Kingdom of Judah

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Judea is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel. Kings of Judah

Saul • David • Solomon • Rehoboam • Abijah • Asa • Jehoshaphat • Jehoram • Ahaziah • Athaliah • J(eh)oash • Amaziah • Uzziah/Azariah • Jotham • Ahaz • Hezekiah • Manasseh • Amon • Josiah • Jehoahaz • Jehoiakim • Jeconiah/Jehoiachin • Zedekiah

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The Kingdom of Judah (Hebrew: מַלְכּוּת יְהוּדָה, Modern Malkut Yəhuda Tiberian Malkûṯ Yəhûḏāh) existed at two periods in Jewish history. According to the Hebrew Bible, a kingdom emerged in Judah after the death of Saul, when the tribe of Judah elevated David, who came from the Tribe of Judah, to rule over it. After seven years David became king of a reunited Kingdom of Israel, and David moved the capital from Hebron to Jerusalem.[1] However, in about 930 BC the united kingdom split, with ten of the twelve Tribes of Israel rejecting Solomon's son Rehoboam as their king. The Tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained loyal to Rehoboam, and reformed the Kingdom of Judah, while the other entity continuing to be called the Kingdom of Israel, or Israel. The Kingdom of Judah is also often referred to as the Southern Kingdom, while the Kingdom of Israel following the split is referred to as the Northern Kingdom.

Judah existed until 586 BC, when it was conquered by the Babylonian Empire under Nebuzar-adan, captain of Nebuchadnezzar's body-guard.[2] With the deportation of most of the population and the destruction of the Temple and of Jerusalem, the destruction of the kingdom was complete. Gedaliah, with a Chaldean guard stationed at Mizpah, was made governor to rule over Judah,[3][4] but before long he was assassinated, and the remnant of the community was left leaderless.

The Davidic dynasty began when the tribe of Judah made David its king, following the death of Saul. The Davidic line continued when David became king of the reunited Kingdom of Israel. When the united kingdom split, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin continued to be loyal to the Davidic line, which ruled it until the kingdom was destroyed in 586 BC. However, the Davidic line continued to be respected by the exiles in Babylon, who regarded the Exilarchs as kings-in-exile.

Territory

The Kingdom of Judah comprised the territories of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, an area of about 8,900 km² (3,436 sq mi). During the first period of the Kingdom of Judah, the capital was Hebron, and during the second period, the capital of the united kingdom, Jerusalem, continued as the capital of Judah. Jerusalem was in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin.

The area that comprised the kingdom consisted of the area known as Har Yehudah ("the mountain (district) of the gorge(s)"). The area seems to have originally been occupied by Kenites, Calebites, Othnielites, and in Jerusalem Jebusites.

After the breakdown of the United Monarchy, the border between Benjamin and Ephraim (which was the border between the northern and southern kingdoms) became a matter of dispute between them. Though Bethel had originally been allocated to Benjamin, by the time of the prophetess Deborah, Bethel is described as being in the land of the Tribe of Ephraim.[5] Some twenty years after the breakup of the United Monarchy, Abijah, the second king of Judah, defeated Jeroboam of Israel and took back the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, with their surrounding villages, with a great loss of life.[6] Ephron is believed to be the Ophrah that was also allocated to the Tribe of Benjamin by Joshua.[7]

History

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Jews and Judaism
 
Who is a Jew? · Etymology · Culture