Kingdom of Israel (Samaria)

This article is about the northern kingdom during divided monarchy. For the unified monarchy, see Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy). For other uses, see Kingdom of Israel.

Kingdom of Israel 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋
930 BCE–720 BCE
Map of Israel and Judah in the 9th century BCE, with Israel in blue and Judah in yellow.
Status	Kingdom
Capital	Shechem (930 BCE) Penuel (930–909) Tirzah (909–880) Samaria (880–720)
Common languages	Hebrew
Religion	Monolatristic or monotheistic Yahwism Canaanite polytheism Mesopotamian polytheism Folk religion
Government	Monarchy
King
• c. 931—910 BCE	Jeroboam I (first)
• 732—723 BCE	Hoshea (last)
Historical era	Iron Age
• Jeroboam's Revolt	930 BCE
• Assyrian exile	720 BCE
ISO 3166 code	IL
Preceded by Succeeded by Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy) Neo-Assyrian Empire
Today part of	Israel Jordan Lebanon Palestine Syria

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According to the Hebrew Bible, the Kingdom of Israel (Hebrew: מַמְלֶכֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, Modern: Mamlekhet Yisra'el, Tiberian: Mamléḵeṯ Yiśrāʼēl), was one of two successor states to the former United Kingdom of Israel and Judah. Historians often refer to the Kingdom of Israel as the "Northern Kingdom" or as the "Kingdom of Samaria" to differentiate it from the Southern Kingdom of Judah.

Some researchers in modern scholarship, incorporating textual criticism and archaeology, have challenged the biblical account that the northern kingdom of Israel broke off from a united monarchy with the southern kingdom of Judah, suggesting instead that the northern Kingdom of Israel developed independently of Judah (a comparatively small and rural area), and that it first reached the political, economic, military and architectural sophistication of a kingdom under the Omride dynasty around 884 BCE.

The Kingdom of Israel existed roughly from 930 BCE until 720 BCE, when it was conquered by the Neo-Assyrian Empire. The major cities of the kingdom were Shechem, Tirzah, Samaria (Shomron), Jaffa, Bethel and Dan.

Biblical narrative

In the Hebrew Bible, the Kingdom of Israel has been referred to as the "House of Joseph". It is also frequently referenced (particularly in poetry) as Ephraim, the tribe whose territory housed the capital cities and the royal families. It has also been referred to as "Israel in Samaria".

According to the Hebrew Bible, the territory of the Kingdom of Israel comprised the territories of the tribes of Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, Dan, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben and Gad. Its capital was Samaria according to the Book of Isaiah.

Biblical background

United Monarchy

Main article: Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy)

The United Kingdom of Israel and Judah is said to have existed from about 1030 to about 930 BCE. It was a union of all the twelve Israelite tribes living in the area that presently approximates modern Israel and the other Levantine territories including much of western Jordan, and western Syria.

Division

Main article: Jeroboam's Revolt

After the death of Solomon in about 931 BCE, most of the Israelite tribes (ten Northern tribes) except for Judah and Benjamin refused to accept Rehoboam, the son and successor of Solomon, as their king. The rebellion against Rehoboam arose after he refused to lighten the burden of taxation and services that his father had imposed on his subjects.

Jeroboam, who was not of the Davidic line, was sent forth from Egypt by the malcontents. The Tribe of Ephraim and all Israel raised the old cry, "Every man to his tents, O Israel". Rehoboam fled to Jerusalem, and in 930 BCE (some date it in 920 BCE), Jeroboam was proclaimed king over all Israel at Shechem. After the revolt at Shechem at first only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David. But very soon after the tribe of Benjamin joined Judah. The northern kingdom continued to be called the Kingdom of Israel or Israel, while the southern kingdom was called the Kingdom of Judah. 2 Chronicles 15:9 also says that members of the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon fled to Judah during the reign of Asa of Judah.

History

Further information: History of ancient Israel and Judah

Early kings and Omride dynasty

The tribute of Northern Kingdom King "Jehu of the people of the land of Omri" (Akkadian: 𒅀𒌑𒀀 𒈥 𒄷𒌝𒊑𒄿) as depicted on the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III, 841-840 BCE. This is "the only portrayal we have in ancient Near Eastern art of an Israelite or Judaean monarch".

