – evil like Rehoboam

3.  Asa – Good king. Removed queen mother for idolatry, relied on King of Syria rather than God, diseased in feet in old age

4.  Jehosaphat – Best king since Solomon but joined forces with wicked Ahab, king of Israel.

5.  Jehoram – Slew all his brothers.  Married Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel.  Bowels fell out and he died.

6.  Ahaziah – Son of Jehoram and Athaliah. She was his counseller to do wickedly.

7.  Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. – Queen of Judah.  Slew all the royal seed but missed baby Joash hidden by wife of Jehoiada, the high priest.

8.  Joash – 7 years old when he began to reign.  Good king while Jehoiada was still high priest, then became idolatrous.

9.  Amaziah – Did right but not like David.

10.  Uzziah – Did right until pridefully, he offered incense though not a priest and was struck with leprosy.

11.  Jotham – Good king -  “prepared his ways before the LORD his God”

12.  Ahaz – Idolater.  Made sons pass through the fire.  Paid king of Assyria to fight against Syria. (God’s and Kings by Lynn Austin)

13.  Hezekiah repaired and cleansed the temple.  185000 Assyrians slain by God. Prayer not to die answered.

14.  Manasseh – Idolatry, abominations, desecrations of the Temple.  Alliance with Babylon then carried away captive. Repented of his wickedness and returned.

15.  Amon – Idolatry continued.  Killed.

16.  Josiah was 8 years old. Removed all idolatry. Restored temple.  Burned bones of evil priests. Book of the Law found. Repentance and greatest Passover held

17.  Jehoahaz – Taken in chains to Egypt by Pharaoh-necho.  Died there.

18.  Jehoiakim -  Appointed king by Pharaoh in place of his brother, Jehoahaz.

19.  Jehoiachin – Also called Jeconiah or Coniah – “ no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David” - Jer 22.30 (necessitated the virgin birth). Carried away to Babylon .

20.  Zedekiah – Nebuchadnezzar replaced Jehoiachin with Jehoiachin's uncle renamed to Zedekiah (whose sons were killed before his eyes, his eyes put out, and then he was imprisoned in Babylon until his death).