Judah, Kingdom Of
Extent.—When the disruption of Solomon’s kingdom took place at Shechem, B.C. 975, only the tribe of Judah followed David, but almost immediately afterward the larger part of Benjamin joined Judah. A part, if no all, of the territory of Simeon, (1 Samuel 27:6; 1 Kings 19:3) comp. Josh 19:1 And of Dan, (2 Chronicles 11:10) comp.
Josh 19:41,42 Was recognized as belonging to Judah; and in the reigns of Abijah and Asa the southern kingdom was enlarged by some additions taken out of the territory of Ephraim. (2 Chronicles 13:19; 15:8; 17:2) It is estimated that the territory of Judah contained about 3450 square miles. Advantages.—The kingdom of Judah possessed many advantages which secured for it a longer continuance than that of Israel.
A frontier less exposed to powerful enemies, a soil less fertile, a population hardier and more united, a fixed and venerated centre of administration and religion, a hereditary aristocracy in the sacerdotal caste, an army always subordinate, a succession of kings which no revolution interrupted; so that Judah survived her more populous and more powerful sister kingdom by 135 years, and lasted from B.C. 975 to B.C. 536.
History—The first three kings of Judah seem to have cherished the hope of re-establishing their authority over the ten tribes; for sixty years there was war between them and the kings of Israel. The victory achieved by the daring Abijah brought to Judah a temporary accession of territory. Asa appears to have enlarged it still further. Hanani’s remonstrance, (2 Chronicles 16:7) prepares us for the reversal by Jehoshaphat of the policy which Asa pursued toward Israel and Damascus.
A close alliance sprang up with strange rapidity between Judah and Israel. Jehoshaphat, active and prosperous, commanded the respect of his neighbors; but under Amaziah Jerusalem was entered and plundered by the Israelites. Under Uzziah and Jotham, Judah long enjoyed prosperity, till Ahaz became the tributary and vassal of Tiglath-pileser.
Already in the fatal grasp of Assyria, Judah was yet spared for a checkered existence of almost another century and a half after the termination of the kingdom of Israel. The consummation of the ruin came upon its people in the destruction of the temple by the hand of Nebuzaradan, B.C. 536. There were 19 kings, all from the family of David. (Population.—We have a gage as to the number of the people at different periods in the number of soldiers.
If we estimate the population at four times the fighting men, we will have the following table: King...Date ... Soldiers ... Population David...B.C. 1056-1015 ... 500,000 ... 2,000,000 Rehoboam...975-957 ... 180,000 ... 720,000 Abijah...957-955 ... 400,000 ... 1,600,000 Asa...955-914 ... 500,000 ... 2,000,000 Jehoshaphat...914-889 ... 1,160,000 ... 4,640,000 Amaziah...839-810 ... 300,000 ... 1,200,000 -ED.)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Judah, Kingdom Of
Judah, Kingdom of I. CANAAN BEFORE THE MONARCHY 1. The Coming of the Semites 2. The Canaanites 3. The Israelite Confederacy 4. Migration into Canaan 5. The Bond of Union 6. Early Rulers 7. The Judges 8. Hereditary Kings II. THE FIRST THREE KINGS 1. The Benjamite King 2. Rachel and Leah Tribes 3. The Disruption III. THE DUAL MONARCHY 1. War between Two Kingdoms 2. First Reform of Religion 3. Two Kingdoms at Peace 4. Two Kingdoms Contrasted 5. Revolution in the Northern Kingdom 6. Effect on the Southern Kingdom 7. Davidic House at Lowest Ebb 8. Begins to Recover 9. Reviving Fortunes 10. Monarchy Still Elective 11. Government by Regents 12. Period of Great Prosperity 13. Rise of Priestly Caste 14. Advent of Assyria 15. Judah a Protectorate 16. Cosmopolitan Tendencies IV. PERIOD OF DECLINE 1. Judah Independent 2. Reform of Religion 3. Egypt and Judah 4. Traffic in Horses 5. Reaction under Manasseh 6. Triumph of Reform Party 7. Babylonia and Judah 8. End of Assyrian Empire 9. After Scythian Invasion 10. Judah Again Dependent 11. Prophets Lose Influence 12. The Deportations 13. Summary ⇒Se…
Fausset's Bible Dictionary on Judah, Kingdom Of
The tribe Judah comprised the whole territory S. of a line drawn from Joppa to N. of the Dead Sea; the largest extent among the tribes, due to their valor in driving out the aborigines from their mountain strongholds. Their hilly region braced their energies for conflict with their neighbouring adversaries; so they retained their vigour, at the same time that their large pastures and wide territory, and commerce with Egypt and by the Red Sea and Joppa with other lands, gave them abundant wealth. Their independence of the northern tribes, and the jealousy of Ephraim, early prepared the way for the severance of the northern and southern kingdoms under Rehoboam. (See ISRAEL) Judah included southern Benjamin and Jerusalem the joint city of both, Simeon, and many cities of Daniel In Abijah's and Asa's reign Judah gained parts of Ephraim (2Ch 13:19; 2Ch 15:8; 2Ch 17:2); and after Israel's deportation to Assyria the king of Judah exercised a quasi authority in the N. (2Ch 30:1-18, Hez 34:6-9, Josiah). Edom was for some time subject. Israel interposed between Judah and Syria and Assyria; and…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia