Who were the Kings in the Bible?
In the Bible, monarchies were the common system of governance for nations. These monarchies were ruled by Kings, ranging in notoriety and moral actions. Some of the most well-known kings in the Bible include Saul, David, Solomon and of course, the king of kings, Jesus Christ. Beyond these, there are many other kings in scripture from Israel and Judah.
King Saul
Saul is the first king of the Kingdom of Israel and Judah. His reign, traditionally placed in the late 11th century BCE, led a shift from a tribal culture to statehood. The biblical descriptions of Saul's life are found in the Books of Samuel.
King David
David is described in the Old Testament as the second king of the United Kingdom of Israel and Judah after Saul. In the biblical narrative, David was a shepherd who earns recognition first as a musician and later by defeating the champion Goliath. He then obtains the favor of King Saul and friendship of Saul's son Jonathan. Following Saul and Jonathan killed in battle, David is selected as King. David captures Jerusalem, bringing the Ark of the Covenant into the city, and building the kingdom established by Saul.
King Solomon
According to the Old Testament, Solomon was a rich and clever king of Israel who succeeded his father, King David. The traditional dates of Solomon's ruling are circa 970 to 931 BCE. He is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, which would break apart into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah shortly after his death.
Jesus Christ, the King of Kings
In Revelation 19:16 Jesus is named as the “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS”. This title designates the sovereignty of Jesus as the Son of God. While the Kings of man ruled over their respective domains, Jesus and the Heavenly Father rule over all of creation.
Discover verses about Kings in the Bible in this collection of Scripture Quotes.