This city was built during the reigns of David and Solomon, when Jerusalem became Israel's capital. In the northern kingdom of Israel, every king promoted the worship of false gods. In Judah, only a few kings encouraged worship of the Lord, but their efforts usually did not last (e.g., 2 Chronicles 14:3; 17:6; 29:5; 33:15–16; 34:3, 31–32). The northern kingdom was already destroyed (2 Kings 17:5–12), and now the Lord decided to remove the southern kingdom of Judah (see Deuteronomy 8:19–20).