Part of the gift-bearing Jewish delegation of King Jehu, Black Obelisk, 841-840 BCE.

Shechem was the first capital of the Kingdom of Israel. Afterwards it was Tirzah. King Omri built his capital in Samaria (1 Kings 16:24), which continued as such until the destruction of the Kingdom by the Assyrians (2 Kings 17:5).

Today, among archaeologists, Samaria is one of the most universally accepted archaeological sites from the biblical period 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.

Relations between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah

According to the Bible, for the first sixty years, the kings of Judah tried to re-establish their authority over the northern kingdom, and there was perpetual war between them. For the following eighty years, there was no open war between them, and, for the most part, they were in friendly alliance, co-operating against their common enemies, especially against Damascus.

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.

Jehu's delegation to Shalmaneser III, Black Obelisk, 841-840 BCE.

Destruction of the kingdom

Main article: Assyrian captivity

In c. 732 BCE, Pekah of Israel, while allied with Rezin, king of Aram, threatened Jerusalem. Ahaz, king of Judah, appealed to Tiglath-Pileser III, the king of Assyria, for help. After Ahaz paid tribute to Tiglath-Pileser Tiglath-Pileser sacked Damascus and Israel, annexing Aram and territory of the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh in Gilead including the desert outposts of Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. People from these tribes including the Reubenite leader, were taken captive and resettled in the region of the Khabur River system. Tiglath-Pilesar also captured the territory of Naphtali and the city of Janoah in Ephraim and an Assyrian governor was placed over the region of Naphtali. According to 2 Kings 16:9 and 15:29, the population of Aram and the annexed part of Israel was deported to Assyria.

Deportation of the Northern Kingdom by the Assyrian Empire

The remainder of the northern kingdom of Israel continued to exist within the reduced territory as an independent kingdom until around 720 BCE, when it was again invaded by Assyria and the rest of the population deported. During the three-year siege of Samaria in the territory of Ephraim by the Assyrians, Shalmaneser V died and was succeeded by Sargon II, 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 two centuries, the kingdom of the ten tribes came to an end. Some of the Israelite captives were resettled in the Khabur region, and the rest in the land of the Medes, thus establishing Hebrew communities in Ecbatana and Rages. The Book of Tobit additionally records that Sargon had taken other captives from the northern kingdom to the Assyrian capital of Nineveh, in particular Tobit from the town of Thisbe in Naphtali.

The Hebrew Bible relates that the population of the Kingdom of Israel was exiled, becoming known as the Ten Lost Tribes. To the south, the Tribe of Judah, the Tribe of Simeon (that was "absorbed" into Judah), the Tribe of Benjamin and the people of the Tribe of Levi, who lived among them of the original Israelite nation, remained in the southern Kingdom of Judah. The Kingdom of Judah continued to exist as an independent state until 586 BCE, when it was conquered by the Neo-Babylonian Empire.

Samaritan version

The Samaritan version to the events claims that actually much of the population of the Northern Kingdom of Israel remained in place upon the Exile, including the Tribes of Naphtali, Menasseh, Benjamin and Levi - being the progenitors of the Samaritans. In their book The Bible Unearthed, authors Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman estimate that only a fifth of the population (about 40,000) were actually resettled out of the area during the two deportation periods under Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II. Many of the Northern Tribes also fled south to Jerusalem, which appears to have expanded in size five-fold during this period, requiring a new wall to be built, and a new source of water Siloam to be provided by King Hezekiah.

Medieval Rabbinic fable

In medieval Rabbinic fable, the concept of the ten tribes who were taken away from the House of David (who continued the rule of the southern kingdom of Judah), becomes confounded with accounts of the Assyrian deportations leading to the myth of the "Ten Lost Tribes".

