King Ahab 874-853 BC
Name of King Reigning years Comments Jeroboam I 931-910 Founding king of the Northern kingdom, set up golden calves at Dan and Bethel Nadab 910-909 Jeroboam s son, he and all Jeroboam s family were killed in a coup Baasha 909-886 Took power in a coup, reigned in Tirzah, constant war with Judah Elah 886-885 Baasha s son, reigned in Tirzah, killed when drunk, all other relatives killed Zimri 885 (7 days) Commander of royal chariots, killed Elah and Baasha s family, burned down the citadel of Tirzah with himself inside Omri 885-874 Commander of the Army, attacked Zimri, founded capital of Samaria, Ahab s father
ruled from 885-874 BC Bible says little about him except that he encouraged false worship (1 Ki 16:21-28) history shows he caused Israel to become a major regional power mentioned on the Black Obelisk of Assyrian King Shalmaneser III (825 BC) mentioned on the Mesha Inscription of Moab (800s) Israel became known as the house of Omri Black Obelisk Mesha Inscription
Shechem the kingdom divided into North and South Tirzah became Jeroboam s capital, also Baasha s Zimri burned down the citadel and himself Samaria founded by Omri capital for the remainder of the history of the Northern Kingdom
capital for 160 years named for Shemer, from whom Omri bought the land on the North-South trade route on a high hill in the highlands of Ephraim withstood attacks from Aram and Assyria defeated by Assyria in 722 BC http://www.bibleplaces.com/wp- content/uploads/2015/07/samaria-from-north-tb050800105- bibleplaces.jpg
from Sidon in Phoenicia a princess daughter of Ethbaal, a king and priest Ethbaal ruled Tyre and Sidon for 32 years, according to Josephus, an ancient Jewish historian Jezebel was a devout worshiper of Baal Baal was the young storm god, in charge of rain and lightning
under Jezebel s influence, Ahab built a Baal temple in Samaria it was later destroyed by Jehu (2 Ki 10:27) Ahab also expanded the palace begun by Omri Ruins of this palace were excavated during a Harvard University expedition in the early 1900s the royal acropolis http://www.bibleplaces.com/samaria/
the royal acropolis had many carved ivories the house of ivory that he built (1 Ki 22:39) Samaritan ivories hundreds of pieces of artwork wealth, luxury condemned by prophets Amos 3:15 Amos 6:4 images from Bible Odyssey, Society of Biblical Literature
Who was Elijah? from Tishbe in Gilead, the Transjordan (1 Ki 17:1) a hairy man wearing a leather belt (2 Ki 1:8) his name (El-i Yah) means My God is Yahweh he demonstrated that the Lord is the one true God and called Israel to return to Him interacted with northern kings Ahab and Ahaziah http://www.crosswalk.com/home-page/todays-features
His messages included: There will be no rain for 3 years (1 Ki 17:1) You are causing trouble by worshipping Baal (1 Ki 18:18) Rain is coming! (1 Ki 18:44) Your dynasty is judged for your sins (1 Ki 19:17-29) You are going to die (2 Ki 1:3-4) http://www.crosswalk.com/home-page/todays-features
Miracles done by God for or through Elijah rain and dew withheld for 3 years (1 Ki 17:1) ravens brought Elijah food by brook (1 Ki 17:6) widow s flour + oil didn t run out (1 Ki 17:16) widow s boy raised from the dead (1 Ki 17:22) fire descended on the altar at Mt. Carmel and consumed the soaked offering, wood, stones, dust, water (1 Ki 18) rain came when he prayed for it (1 Ki 18:42) ran faster than Ahab s chariot (1 Ki 18:46) angel brought bread and water (1 Ki 19:6) God spoke to him at Mt. Sinai (1 Ki 19:9-18) fire from heaven fell on soldiers (2 Ki 1:10,12) Jordan River divided with his cloak (2 Ki 2:8) a chariot of fire took Elijah alive to heaven (2 Ki 2:11) http://ryoleong.authorsxpress.c om/author/ryoleong
ethnically related. Abraham, Jacob, Laban called Arameans a tribal, semi-nomadic Semitic people formed fortified citystates in Syria with grand palaces gods: Hadad (Baal), Sin, El, Shamash king: Ben-Hadad may have been a throne name. There were at least 3 of them as well as Hazael.
