THE OVERTHROW OF OMRI'S DYNASTY Ahab to Jehu.—The history of the few years between the close of Ahab's life and the accession of Jehu covers about one third of the entire book of Kings. This is due to the inclusion of narratives, partly of a political character, and partly interested in the work of prophets. The climax is the overthrow of Omri's dynasty by the usurper Jehu, when, after a period of close inter course between Israel and Judah, their two kings perished. The annals of each kingdom would naturally deal independently with these events, but the present literary structure of 1 Ki. xvii. 2 Ki. xi. is extremely complicated by the presence of the narra tives referred to. As regards the framework, the epitome of Ahab is preserved in xvi. 29-34 and xxii. 39; it contains some unknown references (his ivory house and cities), and a stern religious judg ment upon his Phoenician alliance, on which the intervening chapters throw more light. The colourless summary of his son, Ahaziah (xxii. 51-53), concludes in 2 Ki. i. r 7 seq. where v. 18 should precede the accession of his brother, Jehoram (v. 17b). Jehoram is again introduced in iii. 1-3 (note the variant syn chronism), but the usual conclusion is wanting. In Judah, Je hoshaphat was succeeded by his son, Jehoram, who had married Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (viii. 16-24) ; to the annalistic details (vv. 20-22) 2 Chron. xxi. 1 r sqq. adds a novel narrative. His son, Ahaziah (viii. 25 sqq.) is, like his father, denounced for his relations with Israel. He is again introduced in the isolated ix. 29, and Lucian's recension adds after x. 36 a variant summary of his reign but without the regular introduction. Further confusion appears in the Septuagint, which inserts after i. 18 (Jehoram of Israel) a notice corresponding to iii. 1-3, and concludes "and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the house of Ahab." This would be appropriate in a position nearer ix. seq., where the deaths of Jehoram and Ahaziah are described.
In r Ki. xx., xxii. 1-28 (xxi. follows xix. in the LXX.) Ahab is viewed rather more favourably than in the Elijah-narratives (xix., xxi.) or in the compiler's summary. Ch. xxii. 6, moreover, proves that there is some exaggeration in xviii. 4, 13 ; the great contest between Elijah and the king, between Yahweh and Baal, has been idealized. Ch. xxii. is important for its ideas of prophetism (es pecially vv. 19-23; cf. Ezek. xiv. 9; 2 Sam. xxiv. 1 (in contrast to I Chron. xxi. I) ; a gloss at the end of v. 28, omitted by the Septuagint, wrongly identifies Micaiah with the well-known Micah (i. 2). Although the punishment passed upon Ahab in xxi. 20 sqq. (2ob-26 betray the compiler's hand; cf. xiv. io seq.) is modified in v. 29, this is ignored in the account of his death, xxii. 38, which takes place at Samaria. The ascension of Elijah (2 Ki. ii.) is the introduction to the work of Elisha. Of the stories of Elisha some find him at the head of the prophetic gilds (iv. 1,38-44, vi. in others he has friendly relations with the "king of Israel" and the court. As a personage of almost superhuman dignity he moves in certain narratives where political records appear to have been utilized to describe the activity of the prophets. With vi.
of Elisha and Hazael (viii. 7-15) implies friendly relations with Damascus (in v. 12 the terrors of war are in the future). Ch. ix. 7-ioa are a Deuteronomic insertion amplifying the mes sage in vv. 3-6 (cf. I Ki. xxi. 20 seq.). The oracle in ix. 25 seq. is not that in I Ki. xxi. 19 seq. and mentions the additional detail that Naboth's sons were slain. Here his field or portion is located near Jezreel, but in I Ki. xxi. 18 his vineyard is by the royal palace in Samaria (c f . xxii. 38 and contrast xxi. 1, where the LXX. omits reference to Jezreel). This variation reappears in 2 Ki. x. I, I I seq., and 17; in ix. 27 compared with 2 Chron. xxii. 9; and in the duplication of an historical incident, viz., the war against the Aramaeans at Ramoth-Gilead (a) by Jehoshaphat and Ahab, and (b) by Ahaziah and Jehoram, in each case with the death of the Israelite king, at Samaria and Jezreel respectively (see above, and observe the contradiction in I Ki. xxi. 29 and xxii. 38). These and other questions here are involved with (a) the probability that Elisha's work belongs rather to the accession of Jehu, with whose dynasty he was on most intimate terms until his death some 45 years later (2 Ki. xiii. 14-21), and (b) the problem of the wars between Israel and Syria which appear to have begun only in the time of Jehu (x. 32). (See ELIJAH, ELISHA. ) Dynasty of Jehu.—There is no editorial introduction to Jehu (x. 32 sqq.). The summary mentions the beginning of the Ara maean wars, the continuation of which is found in the redactor's account of his successor, Jehoahaz (xiii. 1-9). But xiii. 4-6 modify the disasters, and by pointing to the "saviour" or deliv erer (cf. Judges iii. 9, 15) seem to anticipate xiv. 27. The self contained account of Jehoash (xiii. 10-13) is supplemented (a) by the story of the death of Elisha (vv. 14-21), who would seem to have flourished after the rise of Jehu and not before, and (b) by some account of the Aramaean wars (vv. 22-25). Here, v. 23 is noteworthy for the sympathy towards the northern kingdom. (similarly vv. 4-6). (c) The defeat of Amaziah of Judah ap pears in xiv. 8-14 after the annals of Judah, although from an Israelite source (v. 'Lb Bethshemesh is defined as Judaean.) In Judah Jehu's reform and the overthrow of Jezebel (ix., x. 15-28) find their counterpart in the murder of Athaliah and the destruction of the temple of Baal (xi. 18). The editorial conclusion of the reign of Ahaziah, the introduction to that of Athaliah, and the sources for both are wanting. The lengthy document describing the accession of Joash and the abruptly introduced priest, Jehoiada, shows an obvious interest in the Temple and temple-procedure; and both xi. and xii. resemble xxii. seq. Azariah (Uzziah) is briefly summarized in xv. 1-7, hence the notice in xiv. 22 seems out of place; perhaps the usual statements of Amaziah's death and burial (cf. xiv. lob, 22b), which were to be expected after v. 18, have been supplemented by the account of the rebellion (vv. 19, 2oa, 21). Both xiv. 22 and xv. 5 presuppose fuller records of which 2 Chron. xxvi. 6-7, 16-20 may represent later and less trustworthy versions. The chronological notes for the accession of Azariah imply different views of the history of Judah after the defeat of Amaziah; with xiv. 17, cf . xiii. 1o, xiv. 2, 23, but contrast xv. I, and again v. 8.