the districts which they controlled were included in the
Assyrian empire and governed by Crown officials.

Once again the Hebrews came into contact with Assyria. The Dynasty of
Jehu had come to an end by this time. Its fall may not have been
unconnected with the trend of events in Assyria during the closing
years of the Middle Empire.

Supported by Assyria, the kings of Israel had become powerful and
haughty. Jehoash, the grandson of Jehu, had achieved successes in
conflict with Damascus. In Judah the unstable Amaziah, son of Joash,
was strong enough to lay a heavy hand on Edom, and flushed with
triumph then resolved to readjust his relations with his overlord, the
king of Israel. Accordingly he sent a communication to Jehoash which
contained some proposal regarding their political relations,
concluding with the offer or challenge, "Come, let us look one another
in the face". A contemptuous answer was returned.

Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying,
The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in
Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there
passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the
thistle. Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath
lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home, for why
shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even
thou, and Judah with thee? But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore
Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah
looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh [city of Shamash,
the sun god], which belongeth to Judah. And Judah was put to the
worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents.

Jehoash afterwards destroyed a large portion of the wall of Jerusalem
and plundered the temple and palace, returning home to Samaria with
rich booty and hostages.[505] Judah thus remained a vassal state of
Israel's.

Jeroboam, son of Jehoash, had a long and prosperous reign. About 773
B.C. he appears to have co-operated with Assyria and conquered
Damascus and Hamath. His son Zachariah, the last king of the Jehu
Dynasty of Israel, came to the throne in 740 B.C. towards the close of
the reign of Azariah, son of Amaziah, king of Judah. Six months
afterwards he was assassinated by Shallum. This usurper held sway at
Samaria for only a month. "For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from
Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and