Recorded history

The recorded history differs from the Rabbinic fable: No record exists of the Assyrians having exiled people from Dan, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun or western Manasseh. Descriptions of the deportation of people from Reuben, Gad, Manasseh in Gilead, Ephraim and Naphtali indicate that only a portion of these tribes were deported and the places to which they were deported are known locations given in the accounts. The deported communities are mentioned as still existing at the time of the composition of the Books of Kings and Chronicles and did not disappear by assimilation. 2 Chronicles 30:1-18 explicitly mentions northern Israelites who had been spared by the Assyrians, in particular people of Ephraim, Manasseh, Asher, Issachar and Zebulun, and how members of the latter three returned to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem during the reign of Hezekiah.

Royal houses

Further information: Kings of Israel and Judah

The genealogy of the kings of the United Kingdom of Israel and Judea, the Kingdom of Israel and the kings of the Kingdom of Judah. 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.

The Northern Kingdom had 19 kings across 9 different dynasties throughout its 208 years of existence.

Albright	Thiele	Galil	Kitchen	Common/Biblical name	Regnal Name and style	Notes
The House of Jeroboam
922–901 BCE	931–910 BCE	931–909 BCE	931–911 BCE	Jeroboam I	ירבעם בֵּן-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 BCE	910–909 BCE	909–908 BCE	911–910 BCE	Nadab	נדב בֵּן-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 BCE	909–886 BCE	908–885 BCE	910–887 BCE	Baasha	בעשא בֵּן-אחיה מלך ישראל Ba’asha ben Achiyah, Melekh Yisra’el	Reigned over Israel in Tirzah for 24 years. Death: Natural Causes
877–876 BCE	886–885 BCE	885–884 BCE	887–886 BCE	Elah	אלה בֵּן-בעשא מלך ישראל 'Elah ben Ba’asha, Melekh Yisra’el	Reigned over Israel in Tirzah 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 BCE	885 BCE	884 BCE	886 BCE	Zimri	זמרי מלך ישראל Zimri, Melekh Yisra’el	Reigned over Israel in Tirzah 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 Tirzah.
The House of Omri
876–869 BCE	885–874 BCE	884–873 BCE	886–875 BCE	Omri	עמרי מלך ישראל 'Omri, Melekh Yisra’el	Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 12 years. Death: Natural Causes
869–850 BCE	874–853 BCE	873–852 BCE	875–853 BCE	Ahab	אחאב בֵּן-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 at Samaria.
850–849 BCE	853–852 BCE	852–851 BCE	853–852 BCE	Ahaziah	אחזיהו בֵּן-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 BCE	852–841 BCE	851–842 BCE	852–841 BCE	Joram	יורם בֵּן-אחאב מלך ישראל Yehoram ben 'Ah’av, Melekh Yisra’el	Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 12 years. Death: Killed by Jehu, the next king of Israel,
The House of Jehu
842–815 BCE	841–814 BCE	842–815 BCE]	841–814 BCE	Jehu	יהוא בֵּן-נמשי מלך ישראל Yehu ben Nimshi, Melekh Yisra’el	Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 28 years. Death: Natural Causes
815–801 BCE	814–798 BCE	819–804 BCE	814–806 BCE	Jehoahaz	יהואחז בֵּן-יהוא מלך ישראל Yeho’ahaz ben Yehu, Melekh Yisra’el	Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 17 years. Death: Natural Causes
801–786 BCE	798–782 BCE	805–790 BCE	806–791 BCE	Jehoash (Joash)	יואש בֵּן-יואחז מלך ישראל Yeho’ash ben Yeho’ahaz, Melekh Yisra’el	Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 16 years. Death: Natural Causes
786–746 BCE	782–753 BCE	790–750 BCE	791–750 BCE	Jeroboam II	ירבעם בֵּן-יואש מלך ישראל Yerav’am ben Yeho’ash, Melekh Yisra’el	Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 41 years. Death: Natural Causes. The Book of Jonah or Jonah's journey to Nineveh (when he was swallowed by a whale or fish) happened at that time.
746 BCE	753 BCE	750–749 BCE	750 BCE	Zachariah	זכריה בֵּן-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 BCE	752 BCE	749 BCE	749 BCE	Shallum	שלם בֵּן-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 (also known as the House of Gadi)
745–738 BCE	752–742 BCE	749–738 BCE	749–739 BCE	Menahem	מְנַחֵם בֵּן-גדי מלך ישראל Menachem ben Gadi, Melekh Yisra’el	Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 10 years. Death: Natural Causes
738–737 BCE	742–740 BCE	738–736 BCE	739–737 BCE	Pekahiah	פקחיה בֵּן-מְנַחֵם 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 BCE	740–732 BCE	736–732 BCE	737–732 BCE	Pekah	פקח בֵּן-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.
The House of Hoshea
732–722 BCE	732–722 BCE	732–722 BCE	732–722 BCE]	Hoshea	הושע בֵּן-אלה מלך ישראל Hoshe’a ben 'Elah, Melekh Yisra’el	Reigned over Israel in Samaria for 9 years. 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.

