Kingdom of Judah

An ancient Hebrew kingdom centered on Jerusalem, formed after the united monarchy divided and surviving the northern kingdom of Israel’s fall in 722 BCE.

United Monarchy of Israel: The biblical kingdom ruled, according to tradition, by Saul, David, and Solomon before its division. Judah’s origins are traditionally linked to the monarchy that split after Solomon’s reign.
House of David: The royal dynasty traditionally descended from David that ruled Judah for much of its history. Dynastic continuity distinguished Judah’s monarchy through successive reigns.
Hezekiah: A king of Judah who ruled during the late eighth century BCE and confronted Assyrian expansion. His reign is associated with Jerusalem’s survival during Sennacherib’s invasion.
Babylonian exile: The period when many Judeans lived in exile in Babylonia after Jerusalem’s conquest. The exile followed Judah’s collapse and became a defining experience in Judean history.
Kingdom of Israel: The northern Israelite kingdom established after the united monarchy divided, with its capital eventually at Samaria. Its fall left Judah as the surviving Israelite kingdom.
Temple in Jerusalem: The central sanctuary in Jerusalem associated with Israelite worship and, in its First Temple form, Solomon’s reign. The temple anchored Judah’s religious life and royal claims.
Josiah: A king of Judah whose reign in the seventh century BCE included a major religious reform described in the Bible. His reforms show the kingdom’s efforts to centralize worship in Jerusalem.
Second Temple period: The era of Jewish history from the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple to its destruction by Rome in 70 CE. Judah’s kingdom ended before the later political and religious order of this period emerged.
David: The Israelite king traditionally credited with establishing Jerusalem as his capital and founding a lasting dynasty. Judah’s royal legitimacy centered on the dynasty associated with David.
Assyrian Empire: A Mesopotamian empire that dominated much of the ancient Near East during the first millennium BCE. Assyrian expansion destroyed the northern kingdom and made Judah a vulnerable tributary.

Linked from 22 pages