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Biblical authors

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wrote from a southern Judahite perspective

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had little to say about the northern kingdom's cultural, military and political achievements

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although they give glimpses of it

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in contrast to the single, Davidic dynasty of Judah, Israel witnesses a succession of dynasties

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each lasted only two or three generations

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the Omride dynasty

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most successful dynasty

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this was most vilified dynasty by the Biblical authors

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they are writing from a Judahite perspective and they are hostile t the northern kingdom

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founded by Omri who died in 875

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the father of Ahab

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succession: Omri, Ahab, Joram

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these were the three men who originally placed Israel on the map, not Saul, David, and Solomon

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they were the once who consolidated the northern kingdom of Israel

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developed

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infrastructure

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building program

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bureaucratic organization

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international diplomacy

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standing, professional army

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chariot divisions

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Assyrian source says he "provided 2000 chariots"

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developed from citizen soldiers to a state-organized military

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chariots represent an organized military as opposed to a citizen army

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Omride rulers exerted their military might

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build new capital at Samaria

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extended territory from the Ephraim hill country to Jezreel valley and into Galilee

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even pushed into Moabite territory across the Jordan

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constructed cities

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Judah seemed to be a vassal of the Omrides

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some sources say that the Judah kings simply collaborated with the Northern kings, e.g. 2 Kings 3:4-8

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historically it was probably the case that the Judahite kings were obligated to join the Omride kings since they were the Omride kings' vassals

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influence of Omrides over Judah

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Athaliah, a woman from the Omride household reigned as queen for six years in Judah

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was deposed and a Davidic king was reinstated

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established cosmopolitan kingdom

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many ties to various economic centers

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Ahab marries Jezebel from Phoenicia

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Phoenicia is an economic center known for its trade

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you can find the influence of Phoenicia in Israel e.g. in the ivory carvings

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the Omride dynasty ended in a bloody putsch

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undertaken by Jehu

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Jehu has Jezebel thrown from window where she is devoured by dogs

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brought together the descendants of Omri and massacred them (2 Kings 9-10)

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this massacre was said to have been authorized by a prophet of Yahweh, Elisha

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reasons were that Ahab was

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worshiping false gods

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bringing foreign influences into Israel

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Jehu kills Ahab's son, Jehoram, after he had been wounded in battle with Damascus

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although in another source, the king of Damascus claims to have killed Jehoram

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but Judahites needed Jehu to be the one to wipe out the house of Omri and hence the story that he killed Jehoram

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there had to be "divine punishment" in order to absolve, authorize, and venerate the massacre

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Jehu can them more easily establish himself as the future king

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reign of Jehu

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much of what the Omrides had achieved was lost during the reign of Jehu

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the territories in Galilee and in the Transjordan