Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
will be found under the names of its nineteen kings. See chart of the kings of Judah and Israel, at
the end of the work. A summary view may be taken in four periods: (a) B.C. 975-929. Jeroboam
had not sufficient force of character in himself to make a lasting impression on his people. A king,
but not a founder of a dynasty, he aimed at nothing beyond securing his present elevation. Baasha,
in the midst of the army at Gibbethon, slew the son and successor of Jeroboam; Zimri, a captain
of chariots, slew the son and successor of Baasha; Omri, the captain of the host, was chosen to
punish Zimri; and after a civil war of four years he prevailed over Tibni, the choice of half the
people. (b) B.C. 929-884. For forty-five years Israel wag governed by the house of Omri. The
princes of his house cultivated an alliance with the king of Judah which was cemented by the
marriage of Jehoram and Athaliah. The adoption of Baal-worship led to a reaction in the nation, to
the moral triumph of the prophets in the person of Elijah, and to extinction of the house of Ahab
in obedience to the bidding of Elisha. (c) B.C. 884-772. Unparalleled triumphs, but deeper
humiliation, awaited the kingdom of Israel under the dynasty of Jehu. Hazael, the ablest king of
Damascus, reduced Jehoahaz to the condition of a vassal, and triumphed for a time over both the
disunited Hebrew kingdoms. Almost the first sign of the restoration of their strength was a war
between them; and Jehoash, the grandson of Jehu, entered Jerusalem as the conqueror of Amaziah.
Jehoash also turned the tide of war against the Syrians; and Jeroboam II., the most powerful of all
the kings of of Israel, captured Damascus, and recovered the whole ancient frontier from Hamath
to the Dead Sea. This short-lived greatness expired with the last king of Jehu’s line. (d) B.C. 772-721.
Military violence, it would seem, broke off the hereditary succession after the obscure and probably
convulsed reign of Zachariah. An unsuccessful usurper, Shallum, is followed by the cruel Menahem,
who, being unable to make head against the first attack of Assyria under Pul, became the agent of
that monarch for the oppressive taxation of his subjects. Yet his power at home was sufficient to
insure for his son and successor Pekahiah a ten-years reign, cut short by a bold usurper, Pekah.
Abandoning the northern and transjordanic regions to the encroaching power of Assyria under
Tiglath-pileser, he was very near subjugating Judah, with the help of Damascus, now the coequal
ally of Israel. But Assyria interposing summarily put an end to the independence of Damascus, and
perhaps was the indirect cause of the assassination of the baffled Pekah. The irresolute Hoshea, the
next and last usurper, became tributary to his invaders Shalmaneser, betrayed the Assyrian to the
rival monarchy of Egypt, and was punished by the loss of his liberty, and by the capture, after a
three-years siege, of his strong capital, Samaria. Some gleanings of the ten tribes yet remained in
the land after so many years of religious decline, moral debasement, national degradation, anarchy,
bloodshed and deportation. Even these were gathered up by the conqueror and carried to Assyria,
never again, as a distinct people, to occupy their portion of that goodly and pleasant land which
their forefathers won under Joshua from the heathen. (Schaff Bib. Dic.) adds to this summary that
“after the destruction of the kingdom of Israel, B.C. 721, the name ’Israel’ began to be applied to
the whole surviving people. No doubt many of the kingdom of Israel joined the later kingdom of
the Jews after the captivity, and became part of that kingdom.—ED.)
Israelite
(descendant of Israel). In (2 Samuel 17:25) Ithra, the father of Amasa, is called “an Israelite,”
while in (1 Chronicles 2:17) he appears as “Jether the Ishmaelite.” The latter is undoubtedly the
true reading.
Issachar
302
William Smith