foretold in his deathbed blessing. The hand of Judah was truly on the back of his enemies as David subdued the Philistines (who had twice sought to overthrow him as king in Zion), as well as the Moabites, Syrians, Edomites, Amalekites and Ammonites. Thus, under David, Israel’s boundaries were at last extended to their God-ordained limits.—Gen. 49:8-12; 2 Sam. 5:1-10, 17-25; 8:1-15; 12:29-31.

HISTORY OF THE KINGDOM

By reason of the everlasting covenant for a kingdom made with David, the tribe of Judah possessed the scepter and the commander’s staff for almost five hundred years. (Gen. 49:10; 2 Sam. 7:16) But only during the reigns of David and Solomon was there a united kingdom, with all the tribes of Israel prostrating themselves before Judah. On account of Solomon’s apostatizing toward the close of his reign, Jehovah ripped ten tribes away from the next Judean king, Rehoboam, and gave these to Jeroboam. (1 Ki. 11:31-35; 12:15-20) Only the Levites and the tribes of Benjamin and Judah remained loyal to the house of David. (1 Ki. 12:21; 2 Chron. 13:9, 10) Therefore, the designation of Judah as a kingdom also came to include the tribe of Benjamin. (2 Chron. 25:5) The other ten tribes formed an independent kingdom under the Ephraimite Jeroboam. Not long thereafter, in the fifth year of Rehoboam, Egypt’s King Shishak invaded the kingdom of Judah as far as Jerusalem and captured fortified cities en route.—1 Ki. 14:25, 26; 2 Chron. 12:2-9.

For a period of some forty years during the reigns of Judean Kings Rehoboam, Abijam (Abijah) and Asa, repeated conflicts occurred between the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. (1 Ki. 14:30; 15:7, 16) But Asa’s successor Jehoshaphat formed a marriage alliance with wicked King Ahab of Israel. While this meant peace between the two kingdoms, the marriage of Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram to Ahab’s daughter Athaliah proved to be disastrous for Judah. Under Athaliah’s influence, Jehoram became guilty of rank apostasy. During his reign the Philistines and Arabs invaded Judah and took captive and killed all of his sons except Jehoahaz (Ahaziah), the youngest. When Ahaziah became king he likewise followed the directives of wicked Athaliah. After Ahaziah’s violent death, Athaliah killed all the royal offspring. But, undoubtedly by divine providence, the infant Jehoash was hidden and survived as rightful heir to the throne of David. Meanwhile the usurper Athaliah ruled as queen until her execution at the command of High Priest Jehoiada.—2 Chron. 18:1; 21:1, 5, 6, 16, 17; 22:1-3, 9-12; 23:13-15.

Though his reign started out well, Jehoash departed from true worship after the death of High Priest Jehoiada. (2 Chron. 24:2, 17, 18) Jehoash’s son, Amaziah, likewise failed to continue in a righteous course. During his reign, after years of peaceful coexistence the ten-tribe kingdom and the kingdom of Judah again met in battle, with the latter suffering a humiliating defeat. (2 Chron. 25:1, 2, 14-24) With the exception of his invading the sanctuary, the next Judean king, Uzziah (Azariah), did what was right in Jehovah’s eyes. His successor Jotham likewise proved to be a faithful king. But Jotham’s son Ahaz became notorious for practicing large-scale idolatry.—2 Chron. 26:3, 4, 16-20; 27:1, 2; 28:1-4.

During Ahaz’ reign Judah suffered from invasions by the Edomites and the Philistines, as well as by the northern kingdom and Syria. The Syro-Israelite combine even threatened to unseat Ahaz and constitute a man not of the Davidic line as king of Judah. Although assured by the prophet Isaiah that this would not happen, faithless Ahaz bribed Assyrian King Tiglath-pileser III to come to his aid. This unwise move brought the heavy yoke of Assyria upon Judah.—2 Chron. 28:5-21; Isa. 7:1-12.

Hezekiah, Ahaz’ son, restored true worship and rebelled against the king of Assyria. (2 Ki. 18:1-7) Consequently Sennacherib invaded Judah and captured many fortified cities. But Jerusalem was never taken, for in one night the angel of Jehovah slew 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. Humiliated, Sennacherib returned to Nineveh. (2 Ki. 18:13; 19:32-36) Some eight years earlier, in 740 B.C.E., the ten-tribe kingdom came to its end with the fall of its capital Samaria to the Assyrians.—2 Ki. 17:4-6.

