ANE:Aram's Relations with Israel in Assyrian Sources/0

Foreign Relations with Aram

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Overview

Aram is a continuous thorn in Israel's side throughout the reigns of Beit Achav and Beit Yehu.  At times

Biblical Sources

Tanakh speaks of the relations between Aram and Israel at the end of Melakhim I and through much of the first half of Melakhim II.  These chapters cover the reigns of the kings in the dynasties of Achav and Yehu:

• Achav – Achav fights two sets of battles against Aram, described in Melakhim I 20 and Melakhim I 22.  In the first, Israel is victorious, but Achav, nonetheless, decides to spare the life of the enemy king, Ben-Hadad.  In the second, Aram emerges as the victor and Achav meets his death.  For a full discussion of these wars in light of ancient near eastern sources, see Achav, Aram, and the Battle of Qarqar.
• Yehoram – Melakhim II 5-7 describe a series of intermittent battles between the two countries during the reign of Yehoram. Though Aram repeatedly sends troops into Israel¹ and even besieges Shomron,² time and again Israel is miraculously saved.³ Moreover, there is no indication that Aram succeeded in its attempted conquests, or that it gained any territorial advantage. In the last year of Yehoram's reign, when Chazael becomes the new king of Aram, Yehoram initiates battle, but he is wounded and returns to Yizrael.⁴
• Yehu and Yehoachaz – The picture shifts during the reigns of Yehu and Yehoachaz.  Chazael attacks throughout the borders of Israel, "מִן הַיַּרְדֵּן מִזְרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ אֵת כׇּל אֶרֶץ הַגִּלְעָד" (Melakhim II 10).  During the tenure of Yehoachaz, the situation appears even more dire, "כִּי לֹא הִשְׁאִיר לִיהוֹאָחָז עָם כִּי אִם ‎חֲמִשִּׁים פָּרָשִׁים וַעֲשָׂרָה רֶכֶב וַעֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים רַגְלִי" (Melakhim II 13).⁵ Israel is saved only due to Hashem's mercy, who sends them an unnamed "savior" (Melakhim II 13:5)
• Yoash and Yerovam – This "salvation" extends into the rule of Yoash and Yeravam, who are finally able to defeat Aram. Yoash defeats Chazael's successor, Ben-Hadad, three times (Melakhim II 13), and Yerovam expands Israel's borders, retrieving "Damascus and Chamat" (Melakhim II 14). 

Extra-Biblical Sources

Understanding what is going on in the larger geo-political sphere during the era can shed light on the political interactions between Aram and Israel discussed above.  The Assyrian role, though not mentioned in Tanakh, is particularly significant:

Reign of Shalmaneser III – Shalmaneser's various campaigns into Syria-Paelstine are discussed in the various editions of his annals, including both the Ku.

• Kurkh Monolith – This stele describes the Battle of Qarqar in which Aram and Israel ally with 10 others to fight against the Assyrian king Shalmaneser in the 6th year of his reign (853 B.C.E.).  For discussion, see Achav, Aram, and the Battle of Qarqar.
• Obelisk Inscription and other annals of Shalmaneser – The various annals detail the military campaigns of Shalmaneser throughout his reign, several of which relate to Aram or Israel:
• In years 10,11, and 14 of Shalmaneser's reign (849, 848 and 845 BCE), he fought against Hadadezer of Aram and his coalition of 12 kings.  Israel is not mentioned as being part of the alliance.
• In years 18 and 21 (841 and 838 BCE), Shalmaneser again fights Aram, but by this point Chazael is king.  He is referred to in one of the annals as "the son of no one," presumably expressing that he usurped the throne.  These battles no longer mention a coalition, suggesting that Aram now fought alone.
• A relief on the Obelisk depicts an individual bowing in submission with tribute being paid behind him.  The caption reads, "The tribute of Yehu, son of Omri: I received from him silver, gold, a golden bowl, a golden vase with pointed bottom, golden tumblers, golden buckets, tin, a staff for a king [and] spears."
• Annals of Shamshi-Adad – These reveal that the final years fo Shalmaneser's reign and beginning of Shamshi Adad's riegn were  marked by internal unrest as 27 cities revolted. He campaigned in babylonia, but apparently ignored the western Syria-Palestine.
• Inscriptions of Adan Nirari

¹ See Melakhim II 5:2 and Melakhim II 6:8-23.

² See Melakhim II 6:24-25.

³ See, for instance, Melakhim II 6:8-23 and Melakhim II 7:1-9.

⁴ See Melakhim II 8:28.

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