Kingdom of Israel

Map of United Monarchy period (10th century B.C.E)
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The Kingdom of Israel (Hebrew: ממלכת יִשְׂרָאֵל, Standard Mamlechet Yisraʼel Tiberian Malḵûṯ Yiśrāʼēl) (KJV Israel in Samaria[1]) was one of the successor states to the older United Monarchy (also often called the 'Kingdom of Israel'). It existed roughly from the 930s BC until about the 720s BC. This article follows its history until its destruction by the Assyrian Empire, and considers the fate of its population and territory following its destruction. Capital cities (in order): Shechem, Tirza, and Shomron (Samaria).

Historians often refer to ancient Israel as the Northern Kingdom to differentiate it from the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The Hebrew Scriptures sometimes referred to the separate kingdom idiomatically as the "House of Joseph"[2] in order to distinguish it principally from the "House of Judah".[3]

Contents

History

United Monarchy

Main article: United Monarchy

The Kingdom of Israel was one of two successor states to the older Kingdom of Israel, which existed from around 1050 BCE to around 930 BCE. The other successor state bore the name Kingdom of Judah which existed from 931 BCE to 586 BCE. Both Eusebius and Josephus place the division in 997 BCE and lunar dates of Venus can be mistaken as 64 years earlier. (Crossing of sun over Mars as Tamuz would be 10 July 997 BCE.)

Divided Monarchy

Kingdom of Israel

Soon after the death of King Solomon, the prophecy of Ahijah (1Kings 11:31-35) was fulfilled with the division of the kingdom. Rehoboam, the son and successor of Solomon, was scarcely seated on his throne when the old jealousies between Judah and the other tribes broke out anew, and Jeroboam was sent for from Egypt by the malcontents.(1Kings 12:2-3)

Rehoboam insolently refused to lighten the burdensome taxation and services that his father had imposed on his subjects,(1Kings 12:4) and the rebellion became complete. The Tribe of Ephraim and all Israel raised the old cry, "Every man to his tents, O Israel".(2Samuel 20:1) Rehoboam fled to Jerusalem (1 Kings 12:1-18; 2 Chronicles 10), and in 930 BCE to 920 BCE, Jeroboam was proclaimed king over all Israel at Shechem, with the Tribe of Judah and the Tribe of Benjamin remaining faithful to Rehoboam. War continued, with varying success, between the two kingdoms for about sixty years.

At around 850 BCE the Mesha Stele, written in Old Hebrew alphabet, records a victory of King Mesha of Moab against king Omri of Israel and his son Ahab ( cf.2 Kings 3),

An artist's depiction of a royal palace in the Kingdom of Israel.

King Omri of Israel founded the new capital of the Kingdom of Israel at Shomron (Samaria). Today, among archaeologists, this is one of the most universally accepted archaeological sites from the biblical period[4]

The conflict between Israel and Judah was resolved when Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, allied himself with the house of Ahab through marriage. Later, Jehosophat's son and successor, Jehoram of Judah, married Ahab's daughter Athaliah, cementing the alliance. However, the sons of Ahab were slaughtered by Jehu following his coup d'état around 840 BCE.

Shechem was the first capital of the Kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 12:25). Afterwards it was Tirza (14:17). Samaria was later chosen as the capital (16:24) and continued as such until the destruction of the Kingdom by the Assyrians (2 Kings 17:5). During the three-year siege of Samaria by the Assyrians, Shalmaneser V died and was succeeded by Sargon II of Assyria, who himself records the capture of that city thus: "Samaria I looked at, I captured; 27,280 men who dwelt in it I carried away" into Assyria. Thus, around 720 BCE, after a duration of two centuries, the kingdom of the ten tribes came to an end.

Kingdom of Judah

Main article: Kingdom of Judah

The Kingdom of Judah, or the Southern Kingdom, existed as an independent state from about 930 BCE until 586 BCE when it was conquered by the Babylonian Empire.

Post Conquest Developments

Lost Tribes of Israel

Main article: Lost Tribes of Israel

The inhabitants of the Kingdom of Israel were scattered throughout the Middle East, and are popularly known as the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel.

"Judah held its ground against Assyria for yet one hundred and thirty-four years, and became the rallying-point of the dispersed ones of every tribe, and eventually gave its name to the whole race. Those of the people who, in the last struggle, escaped into the territories of Judah or other neighbouring countries naturally looked to Judah as the head and home of their race. When Judah itself was carried off to Babylon, many of the exiled Israelites joined them from Assyria. They swelled that immense population, making Babylonia a second Judah".