Judah’s next king, Hezekiah’s son Manasseh, revived idolatry. However, upon being taken as a captive to Babylon by the king of Assyria, he repented and, after his return to Jerusalem, undertook religious reforms. (2 Chron. 33:10-16) But his son Amon reverted to idolatry.—2 Chron. 33:21-24.

The last sweeping campaign against idolatry came during the reign of Amon’s son Josiah. However, it was then too late for genuine repentance to be effected among the people in general. Therefore, Jehovah decreed the complete desolation of Judah and Jerusalem. Finally, Josiah himself was killed in an attempt to turn the Egyptian forces back at Megiddo as they were on their way to fight the Babylonians at Carchemish.—2 Ki. 22:1–23:30; 2 Chron. 35:20.

The last four Judean kings, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah proved to be bad rulers. Pharaoh Nechoh deposed Jehoahaz, laid a heavy fine on the land of Judah, and made Jehoahaz’ brother Jehoiakim king. (2 Ki. 23:31-35) Later, apparently after eight years of his reign, Jehoiakim was made a vassal to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, who had earlier defeated the Egyptians at Carchemish. For three years Jehoiakim served the king of Babylon but then rebelled. (2 Ki. 24:1; Jer. 46:2) Thereafter Nebuchadnezzar, evidently intending to take the rebellious king as a prisoner to Babylon, came against Jerusalem. (2 Chron. 36:6) However, Jehoiakim never was taken to Babylon, for he died in a manner not disclosed in the Bible. Subsequently Jehoiachin became king. After ruling for only three months and ten days he voluntarily surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar and, along with other members of the royal family and thousands of his subjects, went into Babylonian exile. Then Nebuchadnezzar placed Jehoiachin’s uncle, Zedekiah, on the throne of Judah.—2 Ki. 24:6, 8-17; 2 Chron. 36:9, 10.

In his ninth year as vassal king, Zedekiah rebelled and looked to Egypt’s military might for support against Babylon. (2 Ki. 24:18–25:1; 2 Chron. 36:11-13; Ezek. 17:15-21) Nebuchadnezzar, therefore, marched his armies toward Judah. For eighteen months Jerusalem was subjected to siege until its walls were finally breached. Although Zedekiah fled, he was captured, his sons were slaughtered before him and he was then blinded. The next month most of the survivors were taken into exile. Over the few remaining lowly people of Judah Gedaliah was appointed as governor. But following his assassination the people fled to Egypt. Thus in the seventh month of 607 B.C.E. the land of Judah was completely desolated.—2 Ki. 25:1-26; for details see articles on the individual kings.

RULERSHIP NOT LOST

This calamitous end for the kingdom of Judah, however, did not mean that the scepter and commander’s staff had departed from the tribe for all time. According to Jacob’s deathbed prophecy, the tribe of Judah was to produce the permanent royal heir, Shiloh (“He Whose It Is,” or, “He to Whom It Belongs”). (Gen. 49:10) Appropriately, therefore, before the overthrow of the kingdom of Judah, Jehovah, through Ezekiel, directed these words to Zedekiah: “Remove the turban, and lift off the crown. This will not be the same. Put on high even what is low, and bring low even the high one. A ruin, a ruin, a ruin I shall make it. As for this also, it will certainly become no one’s until he comes who has the legal right, and I must give it to him.” (Ezek. 21:26, 27) The one having the legal right, as indicated by the angel Gabriel’s announcement to the virgin Jewess Mary some six hundred years later, is none other than Jesus, the Son of God. (Luke 1:31-33) It is, therefore, fitting that Jesus Christ bears the title “the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah.”—Rev. 5:5.

THE TWO-TRIBE KINGDOM COMPARED WITH THE NORTHERN KINGDOM

The kingdom of Judah enjoyed far greater stability and also lasted about 133 years longer than did the northern kingdom. Several factors contributed to this. (1) On account of God’s covenant with David, the royal line remained unbroken, whereas in the northern kingdom less than half of the kings had their own sons succeed them. (2) The continuance of the Aaronic priesthood at the temple in Jerusalem had Jehovah’s blessing and made it easier for the unfaithful nation to return to their God. (2 Chron. 13:8-20) On the other hand, in the northern kingdom the institution and continuance of calf worship was deemed necessary for the preservation of independence from Judah, and apparently for this reason no efforts were ever made to eradicate it. (1 Ki. 12:27-33) (3) Four of the nineteen Judean kings, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah and Josiah, were outstanding in their devotion to true worship and instituted major religious reforms.

