I realize history can be dry as dust and biblical history has the other distinction of being considered spurious. By that I mean the idea held by some that these 'stories' are the works of fiction. Most authorities do not agree and the stated opinion is this: The chroniclers of these events did not gloss over the true nature of human behavior, but rather laid bare the full spectrum of good and evil. The history of the Northern Kingdom in particular is graphically descriptive of what human beings are capable of. As one modern scholar has noted, "It has the ring of truth."

So what lesson should we take away from these records? What is the moral of the story? I think Grandpa Carl would say that these accounts reveal the faithfulness, forgiveness, and patience of God even when we humans are undeserving by our persistent unfaithfulness.

Exodus 12: Moses leads descendants of Israel out of Egypt (circa 15th century BC).

Numbers 14: Israel rebels against Moses. Doomed to wander in the desert for 40 years.

Joshua 5 - 22: Israel led by Joshua. The conquest of Canaan and dividing up the land to the 12 tribes.

Judges 1 - 16: Israel during the period of the Judges (circa 14th to 11th centuries BC).

Who exactly were the Judges? Best description would be 'Deliverers', as they saved the Israelites suffering under the oppression of surrounding nations, often the result of forgetting the Lord and turning to idolatry. This is a recurring theme in the book of Judges.

The 12 Judges:

1. Othniel _{Judges 3:7}
2. Ehud _{Judges 3:12}
3. Shamgar _{Judges 3:31}
4. Deborah _{Judges 4:1}
5. Gideon _{Judges 6:1}
6. Tola _{Judges 10:1}
7. Jair _{Judges 10:3}
8. Jephthah _{Judges 10:6}
9. Ibzan _{Judges 12:8}
10. Elon _{Judges 12:11}
11. Abdon _{Judges 12:13}
12. Samson _{Judges 13:1}

1. Israel asks for a king, "...such as all the other nations have." _{1 Samuel 8:4,5}


2. Israel during the Kingdom Period (circa 11th to 6th centuries BC). _{1 Samuel 10 to 2 Kings 25}


3. United Kingdom under Saul, first king of Israel.
   _{1 Samuel 10 to 1 Samuel 31}


4. United Kingdom under David. _{2 Samuel 2 to 1 Kings 2}


5. United Kingdom under Solomon, son of David.
   _{1 Kings 2 to 1 Kings 11}


6. The Kingdom divided. Ten northern tribes rebel against Rehoboam, son of Solomon. _{1 Kings 12}


7. Jeroboam made king of Israel (Northern Kingdom). _{1 Kings 12:20}

Jeroboam I - 22 yrs.

Rehoboam - 17 yrs.
Abijah - 3 yrs.

Nadab - 2 yrs. *
Baasha - 24 yrs.
Elah - 2 yrs.
Zimri - 7 days *
Omri - 12 yrs.
Ahab - 22 yrs.

Asa - 41 yrs.
Jehoshaphat - 35 yrs.

Ahaziah - 2 yrs.
Joram - 9 yrs. *

Jehoram - 8 yrs.

Jehu - 28 yrs.

Ahaziah - 1 yr.
Athalia (queen) - 6 yrs.
Joash - 40 yrs.

Jehoahaz - 17 yrs.
Jehoash - 16 yrs.
Jeroboam II - 41 yrs.
Zechariah - 6 months *
Shallum - 1 month *

Amaziah - 29 yrs.

Uzziah - 52 yrs.
Jotham - 16 yrs.

Menhahem - 10 yrs.
Pekahiah - 2 yrs. *
Pekah - 22 yrs.
Hoshea - 9 yrs. Last king of Israel.

Ahaz - 16 yrs.


Hezekiah - 29 yrs.
Manasseh - 55 yrs.
Amon - 2 yrs.
Josiah - 31 yrs.
Jehoahaz - 3 months
Jehoiakim - 11 yrs.
Jehoiachin - 3 months
Zedekiah - 11 yrs. Last king of Judah.

2 Kings 17: Fall and exile of Northern Kingdom by Shalmaneser king of Assyria (722 BC).
* = end of dynasty

2 Kings 25: Fall and exile of Judah after destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (586 BC).