TCC

At the command of his father King Melchiyahu of Salem, Prince Melchizedek went to the other world to test whether men could remain loyal to an eloah with only a trace of direct contact between them.

Melchizedek took with him the Killing Relic, a weapon made by the hands of Elyon himself, that he might be protected in his quest. No weapon was remotely like it. When it was brandished, the Killing Relic bore unmistable witness that Elyon was not a mere figment like the gods that multiplied in the imagination of the men of Earth.

Melchizedek rose to the surface of Lake Tana with his supplies packaged in a clever way to keep them dry. He decanted his comestibles on the shore of the lake and moved them to a raft that he made from trees he easily felled and shaped with Killing Relic. He also had a quantity of gold on hand to trade to replenish with local goods what stock he consumed.

From the mouth of the lake it was thirty miles to the Blue Nile falls, which were sufficiently high to force Melchizedek to abandon his raft and build another one below the cataract. After that he ran the rapids of the upper Blue Nile gorge, which men have always called unrunnable.

Below the rapids, Melchizedek sat in the raft and drifted through deserts with no potable water except the river he floated on. He passed water beasts and human onlookers who dared not approach.

At length he floated into the place where the Blue Nile merged with the White Nile to become the Nile river proper. It was much warmer in this part of Earth than in Kemen and it took many days for Melchizedek to learn to put the heat in the back of his mind so he could sleep without a struggle.

In a town on the lower Nile delta Melchizedek traded his raft and some gold for camels and supplies to make an overland journey. His ultimate destination was the marshy lands far to the east were the Euphrates and Tigris rivers meandered through marshlands and silt islands before merging with the sea.

As he was commanded, Melchizedek remained alert for any man who would suit the purposes of Elyon. Rather than taking a direct path across the Empty Quarter, Melchizedek journeyed north-east through the fields and towns of Canaan and Lebanon until he reached the town of Harran where the Damascus road forked with the road to Nineveh.

In the marketplace Melchizedek encountered a man who had grown disgusted with the variety of religious practices in his home city of Ur. He was in engaged in a loud argument with his father and by overhearing all this, the Prince learned the man's name was Abram.

Abram was a successful sheep and cattle rancher who lived a semi-nomadic life on the rangelands around Harran while his father lived in the town itself and ran a shop selling items associated with the worship of multitudous gods. Terah sold carved idols for dozens of different gods, all of which Abram complained were absolutely meaningless to him.

He said to Terah, "Father, you cut down cedars and oaks which the real creator planted and also sent the rain to grow. You grow cold, so with part of your wood you make a fire to warm yourself and bake bread, and from the other part you make the image of a god, then fall down before it and say, 'Rescue me from this weather.' And it never comes into your mind that this deaf and mute block of wood you carved with your own hands is a complete fraud!"

Melchizedek was interested in this exchange, so he entered the shop and began to inspect the rack of idols on display. The angry words of father and son dwindled to silence, because Melchizedek was a tall and striking figure, and there was an other worldliness about him that went far beyond mere stranger.

After he had made a complete tour of the idolatry shop, Melchizedek begin unpacking his gold on the edge of the shop facing the street, as though he were preparing to buy out Terah's entire stock.

As Melchizedek anticipated, this drew the attention of five men who approached with swords drawn. They demanded the gold be handed over to them. At this time the Killing Relic, the weapon fashioned by Bat-El himself, made its first appearance in the history of Kemen and Earth.

The artifact was the size and shape of any normal sword hilt. But when it was squeezed firmly in Melchizedek's hands a roaring black shaft emerged from it which was about the thickness of a spear.

The harder Melchizedek squeezed, the longer the black beam grew, and whatever it touched simply disappeared. Indeed, the reason it made a sound was that air was drawn into it all along the length of the beam.

One of the thieves Melchizedek judged to be the leader was cut into two equal pieces starting from the top of his head. Another thief was decapitated. This was sufficient to convince the other three robbers to flee.

It was not Melchizedek's purpose to kill them. only to stop the commision of the crime, and simultaneously establish his credentials with Abram and Terah. Abram came before Melchizedek and sank to his knees. but Melchizedek bade him to ruse and said, "Abram, son of Terah, go forth from your father's house and from your kinfolk to the land of canaan. there Bat-El will make of you a nation, and he shall bless you, and your name will be great among men. He shall bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you, and all the earth shall find blessing in you.

"Those are the words of Bat-El the Most High God, lord of all the earth. What say you to these things, Abram of Harran?"

And Abram lifted his eyes to him and said, firmly, "No." It took Melchizedek a moment to comprehend what Abram said, as it was so unexpected. Abram rose to his feet then and walked over to his father, where he took him gently by the arms and undertook to explain his rejection of Bat-El's command.

He said, "my father is crippled. He does not earn enough at his livelihood to support himself. We do not always agree, but as I love my life, I can never turn aside from my own father for all the days he is a wayfarer in this world."

Then Abram fulfilled the purpose of his visit and delivered to his father two living lambs from his own flocks, one to kill and eat, and the other to sell for a little money to buy the things he needed until the next time Abram came in from the open range and visited him.