However, the history of both kingdoms illustrates the folly of disregarding Jehovah’s commands and trusting in military alliances for security. Also, Jehovah’s long-suffering with his disobedient people is highlighted. Time and again he had sent his prophets to encourage repentance among the people, but often their warnings were not heeded. (Jer. 25:4-7) Among the prophets serving in Judah were Shemaiah, Iddo, Azariah, Hanani, Jehu, Eliezer, Jahaziel, Zechariah, Amos, Hosea, Joel, Micah, Isaiah, Zephaniah, Habakkuk and Jeremiah.—See ISRAEL No. 2 and No. 3.

AFTER THE EXILE

In 537 B.C.E., when Cyrus’ decree permitting the Israelites to return to the land of Judah and there to rebuild the temple went into effect, apparently representatives from the various tribes came back to their homeland. (Ezra 1:1-4; Isa. 11:11, 12) In fulfillment of Ezekiel 21:27, never did a king of the Davidic line administer the affairs of the repatriated people. It is also noteworthy that no mention is made of tribal jealousies, indicating that Ephraim and Judah had indeed become one.—Isa. 11:13.

3. Apparently the same as the Levite Hodaviah or Hodevah, who returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel.—Ezra 2:40; 3:9; Neh. 7:43.

4. A Levite listed among those returning with Zerubbabel.—Neh. 12:1, 8.

5. A Levite among those dismissing their foreign wives and sons.—Ezra 10:23, 44.

6. A Benjamite resident of Jerusalem serving there in a supervisory capacity after the exile.—Neh. 11:7, 9.

7. One in the inaugural march arranged by Nehemiah after the completion of Jerusalem’s wall.—Neh. 12:31, 34.

8. A priestly musician in the inaugural march.—Neh. 12:31, 35, 36.

JUDAH, WILDERNESS OF

The barren, generally uninhabited eastern slope of the Judean mountains. (Judg. 1:16) This wilderness region, extending about ten to fifteen miles (16 to 24 kilometers) in width, begins not far E of the Mount of Olives and stretches some fifty miles (80 kilometers) along the W coast of the Dead Sea. It mainly consists of smooth and rounded barren hills of soft chalk, cleft by torrent valleys and ravines. Toward the Dead Sea the rounded hills give way to rocky gorges and the sea itself is faced by a wall of jagged cliffs. Dropping some 4,000 feet (c. 1,200 meters) in fifteen miles (24 kilometers), this wilderness is shielded from the rain-bearing W winds and therefore receives only limited rainfall. At the same time it is at the mercy of the dry winds that sweep in from the E. But when it does rain, water rushes through the otherwise dry torrent valleys, and for a few weeks in the rainy season the wilderness produces meager vegetation.

David, who sought refuge from Saul in the wilderness of Judah, described it as “a land dry and exhausted, where there is no water.” (Ps. 63:1 and superscription) No stream has its source in the heart of this arid region, and no surface water runs there. In sharp contrast, the stream issuing forth from Ezekiel’s visionary temple flowed through this wilderness and supported trees in abundance along its banks.—Ezek. 47:1-10.

It was undoubtedly into the desolate wilderness of Judah that the ‘goat for Azazel’ was sent on the annual atonement day after being led there from the temple at Jerusalem. (Lev. 16:21, 22) In the first century C.E. John the Baptist began his ministry in a section of this region N of the Dead Sea. (Matt. 3:1-6) Apparently somewhere in this same wilderness Christ Jesus was tempted by the Devil.—Matt. 4:1.

[Picture on page 975]

David’s description of the wilderness of Judah as “a land dry and exhausted, where there is no water,” is appropriate. Its caves have concealed both fugitives and valuable Bible manuscripts

JUDAISM

(Juʹda·ism).

The Jewish religious system. (Gal. 1:13, 14) In the first century C.E., Judaism in its various forms was not based exclusively on the Hebrew Scriptures. One of the most prominent divisions of Judaism, that of the Sadducees, rejected the Scriptural teaching of the resurrection and denied that angels existed. (Mark 12:18-27; Acts 23:8) Although the Pharisees, who formed yet another important branch of Judaism, sharply disagreed with the Sadducees on this (Acts 23:6-9), they were guilty of making God’s Word invalid because of their many unscriptural traditions. (Matt. 15:1-11) Not the Law, which was actually a tutor leading to Christ (Gal. 3:24), but these unscriptural traditions made it difficult for many to accept Christ. The Law itself was good and holy (Rom. 7:12), but the traditions of men served to enslave the Jews. (Col. 2:8) It was an