van der Veen, P. & James, P., Zerah the Kushite. A New Proposal Regarding His Identity (original) (raw)

Zeraḥ the Kushite : A New Proposal Regarding His Identity *

2015

Although the main focus in this volume is on King Solomon’s reign and the identity of Pharaoh Shishak, we would like to deal here with a subsequent ‘Egyptian’ campaign against Judah reported by the Chronicler (2 Chron. 14:9-15). He relates that one Zeraḥ the Kushite (MT kwšy; LXX ho aithiops) invaded Judah sometime between Years 10 and 15 of King Asa’s reign (c. 900-895 BC).[1] The identity of this Zeraḥ remains one of the great puzzles of biblical scholarship. Zeraḥ allegedly invaded southern Judah with a ‘myriad army’ including three hundred chariots (2 Chron. 14:9).[2] Nevertheless, Asa is said to have trounced the invaders at Mareshah in the valley of Zephathah and pursued them to Gerar, where he defeated them again and plundered the nearby towns:

Numbers as a Literary Device: The Case of the Armies of the Kings of Judah in the Book of Chronicles

The assumption that many of the large sums in the Hebrew Bible are exaggerated is broadly accepted, specifically regarding numbers in Chronicles. While many numbers in this book are known to be fabricated, apart from a few exceptions it is unclear why the Chronicler chose to use specific numbers. This paper will focus on the specified numbers for the armies of six Judean kings, with an emphasis on the sequence of the first four kings of Judah – Rehoboam, Abiah, Asa and Jehoshaphat. An analysis of these numbers reveals that they are evidently artificial, and were inserted by the Chronicler according to an unexpected – yet clear – systematic pattern, which in turn was arranged in a chiastic sequance. I posit that these numbers are employed as a literary device integral to the overall design of the kings’ accounts, which reflect – through a number of themes and motifs – a rise of power and development from the time of Rehoboam’s reign until Jehoshaphat’s. This discovery prompts future research of the artistic reason behind the use of other numbers in Chronicles and the entire Hebrew Bible.

The Twelve Make a Stand: The Kingdom of Israel's Chariot Force and the Battle of Qarqar

Ancient Warfare , 2020

In the middle of the 9th century BC, the Neo-Assyrian Empire was becoming the most powerful state in Mesopotamia. Expansion was not only an ideology but a necessity, or even a religious duty, in Assyrian culture. It was the duty of the king to carry the empire as far as possible, to all the four corners of the world. When Shalmaneser III came to power in 859 BC, he aspired to do the same as his forebears. He decided to make a major military push towards the west, and in 854 BC, his army marched towards modern day Syria, Lebanon and Israel, where there lay many kingdoms and city states. Most probably the Assyrians believed that none of these entities could withstand the might of Assyria. Therefore, Shalmaneser believed that the effort needed and resistance met would be minimal and the campaign would be short. However, as in numerous other cases in history, dreams aside, many of those kingdoms and city states created an alliance. This alliance was called the Twelve Kings' Alliance by the Assyrians, even though only 11 names were given.

“The Chronicler’s Code: The Rise and Fall of Judah’s Army in the Book of Chronicles”, JHS 17 (2017)

This article focuses on the specified numbers for the armies of the Judean kings in the book of Chronicles, with an emphasis on the sequence of the first four kings of Judah, and reveals that they were inserted by the Chronicler according to a clear systematic pattern. These numbers are employed as a literary device which reflect a rise of power and development from the time of Rehoboam’s reign until Jehoshaphat’s, and a gradual decline until Ahaz.