Melchizedek nodded in understanding. He restowed his gold and they quietly left the shop, careful not to tread on the fortress of dignity that Abram had asserted with his refusal.

Melchizedek departed Harran and took the left-hand fork to Nineveh, and thence by stages to sumeria, even to the largest city in the world, Ur, at the mouth of the euphrates, with nearly seventy thousand souls. In all his travels on Earth he never met anyone like Abram, yet it was not the last time they met. When Abram's father Terah died Melchizedek was sent to Earth once more to complete his errand and bring Abram into a covenant relationship with Bat-El.

The covenant was accompanied with a name change. Abram means 'the father is exalted' which had glorified Terah rather than his son. In the ritual sealing the covenant Melchizedek changed his name to Abraham, which means 'father of many nations'.

The Abrahamic Covenant was sealed when Melchizedek took a cow, a goat, and a ram and split their carcasses in two. Then a floating grill and a floating torch passed between those pieces. After that, Abraham, his wife, his son, and all his servants passed between them. By this ritual Abraham told Bat-El, 'If I ever break faith with you, may I be cut in half like these animals.'

Previously Abraham's worship of Bat-El had been a personal devotion. All of the interactions had occurred solely between Abraham and Elyion and were mediated through the Ophan Melchizedek. Sarah embraced Bat-El because she loved Abraham and she was his wife. Abraham's servants embraced Bat-El simply because Abram was their master.

But with the introduction of circumcision the worship of Bat-El became corporate worship, something embedded in the culture rather than a personal choice. Even infant males were circumcised. Anyone not circumcised was cut off from the people, so to speak.

But there was a benefit to circumcision not intended by Samael when he demanded the practice as his attempt to sabotage the testing. Circumcised men were chafed day and night. They lasted longer during lovemaking and that resulted in a happy lady who was less likely to commit adultery.

When Abraham's son was about fourteen years of age Melchizedek said to his father, "Take now your son Yishak and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will show to you."

And the countenance of Abraham fell. At first he searched the face of Melchizedek, guessing it was a bad joke. Then he suspected the Ophan had gone insane. He was tempted to refuse outright as he did once before in Harran. After that he considered offering a defense of his son.

In the end Abraham remembered the covenant, and his affirmation of loyalty to the one he knew as Bat-El. Melchizidek says this Bat-El now requires the life of his son? So be it. "Let my word be true. I will obey my God, even though I find his demands to be hateful."

When all was ready Abraham left his flocks grazing on the plains nigh to the coast. There he left his wife and all his servants. With Yishak at his side they were led by Melchizedek east among treeless hills with the Killing Relic as surety against any who would waylay them.

On the first night, Melchizedek asked Abraham to look at the stars and see if he could count them. "So shall your descendants be," said he. There are only four thousand stars visible to the unaided eye but Abraham got the point. Bat-El would bestow upon him much progeny. For his part Abraham agreed to have only Bat-El as God and trust that she would always do what she said she would do. It was the first covenant made between the divine and the mortal on something of an equal basis.

Abraham possessed many animals and great riches. He was already living in the golden age as far as he was concerned, and did not pine away for an afterlife. Abraham was living a full life and he accepted that he was mortal like everything else in the world.

The only thing remaining that Bat-El could give Abraham was the assurance that his name and his blood would be carried into the future by a people who would live in the land he had been promised.

Two days and three nights passed but they had seen no game along the way. When they drew near to Mount Moriah and Melchizedek pointed out the hill to them. Yishak asked, "Where is the animal for the offering?"

Melchizedek said nothing and glanced at Abraham.Abraham deflected this question, yet he could not bring himself to lie to his son. He said, rather, "God himself will provide the animal."

Yishak was excited to see what sort of beast God was going to bring for the sacrifice and he ran ahead up the hill with youthful energy. Abraham said to Melchizedek, "When it is time you will help me restrain my son."

They caught up with the boy on the hilltop and Yishak called out, "Father, there's nothing here!"

Abraham had a length of rope and was tying loops in it. He said, "Join me here son, and help with this." Yishak promptly obeyed his father. Thus distracted, Melchizadek took the opportunity to seize the boy.

Yishak didn't cry out at first because he didn't even understand what was happening until Abraham and Melchizedek had lashed him securely to a flat boulder that would serve as the altar. Abraham would never forget his son's utter terror and the betrayal he must have felt.

After that Abraham didn't need to work up the will to slay his own son, he was actually in a hurry to do it. Each instant the helpless Yishak lay in mortal terror of his own father tore at his heart. Abraham couldn't stand it. Melchizedek was barely in time to restrain him. He shouted, "Enough! Do not harm the boy!" To be certain, Melchizedek used the Killing Relic to cut the lad free once more. Yishak stood at a safe distance and watched his father's face work through a storm of dark emotions.

At length braham said, "So. A day of testing?"

Melchizedek nodded in the affirmative. "It is a day that will not be forgotten while cold and heat, seed-time and harvest remain. God knows now that you will not even withhold your only son from him."

