Secret_History

Chapter 10: Who Wrote the Bible and Why? 365
little evidence of this assault in the hill country, the main campaign being directed
at the cities of the Jezreel valley. If there was a “Temple” that was plundered by
Shishak, it wasn’t in Jerusalem.
Nevertheless, it is suggested that this raid of Shishak’s created an opportunity
for the people of the highland to expand into the lowlands at the beginning of the
ninth century. Meanwhile, the archaeological records show that, far to the south,
Jerusalem continued along as a regime of dispersed villages and pastoral
shepherds.
This is the evidence of the spade at the time of the supposed end of the united
monarchy around 900 BC.
In the northern kingdom, regional administrative centers were built in the early
ninth century. They were heavily fortified and complete with elaborate, luxurious
palaces. These cities include Megiddo, Jezreel, and Samaria. Similar constructions
appear in the southern territory only in the seventh century. Yet, even when the
construction methods moved south, the buildings were smaller and the
construction was of a poorer quality.
In short, it can be said that the northern kingdom of Israel, supposed to have
been the “bad boy breakaway” from the great united kingdom of David and
Solomon in the south, was actually a fully developed state while Judah was still a
country cousin.
Yahweh was present in both kingdoms, however - among many other cult gods.
And it is certain that peoples of both kingdoms shared similar stories about their
origins, though in different versions, and they most certainly spoke a similar
language. By the 8th century BC, they also both wrote in the same script. The
chief thing about them, however, is that the two kingdoms had a different
experience of the world around them. Their demographics were different. Their
economy was different. Their material culture was different. How they related to
their neighbors was different. In short, they actually had quite different histories
and cultures.
The question we should like to ask is: why does the Bible tell the story of the
schism and secession of Israel from Judah when that is clearly not supported by
the evidence of either archaeology or history as known to external sources? Why
were the two kingdoms systematically portrayed as twin offspring of a single great
empire that was headquartered in Jerusalem? There was a reason, as we will soon
see.
In actual fact, the first great king of Israel was Omri. The Bible gives a very
sketchy and confused history of the first period of the Northern kingdom after its
supposed defection from unity. The sordid tale of violence and treachery
culminates in the suicide of a usurper, Zimri, in the flames of the royal palace at
Tirzah. Omri, the commander of the army is invited by the people to become king,
and he naturally obliges. It was a good choice. Not only that, the story bears some
resemblance to the selection of David - a military commander - for kingship over
the heirs of Saul.
Omri built a new capital for himself at Samaria and laid the foundations of his
dynasty. After twelve years, his son Ahab came to the throne. Ahab made a
brilliant marriage to the daughter of the Phoenician king Ethbaal, King of Tyre, so
we have again a curious reflection of the Bible story of Solomon and his