Page 59 - Advanced Biblical Backgrounds Revised

During his reign, Rehoboam fought border wars against
Jeroboam, probably over the territory of Benjamin,
which was a buffer zone between the two kingdoms (I
Kings 14:30). His son, Abijah, continued the border wars
against Jeroboam (I Kings 15:7).

Government of the Northern Kingdom

Since the ten northern tribes formed a separate nation
from the south, they established a new capital city at
Tirzah, north of Shechem. The northern kingdom
retained the name Israel, while the southern kingdom
was called Judah.

Jeroboam I (c. 922-901) made his political capital at
Shechem. He felt the need for religious centers to keep
his people from making pilgrimages to Jerusalem in the
South. Therefore, he set up golden calves in Bethel and
Dan, perhaps under the influence of the animal gods he
had seen in Egypt during his exile there in Solomon’s
time. The prophetic writers condemned these images.

Omri (c. 876-869) does not receive
much space in the book of Kings, perhaps because he was not regarded as religiously
important, but his political importance is indicated by the fact that a century later, the
Assyrians were still calling Israel “the land of Omri.” Omri moved the capital of Israel to
a new site, Samaria, which soon vied with Jerusalem in the beauty of its buildings.
Omri cemented an alliance with Tyre by marrying his son Ahab to Jezebel, daughter of
Ethbaal, king of Tyre and Sidon. To the southeast, Omri conquered Moab, as recorded
on the Moabite Stone (pictured to the right)

Ahab (c. 869-850) continued the beautification of Samaria, building there an “ivory
house.” This means that his palace’s walls and its furniture were embellished with
carved ivory inlaid panels, such as have been found in excavations there. In Megiddo, Ahab built
tremendous stables with stalls for about 450 horses. Jezebel, Ahab’s Phoenician wife, brought with her
and encouraged the worship of Baal and of the goddess Asherah. Such idolatry as well as Ahab’s seizure
of a private citizen’s vineyard, were condemned by the prophet Elijah.

Ahab was one of the leaders of a Syrian coalition that checked the advance of Shalmaneser III of Assyria
in the battle of Qarqar in 853 BCE. According to Assyrian records, Ahab brought to this battle 2,000
chariots (more than any other Syrian contingent) and 10,000-foot soldiers.

Jeroboam II (c. 786-746), the son of Joash, brought the Kingdom of Israel to its greatest extent and
prosperity. He not only recovered Trans-Jordan from Syria but also conquered Damascus itself. The
material prosperity of Israel is illustrated by large buildings which have been discovered in Samaria,
Megiddo, and Tirzah. But besides the great buildings in Tirzah, for example, are the remains of hovels,
evidencing the injustice to the poor that the prophet Amos condemned. In Samaria from Jeroboam’s

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