The drums of war are beating. And the beat was captured in words. Several archeological findings add validity and texture to the dramas unfolding in this chapter - no less than 8 kings are mentioned, and several of them are named in memorial plaques that survived time and provide more fascinating details to the terse narrative of Kings.
The first is Uzziah, King of Judah, son of King Amazia and Queen Jecoliah of Jerusalem -both his parents are mentioned by name. He became king at 16 when his father was deposed, and ruled for 53 years, except for the fact that he spent most of those years in a leper colony, under quarantine.
The leper king was still in charge.
His heir, Yotam, was ruler in effect, but didn’t oust his father but worked with him, as a co-regent, in a rare display of loyalty, humility and respect. Uzziah left behind a stronger army, conquered the southern port of Eilat that benefitted commerce and economy, and even seemed to follow YHWH. Several archaeological artifacts bearing his name were discovered, among them the inscription that attests to the presence of his bones.
The Bible Archeology Report writes that
“In 1931, a burial plaque was discovered by E.L Sukenik, professor of archaeology at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, while he was looking at items in the Russian Orthodox monastery on the Mount of Olives. The marble slab bore an Aramaic inscription which read, “Here were brought the bones of Uzziah, king of Judah. Do not open.” The inscription does not date to the time of Uzziah, but to sometime between the Hasmonean and early Roman periods (ca 150 BC- 50AD). It appears to be a marker indicating that the bones of the Judahite king had been moved to a new burial location, likely because the city had expanded. “
But the king’s burial place is not the only important evidence he left behind, and the next one brings in the important regional player and slayer who first makes his appearance in this chapter, as well.
Tiglath-Pileser III, the Assyrian king, shows up in v. 19 - after the third king in quick succession following Jerobaam II, this one known as Menachem the Gaddite, takes over the Kingdom of Israel. Menachem is cruel and violent, representing regional interests, but has no choice but to bow before the force that is even more merciless than him.
And this is the beginning of the end of the Kingdom of Israel.
Tiglath-Pileser III represents the Assyrian empire that is establishing its superpower status in the 8th century BCE. Along with the kings that followed him, he left behind extensive evidence of battles won and kings defeated, including several of the names we find in these pages. One of those inscriptions mentions “Azariah of Judah” (Uzziah’s other name) several times, indicating that he led a major local rebellion against Assyria. In other fragments, the kings of Israel are listed, including Jehu, as they try to buy their way for his protection - a move that eventually fails.
The first exile of Israel is listed both in this chapter and in some of the historical writings of Assyria, as yet another king takes over Israel - but only in name. In effect Israel becomes a vassal state of Assyria and therefore subject to its vast territorial replacement strategy:
בִּימֵ֞י פֶּ֣קַח מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל בָּא֮ תִּגְלַ֣ת פִּלְאֶ֘סֶר֮ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁוּר֒ וַיִּקַּ֣ח אֶת־עִיּ֡וֹן וְאֶת־אָבֵ֣ל בֵּֽית־מַעֲכָ֡ה וְאֶת־יָ֠נ֠וֹחַ וְאֶת־קֶ֨דֶשׁ וְאֶת־חָצ֤וֹר וְאֶת־הַגִּלְעָד֙ וְאֶת־הַגָּלִ֔ילָה כֹּ֖ל אֶ֣רֶץ נַפְתָּלִ֑י וַיַּגְלֵ֖ם אַשּֽׁוּרָה׃
“In the days of King Pekah of Israel, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel- beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor—Gilead, Galilee, the entire region of Naphtali; and he exiled the inhabitants-to Assyria.”
Kings 2 15:29
The list of locations is debated, but the facts are not: The first groups of exiled Israelites make their way to the four corners of the Assyrian Empire, never to be heard from again.
When it comes to the lost ten tribes of Israel - whose disappearance begins here -- there’s more myth than fact and much we do not know. Some information is found in these chapters, other stories in the books of the prophets that come next, and some more in fragments of folklore.
The archeological findings assure us that fragments of facts mingle with mystery to tell us something about the journey that we’ve been on, with lessons learned and many forgotten. Why some stories were preserved and some lost to time is both a factor of chance - as well as the specific agendas of historical writers and storytellers who chose to focus on some narratives or give their political versions of others.
One tale that would linger about one of the kings mentioned in this chapter is about the kindness of the son who ruled along his leper father king. It’s not frontpage news and Yotam does not count among the great kings of that generation. His name is not yet found in any plaque or relic - maybe on a signet ring that archaeologists debate. But he is remembered: The Talmud would one day list Yotam, the 11th king of Judah, as one of the very few righteous people who are able to handle the entirety of the world’s woes and make sure the world survives another day.
It did.
Who knows?
When Yotam dies, Ahaz takes over Judah, age 16. And the threat across the border reaches home to Jerusalem.
Ahaz is about to bow before the King of Assyria.
And everything will change.
Image: Assyrian King Tiglath-pileser III (c728BC) from Nimrud Central Palace, British Museum, Bloomsbury, London, UK
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