2:1 to 23:30).

#Zedekiah.#--After Josiah's reign matters grew worse until
under Zedekiah captivity came (2 Kings 25:1-21).

#Outside Nations# that played their part in this catastrophe
were Assyria, Babylon, Syria, Egypt.

#TIME.#--966 B. C. to 588 B. C.

#PLACES.#--Judah, Jerusalem, Babylonia.

[Illustration]

#SIGNIFICANCE OF EVENTS.#--The influence of leadership is shown in a
marked degree in the history of Judah; "like king, like people." It
was many times demonstrated that one good man could turn the whole
nation God-ward. At last, as in the case of Israel, Judah is given
into captivity.

The Divided Kingdom. Judah, the Southern Kingdom

#75. The Kingdom of Judah# lasted one hundred and thirty years longer
than that of Israel. This was largely owing to the greater loyalty of
Judah to the law of God. Nevertheless even under the rule of Rehoboam,
their first king, Judah showed an evil tendency to depart from the law
of God (1 Kings 14:21-24). There is no record, however, that Rehoboam
officially tried to influence the people toward idolatry, as did
Jeroboam. Probably the very fact that the temple was in the capital of
Judah held him and the people, in some measure at least, to the right
manner of worship. Abijam, Rehoboam's son, followed in the footsteps
of his father. But his son, Asa, was a much better man, and he made
efforts at reform. Though he was not sufficiently radical in his work,
he was a great improvement on his predecessors.

#76.# Under #Jehoshaphat# Judah reached the height of her power. "He
walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto the
Baalim" (2 Chron. 17 to 20:37. Also 1 Kings 22:41-50).

#77.# Once more, under #Joash#, Judah enjoyed a sovereign who had in
him much of godliness. He repaired the temple and did much to restore
the true worship of God.

#78.# After a period of varying vicissitudes we find Ahaz on the
throne of Judah. He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord,
and caused his son to pass through the fire, i. e., he sacrificed him
to heathen idols. He introduced calf worship, and set up "high
places," for false worship on every hill and under every green tree (2
Kings 16:1-4). Had it not been that his son Hezekiah was more godly
than he, the doom of Judah might have been much hastened. During his
reign Israel was carried captive.

#79.# Under #Hezekiah#, however, we see great reforms going on. He
removed the high place