by
Damien F. Mackey
Reading through the accounts of the kings of Israel in Kings and
Chronicles,
I was really surprised to find that Jeroboam II does not figure in
Chronicles.
Suspecting this morning (16th
September, 2019), once again, that there may be some degree of duplication
amongst the listings of the kings of Israel of the Divided Monarchy period,
which thought prompted me later today to write:
and then reading through the accounts of the kings of Israel in Kings and
Chronicles, I was really surprised to find that Jeroboam II does not figure in
Chronicles.
That I was not mistaken or deluding myself about this
was confirmed when I read introductory parts of Todd Bolen’s thesis (2002):
The
Reign of Jeroboam II: A Historical and Archaeological Interpretation
For instance, Bolen commences by writing
of the scant treatment of Jeroboam II in the entire Scriptures despite the
king’s undoubted importance:
It has long
been recognized that some of the most defining political and military events
received little attention from the theologically-oriented writer of the
Scriptures. Jeroboam II was one such king whose importance to Israel’s political
history went virtually unnoticed in the biblical record. Though he ruled longer
than any other king of the north, the Scriptures accord him one of the briefest
treatments
of all kings (2 Kings 14:23-29). Much of this record is not unique to Jeroboam, but
simply repeats the standard formulaic denunciation of wicked rulers.
The most
peculiar feature of the biblical record of Jeroboam’s rule is its report of his
territorial expansion: “He was the one who restored the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah....
He recovered for Israel both Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah”
(2 Kings 14:25, 28). Typical assessments of Jeroboam’s reign extrapolate this
note of northern expansion to include unprecedented glory, wealth, and
prosperity for the nation of Israel. Conversely, recent attempts have been made
to reject all suggestions of material prosperity or territorial expansion under Jeroboam II.
This study
assesses the rule of Jeroboam II by first considering his historical
background. The devastating oppression by the Arameans in the days before
Jeroboam came to the throne are the backdrop for the expressions of expansion and
wealth. Assyrian campaigns against Damascus reversed the fortunes of the
southern Levant at the beginning of the eighth century B.C., and allowed Israel
to rebound from a time of territorial oppression and economic poverty. The
geographical references are studied in order to best understand the precise
extent of Jeroboam’s kingdom to the north, east, and south. The conclusion of this study
is that by the latter half of Jeroboam’s reign, Hamath and Damascus were paying
regular tribute to Israel, much of Transjordan was under Israelite control, and
the nation of Judah was an ally.
The
archaeological record of the first half of the eighth century reveals a period
of renewed construction and some measure of material prosperity. However, the current
state of archaeological
research does not support the position that Jeroboam’s kingdom was wealthier
than the kingdom of Ahab. Analysis of the excavations at Hazor, Tirzah, Dan, Samaria, and Megiddo indicate that Israel
at this time experienced a resurgence, and specific material finds at these
sites reflect a degree of prosperity that appears limited primarily to the upper
class.
The Samaria ostraca attest to an
administrative system in Jeroboam’s coregent years whereby governmental
officials were given land grants to meet their needs while residing at the
king’s table at the capital. An understanding of the society of Jeroboam’s day is completed with a
study of
Amos’ and Hosea’s records of the Israelites’ religious and social failures.
Then
Bolen, in his Introduction to Chapter I, will proceed to tell of this startling
fact: “Chronicles
does not so much as hint of his existence, even in regnal synchronisms”:
For slightly over two
hundred years, the northern kingdom of Israel survived as a sovereign nation in
the tumultuous ancient Near East. Situated amidst larger and stronger powers,
Israel was easily affected by the political forces and movements of the empires
and powers around her. Within the relatively short span of two hundred years,
Israel endured devastating conquest by the Egyptians, exacting tribute payments
to the Assyrians, crushing oppression by the Arameans, damning idolatrous
influence from the Phoenicians, but rarely satisfying independence.
After Jeroboam ben
Nebat led the northern tribes away from a united kingdom with Judah, Israel
would never again hold the territorial dominion that it enjoyed under David and
Solomon, save perhaps one time. Control of the trade routes would often be
contested, and Israel would frequently be on the losing end. The history of this
nation was not one in which to take great pride; its existence was marked by
foreign oppression, dynastic usurpations and rival reigns.