Damascus was the Aramean city-state most involved with Israel defeated by David (2 Sam 8:6) Aram broke away from Israelite control when the kingdom divided Damascus and Israel were rivals and trading partners At times, Damascus received tribute from Israel and Judah defeated by Assyria in 732 however their language, Aramaic, became the common language in ANE Tel Dan stele in Aramaic, honoring a victory of a king of Aram (Hazael) http://www.bibleodyssey.org/tools/image-gallery/t/tel-dan-israelmuseum.aspx
an ancient kingdom centered on the Tigris River a history of expansion and retraction since ~ 2000 BC major empire in the Ancient Near East during 934-612 BC, the Neo-Assyrian Period first became a threat to Israel during Ahab s time great cities: Ashur Nineveh Calah (Nimrud) kept historical records http://www.ancient.eu/assyria/ http://www.bibleodyssey.org/tools/map-gallery/m/map-mesopotamia.aspx
Reference Battle with whom Where Who advised Ahab king of Israel Result 1 Kings 20:1-22 Ben-Hadad king of Aram Samaria (in the hills) A prophet The Israelites inflicted heavy losses on the Arameans. 1 Kings 20:23-42 Ben-Hadad king of Aram Aphek (on the plains) The man of God Many Aramean casualties. Ahab made a treaty with Ben-Hadad. Kurkh Monolith Shalmaneser III king of Assyria Qarqar (northern Phoenicia) Allied with Aram, Arabs, Ammon Both sides claim victory. Assyrian expansion slowed but not stopped. 1 Kings 22:1-40 Aramean armies Ramoth Gilead (Transjordan) Jehoshaphat Zedekiah Micaiah Israel defeated; Ahab struck at random, died.
battle at Qarqar in northern Phoenicia in 853 BC Assyrian king Shalmaneser III advanced westward Israel was allied with 11 other states, including Aram and Ammon; they overlooked their differences to face Assyria together they fought to slow Assyria s westward expansion Assyria claimed victory, but progress was slowed and Shalmaneser returned home to Assyria Ahab is credited, on the Kurkh Monolith, with having one of the largest forces present 2000 chariots and 10,000 foot soldiers http://www.britishmuseum.org/collection images/an00150/an00150815_001_l.jpg
Zedekiah and others Ahab asked Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to fight Aram with him he wanted to get back the town of Ramoth Gilead in the Transjordan Jehoshaphat asked to seek the counsel of the Lord Ahab brought together 400 prophets they told him to go, that he would be victorious they even acted out his victory using iron horns http://www.crosswalk.com/home-page/ todays-features
Micaiah Despite their dramatic prophesy, Jehoshaphat requested a prophet of Yahweh Ahab said there was one, but he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad (1 Ki 22:8) Micaiah came and told Ahab the truth from God: Ahab would die in this battle and Israel would be scattered Micaiah even had a vision of the throne room of God, with a discussion of how to entice Ahab into battle Micaiah s prophesy was rejected by other prophets and he was imprisoned by Ahab He spoke truth to power and there were consequences for him
The battle to get Ramoth-Gilead back from Aram one of the 3 Cities of Refuge that Joshua had set apart for the Transjordan tribes (esp. Gad) allied with Jehoshaphat - joint forces of Judah and Israel Israel/Judah were defeated Ahab was disguised in battle he was struck by chance, mortally wounded, and died in his chariot Micaiah s words proved true false prophets words were false Ahab s son Joram tried to win this town back from Aram. It didn t turn out well for him either.
Why did Ahab want Naboth s vineyard? Why did Naboth refuse to sell? How did Ahab react? How did Jezebel react? What was Jezebel s view of kingship? Did Jezebel know Israel s laws of cursing, of accusation, of the death penalty, of land ownership? Who does Elijah hold responsible for Naboth s death? Why? What was God s judgment that Elijah proclaimed? What did Ahab do when he heard the judgment? How did God react?
Was an Israelite king bound by law? Why? Solomon wanted wives, horses, money. Jeroboam I wanted a convenient, popular religion. Ahab wanted land. Did each of them get what he wanted? How did he go about getting what he wanted? How did God respond to their actions? What did God want in a king? Which of these kings repented? How did God respond to the king s repentance?
Humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. (1 Peter 5:6)
King Joram Ahab s 2 nd ruling son Ahab s first son, Ahaziah, died young Joram s story is told in: 2 Kings 3 Prophet Elisha successor to Elijah (1 Ki 19:19-21) prophet to the Northern Kingdom Elisha s stories are told in: 2 Kings 2-8