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The State of Israel
(Hebrew: מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל (help·info), Medinat
Yisra'el; Arabic: دَوْلَةْ إِسْرَائِيل, Dawlat
Isrā'īl) is a country in the Western Asian Levant, on
the southeastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. It
borders Lebanon on the north, Syria and Jordan on the
east, and Egypt on the south-west. It has a population
of over seven million people.[2] Israel declared
independence in 1948 and is the world's only Jewish
state, although its citizens include many other
religious backgrounds, among whom Christians and
Muslims make up the most notable percentage.
Israel
[1]
In the article People
of Israel the history of the Northern Kingdom in its
wider relations is briefly set forth; here the details
will be more fully sketched. The history may be
divided into four periods. The first was a period of
confusion and semianarchy; the second, a time of
national consolidation and heroic self-defense; the
third, a period marked by extremes of misfortune and
success; and the fourth, a term of humiliation by the
Assyrians, ending in national extinction.
First Period.
—Jeroboam I. to Omri (934-886 B.C.):
The kingdom during this period was in the formative
stage: it was, in fact, continuing the political
experiences of the time of Saul. The territory of
Israel outside of Judah and southern Benjamin had not
been organized by David and Solomon except for
purposes of taxation and statute labor. It was not a
federation of tribes, but virtually a combination of
districts, the region north of Esdraelon being
especially loose in its attachment. The inhabitants of
the territory called "Israel" had not before acted
together except in rebellion against the house of
David. The genius of David had placed Judah half a
century ahead of the rest of the land, in both
political and military affairs.
Dynastic Changes.
Accordingly in the inevitable wars with Judah, Israel
was at first at a disadvantage. Its reverses increased
the original confusion and discontent. The rule of
Ephraim became unpopular; and Jeroboam's son Nadab
(913) was slain by a usurper, Baasha of Issachar
(911). The northern districts needed especial
protection; for the Arameans of Damascus were
beginning their fateful border attacks.
Baasha fixed his capital at Tirzah, nearer his own
home, and made a treaty with Damascus. His measures of
concentration enabled him to assert the natural
superiority of northern Israel and to establish
himself firmly on the border of, Judah. With costly
gifts King Asa of Judah induced the Arameans to break
with Baasha, and to invade the territory of Israel.
The result was the loss to Israel of fertile lands
northwest and west of the Sea of Galilee, and the
abandonment by Baasha of his southern vantage-ground.
The dynasty of Baasha was soon overthrown. His son
Elah (888) was slain in a military conspiracy; and
after the downfall of two pretenders,Omri, the general
of the army, was made king by his soldiers.
Second Period.
Policy and Success of Omri.
—Omri to Jehu (886-842):
Omri chose a new capital, Samaria, the strongest site
for defense, in central Palestine. Under him the
fratricidal war with Judah was changed to friendship
based on common interest: and Judah became a stanch
ally, almost a vassal, of Israel. Alliance with Tyre
was cemented by a marriage between Omri's son Ahab and
Jezebel, the daughter of the Tyrian king. Gilead was
held with a firm hand against Damascus on the north
and against the Moabites on the south. But west of the
Jordan the Arameans were still predominant; and Omri
was forced to concede an open market to them in
Samaria (I Kings xx. 34). Israel, now narrowing to
Ephraim, Jezreel, and Gilead, was being consolidated.
Ahab (875) carried out strenuously his father's
policy. His association with Tyre was of material but
not of religious advantage to Israel. The cult of the
Phenician Baal and Astarte could not be reconciled
with the worship of Yhwh; besides, it ministered to
lust and luxury. Ahab and Jezebel thus provoked the
wrath of the prophet Elijah, whose crusade against the
house of Omri was further inspired by Ahab's
spoliation and murder of a freeholder of Jezreel. Yet
Ahab was a valiant defender of Israel against the
growing power of Damascus, with which he was almost
constantly at war. On the whole, he was successful;
and by the peace of Aphek (855) he revoked the
concessions of his father (I Kings xx.). Next year he
was actually to be found with Benhadad II. of Damascus
as one of many allies fighting against the Assyrians,
who under Shalmaneser II. were threatening Palestine
as well as Syria. But in 853 war with Damascus broke
out afresh. Ahab, who had Jehoshaphat of Judah as an
ally, was slain in battle at Ramoth in Gilead.
Fall of the House of Omri.
Ahab's son Ahaziah sickened and died soon after his
accession; and his place was taken by his brother
Joram (853). The war with Damascus was prosecuted
vigorously. Ahab's policy was continued, and Jezebel
still promoted the worship of her Baal. The prophet
Elisha, at the head of the partizans of Yhwh, now
decided upon a coup d'état; and at his instigation
Jehu, an officer of the army, rose against the royal
house, put Joram and Jezebel to death, and carried out
on his own account a murderous proscription against
all their relatives as well as against the priests of
the Baal.
Third Period.
—Jehu to Menahem (842-741):
Jehu, having cleared the way to the throne, found
himself at once face to face with Hazael of Damascus,
who a short while before had also made himself king by
the assassination of his master. To Secure himself
Jehu sent many rich presents to Shalmaneser of
Assyria. This, however, availed him nothing. The
Assyrians had made frequent expeditions against
Damascus, and thereby had greatly helped
Israel—perhaps, indeed, had saved it from utter
destruction; but after 839 Shalmaneser appeared no
more in Syria, and Hazael had his way in Israel and
Judah. Jehu's reign was thus made utterly inglorious;
and his son Jehoahaz (815) was, if possible, still
further reduced by the power of Damascus, so that the
vassal state was allowed to maintain only a nominal
guard of chariots and horsemen.
But deliverance was granted when most sorely needed.
The Assyrians again came against Damascus after the
death of Hazael (803); and under Joash (799), son of
Jehoahaz, Israel gradually revived. In 797 Damascus
was captured by the Assyrians, and for two generations
remained innocuous. The Assyrians soon retired; and,
freed from the double danger, Israel still further
revived, till Jeroboam II. (783), son of Joash,
brought it to a height of power and prosperity never
before known. Indeed, for a time, the old ideal
boundaries both east and west of the Jordan were
maintained. But the glory was external and
short-lived. The moral causes of decay are shown in
the prophecies of Amos and Hosea. Jeroboam's son
Zachariah (742) had scarcely begun to reign when a
usurper, Shallum, put him to death, he in his turn
being summarily disposed of by an army officer,
Menahem.
Fourth Period.
Vassalage, Revolt, and Ruin.
—Menahem to Hoshea (741-722):
In the time of Menahem, Israel had at last to deal
directly with the Assyrians, who under Tiglathpileser
III. were now beginning their final era of conquest.
In 738 he bought them off for a thousand talents of
silver. His reign was brief, and his son Pekahiah,
after ruling little more than a year, was slain by his
general Pekah (735). In 734 the Assyrians returned. To
cope with them Pekah made an alliance with Damascus.
The Assyrians annexed Galilee and Damascus, dethroned
Pekah, and put an intriguer, Hoshea, in his place.
Over the central remnant Hoshea reigned as an Assyrian
vassal till in 724 he was incited to revolt by Egypt
under the Ethiopian dynasty. Samaria was soon placed
under siege, and at the end of 722 was taken. Of the
little kingdom 27,290 people were deported, and it was
made an Assyrian province.
[1] Public Domain:
Jewish Encyclopedia, published between 1901-1906. |
