The United MonarchyKing DavidKing SolomonRehboam, Jeraboam and the Split

" א" תשע מרחשון ח יOctober 26, 2010

KING DAVIDLast week

KING SOLOMON970-930 BCE- ACCORDING TO HISTORIANS

Solomon’s SuccessionSolomon’s AdministrationInternational RelationsTradeConstructionForeign EnemiesJeroboam’s Revolt

Solomon’s Succession

Adonijah’s Claim Securing the ThroneDavid’s oldest son

Adonijah saw himself as David’s and allied with many of David’s officers

He brings Korbanos and has himself proclaimed King

Nathan the Prophet and Bathsheva inform David to the plot and David publically crowns Solomon as his successor

David gives Solomon instructions to kill Yoav and other of his advisors

This is because Yoav and the other advisors wielded too much power and Solomon would not be able to rule in his own right

Solomon follows David’s instructions and secures his position

He also marries the Daughter of Pharaoh to secure an ally

He also appoints ministers over the districts of his kingdom◦ It is a detailed list and plan for

administration of the kingdom

International Relations

Israel in the History of the World Egypt is weak which allows Israel to

expand its control over the Levant◦ Marriage to The Daughter of Pharaoh◦ Pharaoh gives Gezer as a dowry to

Solomon Trade Agreements with Many Nations

◦ Phoenicia especially Hiram of Tyre◦ Sheba ◦ Ophir

Tribute Collectedה ◦ פרק א מלכים◦ ) ארץ) הנהר מן מלכות המ בכל מושל היה ושלמה א

את ועבדים מנחה מגשים מצרים גבול ועד פלשתים : יו חי ימי כל שלמה

Taxes From Control of the Trade Routes

Solomon’s Administration

Bureaucracy Solomon had a cabinet of

advisors mostly made up a David’s cabinet and their sons

The territory was larger than at the beginning of David’s reign and included more urban areas

The bureaucracy became larger and more important

The country was divided into 12 districts each charged with paying for the royal upkeep for one month a year◦ 2 governors married Solomon’s

daughters

Trade

Wilkinson, T. J. “Excavating the Land of Sheba.” Archaeology Odyssey, Nov/Dec 2001, 44-51, 57-58. http://members.bib-arch.org/publication.asp?

Phoenicia◦ Trade agreement with Hiram the

king of Tyre To Israel: Wood, Technology, Ivory To Tyre: Wheat, Olive Oil, Cities,

Gold Ophir – through the Red Sea

◦ Partnership with Hiram of Tyre◦ They brought back: Almug (wood

or coral) Gold, Ivory, Zoo animal such as Monkeys and Apes

◦ Probably the Area of Somalia and Somaliland

Sheba◦ Queen came on Camel so

probably southern Arabia◦ Traded Gold and Spices

Construction

obert B. WrightGezer gate. In 1 Kings 9:15, we read that Solomon fortified “Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer.” In this view from inside Gezer, we see six chambers (three on each side) of a monumental gate dated to the tenth century B.C.E. Nearly identical gates have been discovered at Hazor and Megiddo, and for decades, archaeologists have believed that all three gates were evidence of Solomon’s handiwork—mighty public works constructed by a powerful central authority. Recently, however, excavators at Megiddo have redated the gate at their site to the ninth century B.C.E., nearly 100 years after Solomon. In renewed excavations at Hazor, the excavator confirms the tenth-century date of that gate.Lemaire, André. “The United Monarchy: Saul, David and Solomon.” Ancient Israel, 1999, 91-120, 310-318. http://members.bib-arch.org/publication.asp?

Military Construction Modernized the Army

◦ Chariots and Horses◦ The Horses Were Imported from

Egypt◦ Defensive fortifications and

Garrisons – the 12 governors were responsible to provision the army based in their territory

Built a Wall Around Jerusalem Rebuilding Canaanite Cites

◦ Hazor, Megiddo, Gezer Constructed Garrisons in

Syria◦ All the Store Cities in Hamath◦ Hamth-Zobah◦ Tadmor (Palmyra)

Construction

Artists rendition of the First Beis Hamikdash

Public Buildings The Beis Hamikdash

◦ Built lavishly with the help of Hiram of Tyre ◦ As well as Hiram a coppersmith to work

with the Bronze ◦ To have hewn stone foundation and

overlaid wood frame The Royal Palace

◦ Pillared House lavishly described Who Would Do the Work

◦ The construction shows that there was an abundance of wealth in the country

◦ However, it became impossible to pay for the work necessary

◦ The Navi tells us that the solution was a corvee or forced labor tax

◦ In one place it says that it was only on non-Jews in another it says both Jews and non-Jews the mepharshim explain that the Jews were the overseers not laborers but still resented the tax

Solomon’s Later years

The Navi’s Description of Solomon's Last Years

Erich LessingThe Bubastite Portal. In the fifth year of the reign of Rehoboam, “King Shishak of Egypt … took the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem” (2 Chronicles 12:2–4). Scenes depicting the military exploits of Pharaoh Sheshonk I (c. 945–924 B.C.E.)—biblical Shishak—decorate a doorway in the forecourt of the Great Temple of Amun at Karnak, in Thebes. Horn, Siegfried H., McCarter, P. Kyle, Jr. “The Divided Monarchy: The Kingdoms of Judah and Israel.” Ancient Israel, 1999, 129-199, 319-334

