Melakhim II Chapter 11 | The Kingdoms of Israel and Yehuda

Our chapter describes the consequences of the connection between the kingdoms of Israel and Yehuda. Yehoshafat allied himself with Achav, maintained good relations with him, and gave his son Yehoram in marriage to Achav's daughter, Atalya. However, in the name of unity, the influence of the Kingdom of Israel extended into the heart of the kingdom of Yehuda. Religiously, Baal worship infiltrated Yehuda, and politically, the violent practices of the kings of Israel — murdering rivals to the throne — were adopted by Atalya, who annihilated the royal offspring: her grandchildren, the sons of Achazya, and even the other children of Yehoram, Achazya’s brothers.

One of the great questions of the Tanakh is God’s promise of an eternal dynasty to King David. God promises David that his descendants will continue to sit on his throne for all generations, which can be perplexing from a modern perspective. How does David's conduct determine the future of Yehuda’s monarchy for years to come? What if a descendant is unworthy, unsuitable for leadership, or outright wicked and sinful? This is not merely a theoretical question; we know there were sinful kings from David’s line. We know that even Rechavam made disastrous political decisions.

Yet, after posing the question, we observe a stark contrast: one kingdom that, broadly speaking, succeeded to some extent, and another that failed entirely. Even in Yehuda, there were kings who sinned, but overall, the narrative is positive (at least until the later stages of the monarchy and its eventual collapse). Most of Yehuda's kings 'did what was right in the eyes of God.' In contrast, in the Kingdom of Israel, not a single king 'did what was right in the eyes of God.' Some engaged in more idol worship, others in less. Some actively worshipped other gods like Baal, while others worshipped God through the two golden calves. Yet all of them — without any exception — sinned.

The political differences between the two kingdoms are equally striking. Over its 200 years, the Kingdom of Israel saw nine royal dynasties, with each new dynasty ensuring the destruction of its predecessor. The houses of Omri and Yehu were relatively stable, and during their reigns, we observe periods of prosperity. However, internal conflicts led to fundamental instability and a relatively weak kingdom. In the kingdom of Yehuda such events were almost nonexistent. A striking example of the dynasty's strength can be seen in Chapter 12, in the story of the conspiracy against King Yoash (and in Chapter 14, with the conspiracy against his son Amatzya). Even when servants conspire and assassinate their king, they crown his son. There is no instability, no power struggle, and the identity of the next king is clear.

Other factors contribute to these differences. For instance, Yehuda had The Temple. But it’s possible that the promise of a dynasty, even if it seems strange at first glance, is not just a reward for King David. It is also a reward for the people of Israel, who merited having him as their king.