Religion

The religious climate of the Kingdom of Israel appears to have followed two major trends. The first, that of worship of Yahweh, and the second that of worship of Baal as detailed in the Hebrew Bible (1 Kings 16:31) and in the Baal cycle discovered at Ugarit.

According to the Hebrew Bible Jeroboam built two places of worship, one at Bethel and one at far northern Dan, as alternatives to the Temple in Jerusalem.(1 Kings 12:29) He did not want the people of his kingdom to have religious ties to Jerusalem, the capital city of the rival Kingdom of Judah. He erected golden bulls at the entrance to the Temples to represent the national god. The Hebrew Bible, written from the perspective of scribes in Jerusalem, referred to these acts as the way of Jeroboam or the errors of Jeroboam. (1 Kings 12:26-29)

The Bible states that 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)

List of proposed Assyrian references to Kingdom of Israel (Samaria)

The table below lists all the historical references to the Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) in Assyrian records. King Omri's name takes the Assyrian shape of "Humri", his kingdom or dynasty that of Bit Humri or alike - the "House of Humri/Omri".

Assyrian King	Inscription	Year	Transliteration	Translation
Shalmaneser III	Kurkh Monoliths	853 BCE	KUR sir-'i-la-a-a	"Israel"
Shalmaneser III	Black Obelisk, Calah Fragment, Kurba'il Stone, Ashur Stone	841 BCE	mar Hu-um-ri-i	"of Omri"
Adad-nirari III	Tell al-Rimah Stela	803 BCE	KUR Sa-me-ri-na-a-a	"land of Samaria"
Adad-nirari III	Nimrud Slab	803 BCE	KUR <Bit>-Hu-um-ri-i	"the 'land of [the House of] Omri"
Tiglath-Pileser III	Layard 45b+ III R 9,1	740 BCE	[KUR sa-me-ri-i-na-a-a]	["land of Samaria"]
Tiglath-Pileser III	Iran Stela	739–738 BCE	KUR sa-m[e]-ri-i-na-a-[a]	"land of Samaria"
Tiglath-Pileser III	Layard 50a + 50b + 67a	738–737 BCE	URU sa-me-ri-na-a-a	"city of Samaria"
Tiglath-Pileser III	Layard 66	732–731 BCE	URU Sa-me-ri-na	"city of Samaria"
Tiglath-Pileser III	III R 10,2	731 BCE	KUR E Hu-um-ri-a	"land of the House of Omri"
Tiglath-Pileser III	ND 4301 + 4305	730 BCE	KUR E Hu-um-ri-a	"land of the House of Omri"
Shalmaneser V	Babylonian Chronicle ABC1	725 BCE	URU Sa-ma/ba-ra-'-in	"city of Samaria"
Sargon II	Nimrud Prism, Great Summary Inscription	720 BCE	URU Sa-me-ri-na	"city of Samaria"
Sargon II	Palace Door, Small Summary Inscription, Cylinder Inscription, Bull Inscription	720 BCE	KUR Bit-Hu-um-ri-a	"land of Omri"

See also

• Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy) (the unified kingdom before the split)
• Kingdom of Judah (the southern kingdom)
• Israel (the modern country)
• List of Jewish states and dynasties

External links

• About Israel - The Information Center About Israel
• Biblical History. The Jewish History Resource Center - Project of the Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Complete Bible Genealogy A synchronized chart of the kings of Israel and Judah