with the life of the god of Dan and the way of Beersheba,
can, as Wellhausen points out, only refer to the image of
the calf worshipped at Samaria.

** Shalmaneser II. even goes so far as to describe Jehu, who
exterminated the family of Omri, as _Jaua ahal Khumri_,
"Jehu, son of Omri."

He gained the supremacy over Judah, and forced several of the
south-western provinces, which had been in a state of independence since
the days of Solomon, to acknowledge his rule; he conquered the country
of Medeba, vanquished Kamoshgad, King of Moab, and imposed on him a
heavy tribute in sheep and wool.* Against Benhadad in the north-west
he was less fortunate. He was forced to surrender to him several of the
cities of Gilead--among others Bamoth-gilead, which commanded the fords
over the Jabbok and Jordan.**

* Inscription of Meslia, 11. 5-7; cf. 2 Kings iii. 4.

** 1 Kings xx. 34. No names are given in the text, but
external evidence proves that they were cities of Persea,
and that Ramoth-gilead was one of them.

[Illustration: 432.jpg THE HILL OF SAMARIA]

Drawn by Boudier, from photograph No. 2G of the _Palestine
Exploration Fund._

He even set apart a special quarter in Samaria for the natives of
Damascus, where they could ply their trades and worship their gods
without interference. It was a kind of semi-vassalage, from which he was
powerless to free himself unaided: he realised this, and looked for help
from without; he asked and obtained the hand of Jezebel, daughter of
Bthbaal, King of the Sidonians, for Ahab, his heir. Hiram I., the friend
of David, had carried the greatness of Tyre to its highest point; after
his death, the same spirit of discord which divided the Hebrews made its
appearance in Phoenicia. The royal power was not easily maintained over
this race of artisans and sailors: Baalbazer, son of Hiram, reigned for
six years, and his successor, Abdastart, was killed in a riot after a
still briefer enjoyment of power. We know how strong was the influence
exercised by foster-mothers in the great families of the Bast; the four
sons of Abda-start's nurse assassinated their foster-brother, and the
eldest of them usurped his crown. Supported by the motley crowd of
slaves and adventurers which filled the harbours of Phoenicia, they
managed to cling to power for twelve years. Their stupid and brutal
methods of government produced most disastrous results. A