"In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign" (2 Kings viii, 25). 25 How old was Ahaziah when he began to reign? "Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem" (2 Kings viii, 26). "Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem" (2 Chron. xxii, 2). 26 How long did Jotham reign? "In the second year of Pekah ... began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign. Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem" (2 Kings xv, 32, 33). "And Hoshea ... slew him [Pekah] and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziab" (2 Kings xv, 30). 27 Who was Josiah's successor? "Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father's stead" (2 Chron. xxxvi, 1). "For thus saith the Lord touching Shallum the son of Josiah king of Judah which reigned instead of Josiah his father" (Jer. xxli, 11). 28 How old was Jehoiachin when he began to reign? "Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign" (2 Chron. xxxvi, 9). "Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign" (2 Kings xxiv, 8). 29 When did Evil-Merodach release Jehoiachin from prison? "In the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month" (2 Kings xxv, 27). "In the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month" (Jer. lii, 31). 30 What relation did Zedekiah, the last of the Jewish kings, bear to Jehoiachin, his predecessor? 1. He was his son. "Jechoniah [Jehoiachin] his son, Zedekiah his son" (1 Chron. iii, 16). 2. He was his brother. "Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him [Jehoiachin] to Babylon, ... and made Zedekiah his brother king of Judah" (2 Chron. xxxvi, 10). 3. He was his uncle. "The king of Babylon made Mattaniah his [Jehoiachin's] father's brother king in his stead and changed his name to Zedekiah" (2 Kings xxiv, 17). "That Zedekiah, who in 1 Chron. iii, 16, is called 'his son,' is the same as Zedekiah his uncle (called 'his brother,' 2 Chron. xxxvi, 10), who was his [Jehoiachin's] successor on the throne seems certain" (Smith's Bible Dictionary, Art. Jehoiachin). CHAPTER XVI. WHEN DID JEHOSHAPHAT DIE? At the end of Solomon's reign the Jewish nation was divided into two kingdoms. Two tribes acknowledged the authority of Solomon's successor, Rehoboam. This was called the kingdom of Judah, of which Jerusalem was the capital. Ten tribes revolted and made Jeroboam king. This formed the kingdom of Israel, of which Samaria was the capital. The following is a brief summary of the reigns of the kings of the two kingdoms from the partition of the empire to the conquest of Israel by the Assyrians: Kingdom of Judah. "And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah ... and he reigned seventeen years" (1 Kings xiv, 21).