I am Your Slave and Son
Kings 2 16:7
King Ahaz of Judah had no better choice other than swearing allegiance to Assyria. Judah was a small and poor kingdom, with most of its income derived from grapes, olives, and the taxes of the temple on Jerusalem. The Assyrian Empire, not so slowly taking over the region, considered Judah to be a secondary threat and not a target for full annexation and mass exile. They demanded very organized taxes. But he could stay on the throne, and the people could maintain some level of religious and political autonomy. Or so they thought. The other option was to join the regional resistance led by Israel and Aram - and endorsed by many of the prophets of the day. But Ahaz refused this option, even when it resulted in an attack by the combined forces of Israel and Aram who stormed Jerusalem trying to get him to either change his mind and join their coalition - or be replaced on the throne. But Ahaz persisted.
The kings of Israel were right to be very worried, although their attempts at resisting Assyria seem in retrospect to be pitiful, though heroic. The kingdom of Israel was much larger and richer than Judah, with a wealthy elite and a thus a real threat to the Assyrian system. Most historians think that this is the main reason Israel was the first target to destroyed by Assyria, while Judah was for the most part spared.
But at the time all Ahaz knew was that this was the only option possible in the current political moment. After the attack by Israel and Aram he officially appeals to Assyria for help, and whether he knows it or not, and he probably does - he’s turning Judah into a vassal state of Assyria.
This happens likely around 730 BC:
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אָחָ֜ז מַלְאָכִ֗ים אֶל־תִּ֠גְלַ֠ת פְּלֶ֤סֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר עַבְדְּךָ֥ וּבִנְךָ֖ אָ֑נִי עֲלֵ֨ה וְהוֹשִׁעֵ֜נִי מִכַּ֣ף מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֗ם וּמִכַּף֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַקּוֹמִ֖ים עָלָֽי׃
Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria to say, “I am your slave and your son; come and deliver me from the hands of the king of Aram and from the hands of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.”
Kings 2 16:7
His next move is an official royal visit to Damascus, to pledge his allegiance in person. And once out of Jerusalem, Ahaz is seeing the world - and begins to import the world back to the fairly isolated hilltops of Judea.
He does not just become Assyria’s political ally but also imports or adopts - whether he likes it or forced to do so - the empire’s religion - beginning with the ritual props:
וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אָחָ֡ז לִ֠קְרַ֠את תִּגְלַ֨ת פִּלְאֶ֤סֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר֙ דּוּמֶּ֔שֶׂק וַיַּ֥רְא אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּדַמָּ֑שֶׂק וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ אָחָ֜ז אֶל־אוּרִיָּ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן אֶת־דְּמ֧וּת הַמִּזְבֵּ֛חַ וְאֶת־תַּבְנִית֖וֹ לל־מַעֲשֵֽׂהוּ׃
"When King Ahaz went to Damascus to greet King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, he saw the altar in Damascus. King Ahaz sent the priest Uriah a sketch of the altar and a detailed plan of its construction.”
Kings 2 16:19
It isn’t just the altar, installed in Jerusalem as an altar to YHWH even if conforming to the Assyrian style. Ahaz offers incense at the altar - himself. Taking on the Assyrian role of King as Religious Priest - much to the chagrin of the Priests of YHWH.
Ahaz and his court soon take on other ominous Assyrian customs, some familiar already from previous and other cults in the region: The sacrifice, or passing in the fire, of one’s children.
Moloch, by one of the names in which he is known, is back in Jerusalem, worshiped in the valleys beneath the citadel.
Whether Ahaz really did or did not practice this ritual is unclear from historical evidence but what is clear is that Jerusalem takes on Assyrian ways, even while maintaining its official worship of YHWH. This tension will continue to grow, as it did in Israel.
In one rabbinic source, composed centuries after, Ahaz is described as the king who waged war on the Jewish religion and on YHWH. According to this legend he underwood that the way to combat Judaism and endorse the Assyrian way -- which, again, he was most likely forced follow by the authorities -- was to close down the schools and synagogues. The rabbis never forgave him for that. Thus, the king who tried to save his nation became implicated as the people’s enemy in the popular, and populist imagination.
Ahaz reigned for 16 years, and when he dies his son Hezekiah is crowned, instantly both son and slave of the Assyrian kings.
There will be no more Judean political autonomy for the next 500 years.
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Lord have mercy. it was, in fact, a typo. BCE!!
I spy a “BC!”