The characteristics of
Jeroboam II’s rule were not unlike those of his nation; it was not an era of
uniform prosperity, peaceful coexistence, or popular satisfaction. His age was
one marked by both blessings and curses, rises and falls, successes and
failures, prosperity and adversity. The unvaried character sometimes attributed
to the first half of the eighth century BC is unfounded. Israelite society
reflected a wide range of events, circumstances and feelings, and Jeroboam’s
reign was anything but static.
The first half of the
eighth century was not a replication, however, of any other period of Israel’s
existence. No king of Israel ruled longer than Jeroboam II, and no dynasty had
as many monarchs sit on the throne as did that of Jeroboam’s forebear, Jehu. Jeroboam’s
rule stands in stark contrast to that of his predecessors and successors. The
half-century before him witnessed the most violent and trying time of
persecution Israel had ever faced. Beaten down so that they were like “dust at
threshing time,” the apostate rulers of Israel ultimately sought out even the
Lord for salvation (2 Kgs 13:7). The last half of the ninth century was most
unlike the period of expansion and economic growth that Jeroboam fostered, and
the stability that he established would be unknown after his death. In the
period following Jeroboam, a duration shorter than Jeroboam’s reign, the
country would have six rulers, four of them dying violent deaths. In fact, the
Israelite nation under Jeroboam experienced an age that was unique - both in
strength and stability.
Without the brief
record in the Book of Kings and cursory mentions in two prophetic works, the
name of this man would not be preserved (2 Kgs 14:23-15:8; Amos 1:1; 7:9-11;
Hos 1:1). Even the parallel account of the history of the Divided Monarchy
neglects to mention Jeroboam, even in passing.
Chronicles does not so
much as hint of his existence, even in regnal synchronisms. This king of
unusually long reign and reported strong position is not attested to in
Assyrian, Aramean, Hamathite, Babylonian, or Egyptian annals or inscriptions.
Furthermore, the known history of the ancient Near East for his period is
surprisingly sparse; very little has been preserved. The extent of the
historical record is related in the Book of Kings:
In the
fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash
king of Israel became king in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. He did
evil in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn away from any of the sins of
Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit. He was the one who
restored the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, in
accordance with the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, spoken through his
servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher. The LORD had seen
how bitterly everyone in Israel, whether slave or free, was suffering; there
was no one to help them. And since the LORD had not said he would blot out the
name of Israel from under heaven, he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of
Jehoash. As for the other events of Jeroboam’s reign, all he did, and his military
achievements, including how he recovered for Israel both Damascus and Hamath,
which had belonged to Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of
the kings of Israel? Jeroboam rested with his fathers, the kings of Israel.
And Zechariah his son succeeded him as king. (2 Kgs 14:23-29 NIV4)
The sources for
Jeroboam’s forty-year reign are, unfortunately, not only brief but sketchy as
well. Very few details about his military accomplishments, economic prosperity,
or administrative ability are known. The extrabiblical sources for this period
of time are also very limited. Jeroboam’s father is recorded as having paid
tribute to the Assyrians a few years prior to Jeroboam’s accession. The usurper
of the throne of Jeroboam’s son also received mention for a similar action some
ten years after Jeroboam’s death. The Samaria Ostraca likely date to the time
of Jeroboam, but their interpretation and implications are somewhat unclear.
The Zakkur and Pazarcik stelae both record contemporaneous events, but far to
the north of Israelite territory. Assyrian annals concentrate on the
troublesome events of home, and any western excursions receive very little
detail. No inscriptions have been found from the smaller nations neighboring
Israel.
The
prophets Amos and Hosea both date at least a portion of their oracles to the
reign of Jeroboam. Amos’ work is particularly valuable as he details the
oppression of the lower class. His sharp remarks, pointed denunciations, and predictions of
judgment undoubtedly reflect the Israelite society during this period. Also, Amos is
unique in specifically condemning the Israelite monarch for his wickedness
(7:9-11). Hosea appears to have begun his prophetic ministry during the reign of
Jeroboam (1:1), but his words are more general in nature. ….
[End of quote]
Bolen’s opening remark, “that some of the most
defining political and military events received little attention from the theologically-oriented
writer of the Scriptures”, may not necessarily be entirely true. Jeroboam so-called
II may figure more prominently in the Scriptures than is thought – but under an
alter ego.
A
good place to begin to look for that would be, I suggest, with namesake Jeroboam
I.