After the deportation of the ten tribes, the vacated land was colonized by various eastern tribes, especially Syrians whom the King of Assyria had sent there (Ezra 4:2, 10; 2 Kings 17:24-29).

In 537 BCE the ruler of the Persian Empire, Cyrus the Great, permitted exiled populations within the newly conquered Babylonian Empire to return to their native lands, marking the end of the so-called Babylonian Captivity. Israelite exiles who had retained their national identity, had joined their fellow exiles from the Kingdom of Judah, and possessed the will to return to their old territories would have begun returning to the territories of the former Kingdom of Israel at this time.

Samaritans

Main article: Samaritans

The emergence of the Samaritan people as an ethnic group distinct from Jewish people, with a religion distinct from Judaism yet bearing much in common with it can be traced to the political changes in the area when it was occupied by the Assyrians. The removal of the old ruling structure of the Kingdom of Israel, together with the influx of a foreign population in an area already devastated by foreign conquest led to the emergence of a new identity distinct from that of the Kingdom of Judah to the south. This population has persisted as a separate ethnic entity through the restoration of an autonomous Jewish nation in the area by Cyrus the Great, and on into the present.

Culture

Religion in the Kingdom of Israel

The religious climate of the Kingdom of Israel appears to have been divided between two major trends. The first, that of Yahweh detailed in the Hebrew Bible, and the second the cult of Baal as detailed in the so-called "Baal Cycle" discovered at Ugarit.

It is recorded that Jeroboam built two places of worship, one at Bethel and one at far northern Dan, to be an alternative to the Temple at Jerusalem. He did not want the people of the Northern kingdom to have religious ties to the capitol city of the Kingdom of Judah. He had golden calves be erected for the people to represent their "god." These act became known as the way of Jeroboam or the sins of Jeroboam. 1 Kings 12:26-29.

Ahab allowed the cult worship of Baal to become an acceptable religion of the kingdom. His wife Jezebel was a devotee to Baal worship (1 Kings 16:31). However, it is Jehu who made it the primary state religion and used "government" money to set up place of worship (temples and groves) throughout the kingdom (2 Kings 16:18-19).

Notable Personalities

Prophets Active in the Kingdom of Israel

Extent of the Kingdom

The Kingdom of Israel was the nation formed from the territories of the tribes of Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, Dan, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben and Gad, and was named after Israel, son of Isaac.

Its capital was Samaria.

Royal Houses of Israel

The genealogy of the kings of Israel, along with the kings of Judah.


For this period, most historians follow either of the older chronologies established by William F. Albright or Edwin R. Thiele, or the newer chronologies of Gershon Galil and Kenneth Kitchen, all of which are shown below. All dates are BC/BCE.

