Ahab | |
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King of Northern Israel | |
Reign | c. 874 – c. 853 BC |
Predecessor | Omri |
Successor | Ahaziah |
Died | c. 853 BC Ramoth-Gilead, Syria |
Burial | |
Consort | Jezebel of Sidon |
Issue | [1] |
Dynasty | Omrides |
Father | Omri |
Ahab (/ˈeɪhæb/; Hebrew: אַחְאָב, romanized: ʾAḥʾāḇ; Akkadian: 𒀀𒄩𒀊𒁍, romanized: Aḫâbbu; Koinē Greek: Ἀχαάβ, romanized: Akhaáb; Latin: Achab) was the son and successor of King Omri and the husband of Jezebel of Sidon according to the Hebrew Bible.[2] He was widely criticized for causing "moral decline" in Israel, according to the Yahwists. Modern scholars argue that Ahab was a Yahwist and introduced Yahweh to the Kingdom of Judah via imperialism. This mostly occurred in the latter half of his reign.[3][4][5]
The existence of Ahab is historically supported outside the Bible. Shalmaneser III of the Neo-Assyrian Empire documented in 853 BC that he defeated an alliance of a dozen kings in the Battle of Qarqar; one of these was Ahab. He is also mentioned on the inscriptions of the Mesha Stele.[6]
Ahab became king of Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa of Judah, and reigned for twenty-two years, according to 1 Kings 16:29. William F. Albright dated his reign to 869–850 BC, while Edwin R. Thiele offered the dates 874–853 BC.[7] Most recently, Michael Coogan has dated Ahab's reign to 871–852 BC.[8]
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