The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser
"and the anger of the Lord was kindled
against Israel, and He gave them continually into the hand of Hazael
king of Syria."
2 Kings 19:17
King
Jehu and the Northern Kingdom of Israel
The Bible mentions that king Jehu was an evil
king, he did not seek God with all his heart, he was an idolater, he
made Israel to sin. He reigned for 28 years.
King Jehu was an officer in
Ahab’s bodyguard. It was Elisha who anointed him to be king and to
cut off Baal worship in Israel, and to cut off the house of Ahab.
Jehu was the man for the task, he was devoted to this bloodshed
showing no mercy. He slew Jehoram king of Israel, Jezebel, Ahaziah
king of Judah (son-in-law of Ahab) and his brothers, Ahab’s 70 sons,
and all friends of Ahab’s house. He destroyed all the temples of
Baal and any worshippers and priests.
But king Jehu “did not depart from
the sins of Jeroboam, and took no heed to walk in the law of God.”
God used a wicked man to destroy wicked people.
Read more about king Jehu in:
2 Kings
Chapter 9
2 Kings
Chapter 10
During this time Hazael king of Syria took over Gilead and Bashan of the land of
Israel in the east of the Jordan River. Assyria was starting to move
westward in their war campaigns and collecting tribute from anyone
un-submissive.
Assyrian annals mention contacts with some ten
Hebrew kings: Omri, Ahab, Jehu, Menahem, Hoshea, Pekah, Uzziah, Ahaz,
Hezekiah, and Manasseh.
During the reign of Hoshea, king of Israel, Shalmaneser V, king of
Assyria, invaded Israel (2 Kings 17:3,5) and attempted to destroy the kingdom that remained.
In 722 BC Shalmaneser V died
and his successor Sargon II besieged and took Samaria, carrying away
27,290 of the population as he tells in his Khorsabad Annals. Later
Assyrian kings, particularly Esarhaddon (681 BC - 668 BC), completed
the task.
2 Kings 10:31
But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel
with all his heart; for he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam,
who had made Israel sin.
Kings 10:36
"And the period that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was
twenty-eight years."
See
Paraphrased Biblical History
The Black Obelisk
Biblical Archaeology
Bible History
Online
© Bible History Online
Related Content