Israel, Kingdom of

views updated

ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF

ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF , the northerly of the two kingdoms into which Solomon's kingdom was divided after the revolt led by Jeroboam against Rehoboam (c. 928 b.c.e.). It is also called the Northern Kingdom, the Kingdom of Samaria, and, in extra-biblical documents, the House of Omri, after the founder of one of its most important dynasties. The Kingdom of Israel was constituted by all the tribes, except Judah and Benjamin. Its capital was Shechem at first and then Samaria (c. 876 b.c.e.). It had two main sanctuaries, one at Shechem, the other at Dan. Although much more important than Judah, Israel did not enjoy the same stability. During the 206 years of its existence, it had ten dynasties, the most important of which were those of Jeroboam, Omri, and Jehu. Israel was almost constantly in a state of war with Damascus. In 722 the Assyrians took Samaria, deported its inhabitants, and put an end to the Kingdom of Israel. The Northern Kingdom is constantly criticized in the Book of Kings because of the sins of Jeroboam and the idolatry of Ahab. The prophets Elijah, Elisha, Hosea, and Amos exercised their ministries in the Kingdom of Israel. After the fall of Samaria, some of its literature was brought south and found its way into the Hebrew Bible.

In the Aggadah

The rabbis, despite their belief in the eternal integrity of the Davidic monarchy and their prayers for its restoration, were not markedly hostile to the ancient Kingdom of Israel that was formed by the secession of ten tribes from Davidic rule after the death of Solomon. Any Jew, regardless of his tribe of origin, was regarded as eligible for the kingship (Midrash Tanna'im, p. 104; Hor. 13a). Israelite kings are evaluated by the aggadah as individuals, their political role in the maintenance of a dual monarchy being virtually ignored; the only negative point made with some consistency is that the Israelite monarchy was a temporary phenomenon and, for example, did not anoint its kings as the Davidides did (Hor. 11b). In all this, the rabbis faithfully reflect the attitude of i Kings 11:29–39, which tells of Ahijah's prophetic promise to Jeroboam that the latter would rule over Israel as David had ruled over Judah, "but not for all days." A significant exception to this rabbinic posture may be the view of R. Akiva that the ten tribes have no share in the world to come (Tosef., Sanh. 13:12; cf. Sanh. 10:3), which may derive from a harsh attitude toward the secessionists; other interpretations of this teaching are, however, quite possible.

In their discussion of the founding of the Israelite monarchy and the concomitant shriveling of Davidic hegemony, the rabbis focus on the vices and merits of David, Solomon, and Jeroboam, rather than on the broader issues developed in the Bible. Rav declares that David's improper behavior toward Mephibosheth and his readiness to believe lashon ha-ra were to blame for the secession (Shab. 56a). Seder Olam Rabbah (ch. 15) states that a secession of 36 years was ordained to punish Solomon for his 36-year-long marriage to the daughter of Pharaoh, but that the dual monarchy was extended due to the unworthiness of Asa, king of Judah. Jeroboam is described as a disciple of the prophet Ahijah and a great scholar who merited kingship by virtue of the rebukes he delivered to Solomon over the various excesses connected with the latter's Egyptian marriage. Indeed, so great was Jeroboam's potential that God offered him special rank in paradise if he would abandon his idolatry. Subsequent to his enthronement, however, Jeroboam built two golden calves and directed the people to worship them (i Kings 12:28), becoming for the rabbis (Avot 5:18) the archetypal sinner who leads others into sin; Jeroboam is one of the three kings who is denied the life of the world to come (Sanh. 10:2).

Other kings of the Israelite monarchy are similarly evaluated with regard to their individual achievements: Omri is specially singled out by R. Johanan for having enriched the state through the addition of the city of Samaria, which served thereafter as capital (Sanh. 102b). His son, Ahab, is denied the life of the world to come; the rabbis describe both Ahab's wickedness and also Jezebel's responsibility in leading her weaker husband to sin; some claim he eventually repented of his sins. The military successes of this evil king are credited to the virtue of his people, which refused to inform upon the prophet Elijah when he dwelt in their midst. Just as the rabbis attribute the rise of the Northern Kingdom to the spiritual flaws of the Davidic dynasty, so do they discuss its fall in terms of spiritual failings: when the Assyrians removed the golden calves during the reign of Hosea, that king encouraged his people to renew the pilgrimages to Jerusalem, but to no avail – the Assyrian victory brought about the extinction of the northern state (Seder Olam Rabbah, ch. 22).

Rabbinic teachings on the history of the Kingdom of Israel are doubtless compounded of historical insight founded on their own philosophy of history, and exhortation and analysis reflecting contemporary issues and realities.