Albright Thiele Galil Kitchen Common/Biblical name Regnal Name and style Notes
The House of Saul
1051–1010 1050–1010 1050–1010 1042–1010 Saul 'שאול המלך or Sha'ul Reigned in Israel & Judah for 40 years: He killed himself during the war with the Philistines in Mount Gilboa.
1010–1008 1000–998 1010–1008 1006–1004 Ish-bosheth (also called Eshba'al or Ashba'al or Ishbaal) Reigned in Israel for 2 years:
The House of David
1000–962   1010–970 1010–970 David דוד בן-ישי מלך ישראל
David ben Yeshay, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Judah in Hebron 7 years and then over both Israel & Judah for 33 years in Jerusalem, 40 years in total. Death: Natural causes
962–922   970–931 971–931 Solomon שלמה בן-דוד מלך ישראל
Shelomoh ben David, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over United Kingdom of Israel (& Judah) in Jerusalem for 40 years. Death: Natural Causes
The House of Jeroboam
922–901 931–910 931–909 931–911 Jeroboam I ירבעם בן-נבט מלך ישראל
Yerav’am ben Nevat, Melekh Yisra’el		 Led the rebellion and divided the kingdoms. Reigned in Israel (Northern Kingdom) for 22 years. Death: Natural Causes
901–900 910–909 909–908 911–910 Nadab נדב בן-ירבעם מלך ישראל
Nadav ben Yerav’am, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned in Israel for 2 years. Death: Killed by Baasha, son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar, along with his whole family.
The House of Baasha
900–877 909–886 908–885 910–887 Baasha בעשא בן-אחיה מלך ישראל
Ba’asha ben Achiyah, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Tizrah for 24 years. Death: Natural Causes
877–876 886–885 885–884 887–886 Elah אלה בן-בעשא מלך ישראל
’Elah ben Ba’asha, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Tizrah for 2 years. Death: Zimri, one of his officials, got him drunk and killed him at his house in Azra.
The House of Zimri
876 885 884 886 Zimri זמרי מלך ישראל
Zimri, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Tizrah for 7 days. Death: He set his palace on fire when Omri and all the Israelites with him withdrew from Gibbethon and laid siege to Tizrah.
The House of Omri
876–869 885–874 884–873 886–875 Omri עמרי מלך ישראל
’Omri, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 12 years. Death: Natural Causes
869–850 874–853 873–852 875–853 Ahab אחאב בן-עמרי מלך ישראל
Ah’av ben ’Omri, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 22 years. Death: Shot by an archer during the battle at Ramoth Gilead. He died upon his arrival on Samaria.
850–849 853–852 852–851 853–852 Ahaziah אחזיהו בן-אחאב מלך ישראל
’Ahazyahu ben 'Ah’av, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 2 years. Death: He fell through the lattice of his upper room and injured himself. Elijah the prophet told him he would never leave his bed and would die on it.
849–842 852–841 851–842 852–841 Joram יורם בן-אחאב מלך ישראל
Yehoram ben ’Ah’av, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 11 years. Death: Killed by Jehu, the next king of Israel,
The House of Jehu
842–815 841–814 842–815 841–814 Jehu יהוא בן-נמשי מלך ישראל
Yehu ben Nimshi, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 28 years. [5] Death: Natural Causes
815–801 814–798 819–804 814–806 Jehoahaz יהואחז בן-יהוא מלך ישראל
Yeho’ahaz ben Yehu, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 17 years. Death: Natural Causes
801–786 798–782 805–790 806–791 Jehoash
(Joash)		 יואש בן-יואחז מלך ישראל
Yeho’ash ben Yeho’ahaz, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 16 years. Death: Natural Causes
786–746 782–753 790–750 791–750 Jeroboam II ירבעם בן-יואש מלך ישראל
Yerav’am ben Yeho’ash, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 41 years. Death: Natural Causes
746 753 750–749 750  Zachariah זכריה בן-ירבעם מלך ישראל
Zekharyah ben Yerav’am, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 6 months. Death: Shallum son of Jabesh killed him in front of the people and succeeded as king.
The House of Shallum
745 752 749 749 Shallum שלם בן-יבש מלך ישראל
Shallum ben Yavesh, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 1 month. Death: Menahem son of Gadi attacked Shallum and assassinated him.
The House of Menahem
745–738 752–742 749–738 749–739 Menahem מנחם בן-גדי מלך ישראל
Menahem ben Gadi, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 10 years. Death: Natural Causes
738–737 742–740 738–736 739–737 Pekahiah פקחיה בן-מנחם מלך ישראל
Pekahyah ben Menahem, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 2 years. Death: Pekah son of Remaliah, one of the chief officers, took 50 men with him and assassinated the king in his palace at Samaria.
The House of Pekah
737–732 740–732 736–732 737–732 Pekah פקח בן-רמליהו מלך ישראל
Pekah ben Remalyahu, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 20 years. Death: Hoshea son of Elah conspired against him and assassinated him.
732–722 732–722 732–722 732–722 Hoshea הושע בן-אלה מלך ישראל
Hoshe’a ben ’Elah, Melekh Yisra’el		 Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 9 years. [6] Death: King Shalmanser attacked and captured Samaria. He charged Hoshea of treason and he put him in prison, then, he deported the Israelites to Assyria.

References

  1. ↑ 1 Kings 22:51 and many subsequent passages
  2. ↑ *Zechariah 10:6
  3. ↑ *II Samuel 2:10
  4. ↑ See Yohanan Aharoni, et al, The Macmillan Bible Atlas, Macmillan Publishing: New York, 1993, p. 94.; and Amihai Mazar, The Archaeology of the Land of the Bible: 10,000 – 586 B.C.E, New York: Doubleday, 1992, p. 404, see Pp. 406-410 for discussion of archaeological significance of Shomron (Samaria) under Omride Dynasty.
  5. ↑ Considered to be a contemporary of the Assyrian King Shalmaneser III (858–824) to whom he paid tribute. This is based on an inscription on The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III showing "Yaua" son of Omri paying tribute, dated to 841 BCE.
  6. ↑ Paid tribute to the Assyrian King Shalmaneser V (727–722 BCE]]) but rebelled in 725 BCE. Shalmaneser besieged the capital, Samaria, but died shortly before the fall of the city. His brother Sargon II (722–705 BCE) completed the siege with success in 722, making Judah the sole remaining Hebrew kingdom. The ten tribes were exiled to other parts of the Assyrian Empire and never heard from again in recorded history. A small group of people fled south to take refuge in Judah.

See also

External links

Major articles in Jewish history

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