| Jeroboam II | |
|---|---|
 Jeroboam II fromGuillaume Rouillé'sPromptuarium Iconum Insigniorum (1553) | |
| King of Israel (Northern Kingdom) | |
| Reign | 41 years 793–753 BC or 786–746 BC |
| Predecessor | Jehoash |
| Successor | Zechariah |
| Father | Jehoash |
Jeroboam II (Hebrew:יָרָבְעָם,Yāroḇʿām;Greek:Ἱεροβοάμ;Latin:Hieroboam/Jeroboam), also referred to asJeroboam son of Jehoash, was the successor ofJehoash (alternatively spelled Joash) and the thirteenth king of the ancientKingdom of Israel, over which he ruled for forty-one years in the eighth century BC. His reign was contemporary with those ofAmaziah[1] andUzziah,[2] kings ofJudah. Jeroboam is the fourth king of theHouse of Jehu and the longest-reigning king of the kingdom of Israel in Samaria. He is described as a military commander who fought Syria.
William F. Albright has dated his reign to 786–746 BC, whileE. R. Thiele says he was coregent with Jehoash 793 to 782 BC and sole ruler 782 to 753 BC.[3]
He extended Israel to its former limits, from "the entering ofHamath to the sea of the plain".[4]
In 1910,G. A. Reisner found 63 inscribed potsherds while excavating the royal palace atSamaria, which were later dated to the reign of Jeroboam II and mentionregnal years extending from the ninth to the 17th of his reign. Theseostraca, while unremarkable in themselves, contain valuable information about the script, language, religion and administrative system of the period. During the excavations atMegiddo in 1904, an 8th century BCHebrew seal was found with the image of a roaring lion and the inscription "Belonging to Shema, servant of Jeroboam."[5] In 2020, a number of scholars claimed to have authenticated an unprovenanced bulla belonging to the same official,[6][7] but others hold that it is a forgery based on the Megiddo seal.[8]
Archaeological evidence confirms the biblical account of his reign as the most prosperous that the northern kingdom of Israel had yet known. By the late 8th century BC, the territory of Israel was the most densely settled in the entireLevant, with a population of about 350,000.[9] This prosperity was built on trade in olive oil, wine, and possibly horses, with Egypt and especially Assyria providing the markets.[10] According to the prophetAmos, the triumphs of the king had engendered a haughty spirit of boastful overconfidence at home.[11] Oppression and exploitation of the poor by the mighty, luxury in palaces of unheard-of splendor, and a craving for amusement were some of the internal fruits of these external triumphs.[4] ArchaeologistIsrael Finkelstein has argued that many of the stories ofKing Solomon's rule over a large, prosperous kingdom were inspired by memories or records of the reign of Jeroboam II. For example, Finkelstein claimed that a list of districts in1 Kings 4 supposedly under Solomonic rule actually matches the geographic boundaries of the Kingdom of Israel in the time of Jeroboam II.[12]Thomas Römer has argued that Jeroboam I may not have existed and that Deuteronomistic redactors transferred the reign of Jeroboam II toJeroboam I,[13] althoughLester L. Grabbe finds this theory unlikely.[14]
Under Jeroboam II, theGod of Israel was worshiped atDan andBeth-el and at other old Israelite shrines, through actual images, such as thegolden calf. These services at Dan and Beth-el, at Gilgal and Beer-sheba, were of a nature to arouse the indignation of the prophets, and the foreign cults,[15] both numerous and degrading, contributed still further to arousing of the prophetic spirit.[4] Jeroboam's reign was the period of the prophetsHosea,Joel,Amos andJonah, all of whom condemned the materialism and selfishness of the Israelite elite of their day: "Woe unto those who lie upon beds of ivory ... eat lambs from the flock and calves ... [and] sing idle songs ..."[16] TheBook of Kings condemns Jeroboam for doing "evil in the eyes of the Lord", meaning both the oppression of the poor and his continuing support of the cult centres of Dan and Bethel, in opposition to the temple inJerusalem. He was allowed to reign for 41 years because he protected the prophet Amos.[17]
A major earthquake had occurred in Israel c. 760 BC, which may have been during the time of Jeroboam II, towards the end of his rule. This earthquake is mentioned in theBook of Amos as having occurred during the rule of "Jeroboam son ofJehoash".[18]
Geologists believe they have found evidence of this big earthquake in sites throughoutIsrael andJordan.[19] ArcheologistsYigael Yadin andIsrael Finkelstein dated the earthquake level atTel Hazor to 760 BC based on stratigraphic analysis of the destruction debris.[20] Similarly,David Ussishkin arrived at the same date based on the "sudden destruction" level atLachish.
According to Steven A. Austin, the magnitude of this earthquake may have been at least 7.8, but more likely as high as 8.2. "This magnitude 8 event of 750 B.C. appears to be the largest yet documented on theDead Sea transform fault zone during the last four millennia."[21]
The epicenter of this earthquake may have been 200–300 km (120–190 mi) north of present-day Israel.
Multiple biblical references exist to this earthquake in theBook of Amos,[22] and also in Zechariah 14:5.[23]
Recent excavations byAren Maeir in ancientGath have revealed evidence of a majorearthquake.
"Based on the tight stratigraphic context, this can be dated to the mid-8th cent. BCE" ...[24]
His name occurs in theOld Testament only in 2 Kings;[25]1 Chronicles;[26]Book of Hosea;[27] andBook of Amos.[28] In all other passages it isJeroboam I, the son ofNebat, that is meant.
Jeroboam II | ||
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| Preceded by | King of Israel Coregent with Jehoash: 793–782 BCE Sole reign: 782–753 BCE | Succeeded by |
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