The Aramean oppression of Israel in the reign of Jehu.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a historical reconstruction of the years of Aram's oppression of Israel on the basis of the biblical texts, epigraphic discoveries, and recent archaeological excavations. While other studies have analyzed the biblical narrative of Jehu's coup or the archaeological record of Jehu's dynasty, no comprehensive studies have focused on the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of Jehu.
After an introductory chapter, all biblical passages relevant to the Aramean oppression are analyzed in chapter 2, beginning with the Lord's commission of Elijah to anoint Hazael and Elisha's prophetic visit to the future Aramean king. A brief description of the territorial reduction in Jehu's reign is evaluated along with the results of the oppression reported in the years of Jehu's son. The writings of Hosea and Amos also shed light on the period.
Chapter 3 focuses on all extrabiblical texts related to the Aramean oppression, including West Semitic inscriptions and Assyrian annals. The Mesha Stele provides the clearest inscriptional evidence of the Aramean oppression, and the fragmentary Tel Dan Inscription attests to Hazael's defeat of Israel. Assyrian inscriptions, including the depiction of Jehu on the Black Obelisk, provide a historical frame around the years of the Aram-Israel conflict.
Chapter 4 reviews issues of archaeological methodology that influence the interpretation of excavation data including the recent Low Chronology proposal and its effects on the second half of the ninth century. This chapter addresses the value and limitations of radiocarbon dating, ceramics, destruction layers, and the determination of ethnicity of a site's population.
Chapter 5 analyzes at length the results from three dozen archaeological excavations in Israel and Jordan, including sites in the northern Jordan valley, hill country of Galilee, Jezreel Valley, southern Jordan Valley, Gilead, and hill country of Samaria. Recent excavations of the Philistine city of Gath also have significant implications for Aram's relationship with the northern kingdom.
The final chapter reconstructs the years of the Aramean oppression based on the textual and archaeological sources. The assessment provides additional details about the Hazael's successful advance into Israelite territory and Israel's political decline.