Which king reigned the most years in the Bible? (Judah and Israel)

Q: Which king reigned the most years in the Bible? (Judah and Israel)

The most years given for any king in Scripture is Manasseh of Judah — fifty-five years (; ). No other king of Judah or of the northern kingdom of Israel is credited with a reign that long. Next in Judah was Uzziah (Azariah), fifty-two years (; ), then kings such as Asa at forty-one years () and David and Solomon at forty years each (; ; ). In the northern kingdom of Israel, the most years belonged to Jeroboam II — forty-one years (). So Manasseh holds the record overall, and Jeroboam II ruled more years than any other northern king. One honest caution: these are the regnal totals the text states; scholars who reconstruct the chronology (for example, differing on co-regencies, where a son ruled alongside his father) sometimes adjust how the years overlap, but the figure Scripture gives Manasseh — fifty-five years — is the record.

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Short answer

The most years given for any king in Scripture is Manasseh of Judah, fifty-five years (2 Kings 21:1; 2 Chronicles 33:1). No other king of Judah or of the northern kingdom of Israel is credited with a reign that long. Next in Judah was Uzziah (Azariah), fifty-two years (2 Kings 15:2; 2 Chronicles 26:3), then kings such as Asa at forty-one years (1 Kings 15:10) and David and Solomon at forty years each (1 Kings 2:11; 2 Samuel 5:4; 1 Kings 11:42). In the northern kingdom of Israel, the most years belonged to Jeroboam II, forty-one years (2 Kings 14:23). So Manasseh holds the record overall, and Jeroboam II ruled more years than any other northern king. One honest caution: these are the regnal totals the text states; scholars who reconstruct the chronology (for example, differing on co-regencies, where a son ruled alongside his father) sometimes adjust how the years overlap, but the figure Scripture gives Manasseh, fifty-five years, is the record.

Question

Which king reigned the most years in the Bible, in Judah and in Israel?

Analysis

The most years on the throne, as Scripture gives them

King	Kingdom	Years	Reference
Manasseh	Judah	55	2 Kings 21:1; 2 Chronicles 33:1
Uzziah / Azariah	Judah	52	2 Kings 15:2; 2 Chronicles 26:3
Jeroboam II	Israel (north)	41	2 Kings 14:23
Asa	Judah	41	1 Kings 15:10
David	united / Judah	40	2 Samuel 5:4; 1 Kings 2:11
Solomon	united	40	1 Kings 11:42
Joash / Jehoash	Judah	40	2 Kings 12:1

The longest reign was also one of the worst

Manasseh, who ruled more years than any king, is also remembered as one of the most wicked, the account details his idolatry and bloodshed, and says he acted "more wickedly than the Amorites who preceded him" (2 Kings 21:11, BSB) (2 Kings 21:2; 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Kings 21:11; 2 Kings 21:16). Years on the throne in Kings measure time, not faithfulness. 2 Chronicles 33:12; 2 Chronicles 33:13 adds a detail Kings does not: taken captive to Babylon, Manasseh humbled himself and prayed, and was restored, a turn Chronicles presents as genuine repentance late in a dark reign.

Why chronology can get debated

The books of Kings date each reign partly by cross-referencing the two kingdoms, for example: "In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign." (2 Kings 15:1, WEB) Because some kings ruled jointly with their fathers for a time (a co-regency), historians such as those following E. R. Thiele reconcile the numbers by letting certain reigns overlap. This affects how the total years line up on a timeline, but it does not change the plainly stated individual figures, and fifty-five years for Manasseh remains the record named in the Bible.

Sources, trace every one

Every cited verse, in full. Tap any reference to open it in the reader.

2 Kings 21:1bsb
Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother’s name was Hephzibah.
2 Chronicles 33:1bsb
Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years.
2 Kings 15:2bsb
He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 26:3bsb
Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem.
1 Kings 15:10bsb
and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.
1 Kings 2:11bsb
The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years — seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
2 Samuel 5:4bsb
David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.
1 Kings 11:42bsb
Thus the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.
2 Kings 14:23bsb
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Amaziah son of Joash over Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria forty-one years.
2 Kings 12:1bsb
In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.
2 Kings 21:2bsb
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
2 Kings 21:6bsb
He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
2 Kings 21:11bsb
“Since Manasseh king of Judah has committed all these abominations, acting more wickedly than the Amorites who preceded him, and with his idols has caused Judah to sin,
2 Kings 21:16bsb
Moreover, Manasseh shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end, in addition to the sin that he had caused Judah to commit, doing evil in the sight of the LORD.
2 Chronicles 33:12bsb
And in his distress, Manasseh sought the favor of the LORD his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his fathers.
2 Chronicles 33:13bsb
And when he prayed to Him, the LORD received his plea and heard his petition. So He brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.

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