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, though 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 his reign, when Chazael becomes king of Aram, it appears that Yehoram takes the initiative to fight, but he is wounded in the battle and forced to retreat 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). 

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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