Turned Away from Hashem◦ Too many horses◦ Too many wives who caused him to worship

ז" explains that Solomon did not 'גמ the עworship "ז but since he did no properly עstop his foreign wives from worshiping it is written as if Solomon himself worshiped "ז ע

Jeroboam was one of Solomon’s govoners over the area of Joseph He rebuked Solomon for" סגר המלוא את בנה

אביו וד ד עיר פרץ There is a "אתDisagreement as to what it means◦ It could mean that he put up barriers

between the people and the King◦ Or he destroyed a large empty space for the

palace of Pharaoh’s daughter After the rebuke Solomon wanted to

Jeroboam for his rebellion but Jeroboam ran to Egypt

New Dynasty in Egypt Shishak was the new Pharaoh and was not friendly to Solomon

Summary

Solomon’s Reign Many of the cites and fortified

villages were built around this time The period had an economic boom

and the beginning of a more urban society

Peace and internal stability gave rise to increased trade and prosperity

There was more emphasis on developing craftsmen , merchants, and administrator of the Royal Army

There were more luxury goods on the market and at a cheaper price◦ Such as precious stones◦ Higher quality pottery

Due to the wealth and ease of living the population probably doubled over the course of David and Solomon’s Reign

Religion became centralized at the Beis Hamikdash in Jerusalem◦ This was new and different to the

other tribes who had been used to having the Mishkan at Shiloh of for the last 50 years in Nov and Givon when Bamos were permitted

The Monarchy was stronger and the aristocracy did not wield much control but the people in the lower end of society were not completely satisfied with their position

REHOBOAM AND JEROBOAM

Split of the KingdomJeroboam’s New Alters

Prophesy of IddoProphecy of Ahijah

The War with Shishak

Division of the kingdom

Crisis Ahija Hashiloni

◦ Had anointed Jeroboam as the man who would split the kingdom

◦ He did this during Solomon’s lifetime but he would not rule until the reign of Rehaboam

◦ Jeroboam had potential The meeting at Shechem

◦ Went to Shcem to project power over the people

◦ Advice of the Younger Advisors◦ Advice of the Older Advisors

Jeroboam◦ Returned from Egypt to be the

spokesman of the rebellion

Shishak’s Invasion

Different Reactions When Shishak invaded in

the 5th year of Rehaboam’s reign ◦ Rehaboam paid a large tribute◦ He gave over the golden

shields that his father had placed in the Beis Hamikdsh and gave them to Shishak

◦ Jeroboam’s reaction is not mentioned the Navi but the inscription on the temple of Karnak tells us that Shishak destroyed many of the North’s cities

Jeroboam’s Claves

New Religion?

hoto by David Harris/Collection Israel MuseumThis molten calf was discovered by chance on a high ridge near Mt. Ebal, in northern Samaria. Subsequent excavations revealed what the excavator, Amihai Mazar, identified as a hilltop cult site—a biblical bamah, or “high place”—dating to the 12th century B.C.E., when Israel was emerging in Canaan. Measuring 5 inches tall by 7 inches long, this bronze is the largest figurine of a calf ever found in the Levant. Its empty eyesockets probably once held inlays of glass or semiprecious stones. The small hump on its back, above the forelegs, identifies this as a Zebu bull (Bos indicus), a species that originated in India but was present in the Near East as early as the fourth millennium B.C.E. Hurowitz, Victor. “The Golden Calf.” Bible Review, Apr 2004, 28-32, 47

In order to prevent the people from returning to Jerusalem and delegitimize his own kingdom

Jeroboam made two temples one in Dan on in Bethel

At them people worshiped Golden Claves◦ Jeroboam had two sons Nadab and Abihu like

Aaron to give the religion legitimacy He moved Sukkos from Tishrei to

MarCheshvan Should not be understood as a new

religion rather a return to older traditions that started after Matan Torah but and were still in the culture of those who were worshiping "ז in Israel עweather Jew or non-Jew

Dan was already the center for Pesel Micha

He never repudiated his belief in Hashem and the calves were ways of worshiping Hashem

This is typical Syncretistic Worship

ABIJA KING OF JUDAHNADAB KING OF ISRAEL

War Between the States

From the Split the Two Kingdoms were at WarRehaboam builds

fortresses along the Egyptian border

Abijam (son of Rehaboam) defeated Jerobaoam in battle on

יג פרק ב הימים דברי ד וילכ ירבעם אחרי אביה וירדף

ואת אל בית את ערים נו ממבנותיה ואת ישנה ואת בנותיה

: ובנתיה עפרין עפרון ואת

Nadab son of Jeroboam was assassinated by Baasha one of his senior officers while Israel was at war against the Philistines at Gibbethon

The Navi does not elaborate but it seems likely that he was because of the military weakness of the state of Israel brought about by Shishak’s invasion that Israel was not able to hold on to important cities such as Bethel and was under threat by the Philistines

BAASHA’S REVOLUTION IN ISRAELASA IN JUDAH

Baasha and Asa

War Between the States Killed the rest of Jeroboam’s

family to allow him uncontested rule

Established a new capital in Tirzah

The Navi tells us that there was constant warfare with Judah against Asa the Tzadik king of Judah

Asa sent a bribe to Ben-Hadad and asked him to inviate Israel which he did which allowed Asa and Judah to attack Israel’s south