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Rehoboam had an inauspicious seventeen-year reign, and in the middle of it [[Pharaoh]] [[Shishak]] raided his kingdom and took much plunder. Thereafter, the glory of [[Jerusalem]] under Solomon would never be the same. This was the same Shishak who had given asylum to Jeroboam in the last three years of Solomon's reign.

Rehoboam had an inauspicious seventeen-year reign, and in the middle of it [[Pharaoh]] [[Shishak]] raided his kingdom and took much plunder. Thereafter, the glory of [[Jerusalem]] under Solomon would never be the same. This was the same Shishak who had given asylum to Jeroboam in the last three years of Solomon's reign.

Rehoboam's son [[Abijam]] had an even briefer spell. But [[Asa]] was the first example of a king who did ''right'' in God's sight. In this regard, not every king who "did right" did ''everything'' right--but those who did, tended to have prosperous reigns.

Rehoboam's son [[Abijam]] had an even briefer spell. But [[Asa]] was the first example of a king who did ''right'' in God's sight. In this regard, not every king who "did right" did ''everything'' right—but those who did, tended to have prosperous reigns.

== The Athaliah-Joash Affair ==

== The Athaliah-Joash Affair ==

== After Athaliah ==

== After Athaliah ==

The kings of the Southern Kingdom seemed to alternate between right-doing and evil-doing kings. Sadly, the right-doing kings of this period ([[Joash]], [[Amaziah]], [[Uzziah]], and [[Jotham]]) appeared not to have their hearts in doing right. Joash fell almost completely away from the faith after his old counselor Jehoiada died. Amaziah is described as doing right, "but not with a perfect heart." Uzziah let his pride overcome him, to the degree that he presumed to burn incense in the [[Temple of Jerusalem|Temple]], and for that [[God]] struck him with leprosy. Jotham was absent from the Temple and was an absentee father--with scandalous results.

The kings of the Southern Kingdom seemed to alternate between right-doing and evil-doing kings. Sadly, the right-doing kings of this period ([[Joash]], [[Amaziah]], [[Uzziah]], and [[Jotham]]) appeared not to have their hearts in doing right. Joash fell almost completely away from the faith after his old counselor Jehoiada died. Amaziah is described as doing right, "but not with a perfect heart." Uzziah let his pride overcome him, to the degree that he presumed to burn incense in the [[Temple of Jerusalem|Temple]], and for that [[God]] struck him with leprosy. Jotham was absent from the Temple and was an absentee father—with scandalous results.

The deeds of Jotham's son, [[Jehoahaz I]], or '''Ahaz''' as his name is spelled in [[II Kings]], were especially odious even before he came of age. Note the following:<blockquote>In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=16|verses=1-2|version=KJV}}</ref></blockquote>

The deeds of Jotham's son, [[Jehoahaz I]], or '''Ahaz''' as his name is spelled in [[II Kings]], were especially odious even before he came of age. Note the following:<blockquote>In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=16|verses=1-2|version=KJV}}</ref></blockquote>

[[James Ussher]] calculated the length of the history of the Southern Kingdom by a straightforward summation of the lengths-of-reign of the various kings of that kingdom. That summation falls only three years shy of the 390 years that the prophet [[Ezekiel]] stated was the time of the "iniquity" of Israel.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Ezekiel|chap=4|verses=5}}</ref> To make up that deficit, Ussher assumed that [[Jeroboam I]] fled from Solomon and sought asylum from Pharaoh Shishak three years before Solomon's death and the Revolt that split the Kingdoms.

[[James Ussher]] calculated the length of the history of the Southern Kingdom by a straightforward summation of the lengths-of-reign of the various kings of that kingdom. That summation falls only three years shy of the 390 years that the prophet [[Ezekiel]] stated was the time of the "iniquity" of Israel.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Ezekiel|chap=4|verses=5}}</ref> To make up that deficit, Ussher assumed that [[Jeroboam I]] fled from Solomon and sought asylum from Pharaoh Shishak three years before Solomon's death and the Revolt that split the Kingdoms.

[[Edwin R. Thiele]], however, attempted to synchronize the reigns of [[Jehu]] and [[Ahab]] to certain questionable mentions in [[Assyrian chronology]], and also assumed that Sennacherib's campaign occurred in 701 BC. To "fit" the chronology of the Divided Kingdoms to the Assyrian "historical record," Thiele moved the reign of Jehu to a date forty-three years more recent than Ussher's date--that is, from 884 BC to 841 BC. The violence that this does to the chronology of the Northern Kingdom is discussed in detail [[Northern Kingdom#Differing Chronological Placement|here]]. The relevant effects on the Southern Kingdom are a telescoping of the reigns of Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz (Jehoahaz I). Specifically, according to [[Larry Pierce]]'s Appendix to the ''Annals'', Thiele assumes that Uzziah began a viceroyship under Amaziah twenty-four years before the Bible says that he did, in order to stay consistent with his revised chronology. Pierce rejects this as flatly impossible.<blockquote>And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David. And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=14|verses=20-21|version=KJV|}}</ref></blockquote>

[[Edwin R. Thiele]], however, attempted to synchronize the reigns of [[Jehu]] and [[Ahab]] to certain questionable mentions in [[Assyrian chronology]], and also assumed that Sennacherib's campaign occurred in 701 BC. To "fit" the chronology of the Divided Kingdoms to the Assyrian "historical record," Thiele moved the reign of Jehu to a date forty-three years more recent than Ussher's date—that is, from 884 BC to 841 BC. The violence that this does to the chronology of the Northern Kingdom is discussed in detail [[Northern Kingdom#Differing Chronological Placement|here]]. The relevant effects on the Southern Kingdom are a telescoping of the reigns of Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz (Jehoahaz I). Specifically, according to [[Larry Pierce]]'s Appendix to the ''Annals'', Thiele assumes that Uzziah began a viceroyship under Amaziah twenty-four years before the Bible says that he did, in order to stay consistent with his revised chronology. Pierce rejects this as flatly impossible.<blockquote>And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David. And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=14|verses=20-21|version=KJV|}}</ref></blockquote>

Pierce<ref name=Pierce>[[Larry Pierce]], [http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v15/i1/chronology.asp Evidentialism–the Bible and Assyrian chronology] ''TJ'' 15(1):62–68 April 2001</ref> argues forcefully from this quote that Uzziah assumed office upon his father's death in battle.<blockquote>In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign. Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=15|verses=1-2|version=KJV}}</ref></blockquote>

Pierce<ref name=Pierce>[[Larry Pierce]], [http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v15/i1/chronology.asp Evidentialism–the Bible and Assyrian chronology] ''TJ'' 15(1):62–68 April 2001</ref> argues forcefully from this quote that Uzziah assumed office upon his father's death in battle.<blockquote>In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign. Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=15|verses=1-2|version=KJV}}</ref></blockquote>

Pierce furthermore argues that if Uzziah had indeed begun a viceroyship under Amaziah twenty-four years earlier, then he would have had to do it ''eight years before he was born.''<ref name=Pierce/>

Pierce furthermore argues that if Uzziah had indeed begun a viceroyship under Amaziah twenty-four years earlier, then he would have had to do it ''eight years before he was born.''<ref name=Pierce/>

== Related References ==

== Related References ==

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== See Also ==

== See also ==

* [[Judaism]]

* [[Judaism]]

* [[Old Testament]]

* [[Old Testament]]