AHAB [zmif, 'Axorfj9, Assyr. A-hn-abbu) signifies ' father's brother.' (Cf. analogous uses of the same element nn 'brother' in Syr. proper names.) The meaning of the compound is jirobably 'one who closely resembles his father.' The father in this case was Orari, the founder of the dynasty, and from him the son inherited the military traditions and j)ro\vess which characterised his reign. A. married .lezebol ('75!"i<), daughter of Ethbaal, king of Tyre (the Ithobalos, priest of Astarte mentioned by Menander, quoted by Jos. c. Anion, i. 18). This was part of the policy of close alliance with Phirnicia, begun by Solomon, and cemented by Omri. This bond of union was designated by Amos (1") a 'covenant of brethren.' It was un- doubtedly founded on reciprocal commercial in- terest which subsisted for centuries, tho corn, oil, and other agricultural products of Canaan being exchanged for other commercial products of the grent mercantile ports of I'liamicia (cf. Ac 12*).
Whatever commercial advantages miglit accrue, Israel's national religion was destined to sull'er. A temj)le and altar to iiaal were erected in Samaria as well as an Asherahpole. To siiyicrsede Israel's national deity, J", by tlie Tyrian liaal, seemed an easy task. I'o a superUcial observer tho dillerence between the worship of Ephraim and that of Samaria might ajipear trilling. Both Baal and J" were worshippeil with similar sacrilicial accompani- ments. Moreover, northern Israel had for <enturie9 been exposed to all the influences which their more highly civilised Can. neighbours had introduced (.Ig 2'^- "), and even the very name Baal, ' Lord,' was current in their speech as an apiiellation of J"
52
AHAB
AHAB
(IIos2"'"*). Yet there was one deep distinction wliich marked off the J" of Mosaisni from tlie Baal of the Caniuanites. The religion of Mosaisni was pure of sensual taint. The conjunction of Asherah with J" in the days of Josiah (2 K 23') was a corrupt practice due to foreign innovation. So also were the debasing accomijaniments of worship referred to in Am 2'. And the licentious cult of Baal and Ashtoreth, established by the influence of A.'s Phcen. wife, would certainly have its temple attendants, probably Tyrian A'jf/tlsAim and Kede- sfu/th. These features of worship, however, had become perilously familiar to N. Israel, owing to their close contact with Can. neighbours. Accord- ingly, as we can readily infer from the language of Elijah in 1 K 19, national feeling was not deeply or permanently roused even by the influence of liis stirring personality and by the occurrence of a prolonged drought of more than two years' dura- tion (1 K 17' 18'), which, according to Menander of Ephesus, extended to Phoenicia.t In all pro- bability, the military despotism wielded by the house of Omri, in alliance with a powerful northern State, was able to subdue any smouldering embers of discontent. But an act of cruel mjustice awakened the dormant spirit of the people. Like many Oriental monarchs, A. displayed a taste for architecture, which Tyrian influence stimulated and fostered. He built a palace for himself, adorned with woodwork (probably cedar) and inlaid ivory, in Jezreel (1 K 21' 22*'). To this he desired to attach a suitable domain, and for the purpose endeavoured to acquire, by purchase or exchange, the vineyard of one of the wealthier inhabitants, Naboth. But Naboth was unwilling tr part with an ancestral inheritance. What A. could not accomplish by legal means, he was in- duced by the promptings of Jezebel to compass by fraud and judicial murder. This act aroused popular hatred, and the sense of outraged social order found expression in the denunciation of doom pronounced by Elijah (1 K 21"'"*') against the king and his unscrupulous queen (see Naboth and Elijah). The incident is instructive to the student of Heb. religion, as it illustrates the con- trast in the attitude of Phcen. as compared with Heb. religion towards social morality. In the words of W. R. Smith, 'the religion of J" put morality on a far sounder basis than any other religion did, because the righteousness of J" as a God who enforced the known laws of morality was conceived as absolute ' (Prophets of Isr. 73).
It is more than doubtful whether A. really com- prehended the religious issues. He regarded Elijah as a mischievous fanatic, 'a troubler of Israel ' bent on wrecking the imperial schemes of aggrandisement based on alliance with Phoenicia at tlio expense of Syria. Elijah, like many another since nis day, earned the title of unpatriotic, because he placed righteousness and religion before the exigencies of political statecraft.
The military career of A. exhibits him as a warrior of considerable prowess. Respecting his wars with Syria we have only the brief record in I K 20-22. In 1 K 20 we are plunged in medias res. Samaria has been for some time closely in- vested by the Syrian army under Benhadad, or more probably Hadadezer {Dadidri), if we follow I he Assyr. annals (Stade). Of the defeats sustained by Israel prior to this siege we have no informa- tion. Benh.idad (Hadadezer) made an insolent demand of the Isr. king, in the desperate extremity of the latter, that Syrian envoys should search the royal palace and the houses of A.'s servants. This
• Wellhausen's rejection of Hoa 2*8 (13 Heb.) is characteristic of his high <i priori nu-thod.
t This took plaoe durinur the reijni of Ethbaal (Ithobalos). and lasted, according Co Uen&nder, ons year. Of Phaenicia this may have been true.