A List of the Kings of the Jews Before Jesus

Here are some kings of the Jews before Jesus: 

King David Playing the Harp (1622)
by Gerard van Honthorst
Image Credit: Wikipedia

David Was the First King of the Israelites [Jews]

“According to Jewish works such as the Seder Olam RabbahSeder Olam Zutta, and Sefer ha-Qabbalah (all written over a thousand years later), David ascended the throne as the king of Judah in 885 BCE.” Wikipedia

The prophet Samuel annointed David when he was a child.

I Samuel 16:1

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”

David Becomes King Over Israel

II Samuel 5
All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood.In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’”

When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.

David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. II Samuel 5:1-5.

King Solomon  by Simeon Solomon

Solomon Was the Second King of the Israelites [Jews]
He reigned c. 970–931 BC

Solomon made mistakes during his reign, and Israel was divided and became turbulent.


Asa destroying the idols, from the Bible Historiale

Although Asa was the 5th king of Israel, Hebrew history considers him to be the thrid official King of the Israelites. He reigned during the 9th Century B.C.

Hezekiah was the King of the Israelites in about 700 BC. He was a good king who worked hard to eliminate idolatry.

“Ahaz is portrayed as an evil king in the Second Book of Kings (2 Kings 16:2).

“In Edwin R. Thiele‘s opinion, Ahaz was co-regent with Jotham from 736/735 BC, and his sole reign began in 732/731 and ended in 716/715 BC.[4] However, William F. Albright has dated his reign to 744–728 BC.

“The Gospel of Matthew lists Ahaz of Judah in the genealogy of Jesus. He is also mentioned in Isaiah 7 and Isaiah 14:28.” Wikipedia

King Herod
According to Matthew, Herod was the King of Judea when Jesus was born. Herod was appointed by Rome to rule over Judea, a mostly Jewish region.

WAS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS?

The generations before Jesus are important for several reasons. Long before Jesus was born, it was foretold that a king was coming.
Numbers 24:17,19
“A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel”
Ezekiel 37:24
“A person coming from the House of David as the servant of God, unique Shepherd of Israel, which will rule over the House of Judah and over the Tribe of Joseph”
Zechariah 14:9

“The Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one

Isaiah 9:4,6

“God would send them light and joy through the birth of a child who would break the “yoke of [their] burden” and be called “Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace”

When the Baby Jesus was born,  the Israelites believed He was the promised kingl and at the time of his death, he was mocked by the words: King of the Jews.
In fact, he was crucified by men feared the fact that many of the Israelites believed that He was indeed The King of the Jews.
At the time He was born, the Israelite King at that time sought to have this competitor killed.
Others believed that He was the Son of God AND the promised King.
The following is a a Jesse Tree, which includes the genealogy of Jesus.
Image Credit: Wikipedia
Following is another Jesse Tree from the 12th Century:
Image Credit: Wikipedia

The Genealogy of Jesus According to Luke:

  1. God
  2. Adam
  3. Seth
  4. Enos
  5. Cainan
  6. Mahalaleel
  7. Jared
  8. Enoch
  9. Methuselah
  10. Lamech
  11. Noah
  12. Shem
  13. Arphaxad
  14. Cainan
  15. Shelah
  16. Eber
  17. Peleg
  18. Reu
  19. Serug
  20. Nahor
  21. Terah
  22. Abraham
  23. Isaac
  24. Jacob
  25. Judah
  26. Perez
  27. Hezron
  28. Arni
  29. Amminadab
  30. Nahshon
  31. Salmon
  32. Boaz
  33. Obed
  34. Jesse
  35. David
  36. Nathan
  37. Mattatha
  38. Menna
  39. Melea
  40. Eliakim
  41. Jonam
  42. Joseph
  43. Judah
  44. Simeo
  45. Levi
  46. Matthat
  47. Jorim
  48. Eliezer
  49. Jesus
  50. Er
  51. Elmodam
  52. Cosam
  53. Addi
  54. Melchi
  55. Neri
  56. Shealtiel
  57. Zerubbabel
  58. Rhesa
  59. Joanna
  60. Joda
  61. Josech
  62. Semei
  63. Mattathias
  64. Maath
  65. Nagge
  66. Esli
  67. Naum
  68. Amos
  69. Mattathias
  70. Joseph
  71. Jannai
  72. Melchi
  73. Levi
  74. Matthat
  75. Heli
  76. Joseph
  77. Jesus
The Genealogy of Jesus According to Matthew:

David to Babylonian Exile

  1. David
  2. Solomon
  3. Rehoboam
  4. Abijah
  5. Asa
  6. Jehoshaphat
  7. Jehoram
  8. Uzziah
  9. Jotham
  10. Ahaz
  11. Hezekiah
  12. Manasseh
  13. Amon
  14. Josiah, birth of his son Jeconiah at the time of the Babylonian exile

Babylonian Exile to Jesus

  1. Jeconiah, died in Babylon
  2. Shealtiel
  3. Zerubbabel
  4. Abiud
  5. Eliakim
  6. Azor
  7. Zadok
  8. Achim
  9. Eliud
  10. Eleazar
  11. Matthan
  12. Jacob
  13. Joseph and Mary
  14. Jesus

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