Abraham longed to embrace Yishak but saw how the boy stood well Abraham away. said, "Could there not have been another way?"

Melchizedek said, "It would be difficult to explain the full background of the controversy, but know that the enemy of man has made certain claims and God has chosen you and your descendants to answer them."

Abraham lamented, "What I dread most of all is answering the hard questions of my wife after Yishak has spoken to her of all this, which he undoubtedly will."

Even as he spoke a fold-door appeared on the hilltop and the crack of a whip was heard. A ram rushed through the opening. With one smooth stroke of the Killing Relic's immaterial black shaft Melchizedek separated the head and body of the animal as it emerged from the bubble.

Melchizekek stepped inside the bubble and said to Abraham, "I will return to Earth when Yishak is of age to have his own wife." Then the fold-door winked out of existence and Melchizedek was gone with it.

When Yishak was seventeen years of age Melchizedek returned to Earth and journeyed once more to the town called Harran in the land of Abraham's kin.

In Harran Melchizedek became acquainted with Bethuel, who was the son of Milcah. Milcah was the wife of Nahor. And Nahor was Abraham's brother.

In the household of Bethuel there dwelt a young woman named Rebekah. She was Abraham's great niece, and therefore Yishak's first cousin once-removed. Eyeing her, Melchizedek told Bethuel it had fallen to him to find a wife for Yishak from among Abraham's kin.

The Ophan could, at need, dispense of Abraham's entire estate. He had brought as much as ten mules could carry, as well as precious stones and jewelry from Heaven itself. All these riches he dangled before the eyes of Bethuel, which prompted him to say, "Rebekah, will you go with this man?" Thus Rebekah was formally asked to take her place in the epic set in motion when Elyon inserted herself into human history and commanded Abraham to go to the land of Canaan. But the display of wealth did not sway Rebekah. She wanted to know more about Yishak himself.

So Melchizedek spoke to Rebekah of the time three years prior when as a boy Yishak feared losing his life at the point of a blade. Hy remaining carefully vague about the fact that hy hymself had relayed the kill order from Elyon, the eloah worshiped by Abraham as his deity.

And Melchizedek told Rebekah how the incident caused Yishak to develop a more profound affection for his mother, while deliberately neglecting to tell her how Yishak in fact almost never left his mother's tent after he barely escaped being sacrificed to his father's god.

The prince used all the statecraft hy had learned at the foot of his father King Melchiyahu. Yet Rebekah did not make her decision on the basis of Melchizedek's testimony of Yishak's personal character.

Melchizedek had presented hymself to Rebekah and her family as courteous, humble, and devout. The gifts were obligatory. Something still seemed a bit off, but she decided to proceed on a hunch. She judged Melchizedek to be a good man, for a man she thought him to be.

Rebekah was very intelligent and it stood to reason that if the servant was a good man (for a simple servant Melchizedek held hymself out to be) then hyz masters, her kin Abraham and Yishak, must be good men as well. So she answered her father Bethuel by saying, "I will go."

When Melchizedek returned to the oasis at Beersheba, Yishak brought Rebekah into his late mother Sarah's tent and took her as his wife, and he loved her. So was Yishak comforted after his mother's death. Melchizedek, in a sense, had provided Yishak with a replacement mother.

Rebekah sensed this and felt perhaps a twinge of regret, but she was an honorable woman who had assented to the marriage sight unseen.Then Melchizedek received word that his father Melchiyahu had died in his sleep, making him the king of Salem by right of succession.

So Melchizedek bid farewell to Abraham. He passed out of all knowledge of those who dwell on Earth, and he came there not again. The task laid upon him by his father to set aside a holy people for Elyon had been fulfilled. In the three and thirtieth year of the Covenant Abraham died and his son Yishak became High Priest of Bat-El. Yishak begat twin sons and named them Esau and Yakob.

Esau became a cunning hunter, a extroverted man of the field, while Yakob was an introverted man dwelling in tents. Esau derived his life, and life more abundantly from the earthly goods which he was able to obtain by his own efforts.

Yakob, as the more interior man, could not compete on those terms, but he took thought obtain more abundant life another way. The first step was to claim the Birthright, which entitled Yishak's son to a double share of Abraham's estate.

On only one occasion did Esau's prowess fail him. He came in from the field famished and begged Yakob for some food. Yakob provided bread and lentil soup, but the price was Yishak's Birthright that was Esau's by dint of being born just moments before Yakob.

Esau was more than willing to trade his Birthright away, so close to death was he. Esau just needed a little help that one time. So he left with a full stomach and almost convinced himself the Birthright was nothing much anyway.

But as time went on the injustice of the incident weighed on the mind of Esau and the bad blood grew until Yakob began to fear for his life.

Already the servants of Yishak had become divided into two camps, one favoring Esau and the other Yakob, and at times they came to blows.

All it took was a command from Yakob to split off the half of the livestock and servants and depart the lands north of Mount Nebo where Yishak had grazed his flocks from the time his father Abraham died.

In the three and sixtieth year of the Covenant Yishak died, and Esau buried him in the tomb that held the bones of his grandfather. Esau left his mother Rebekah in the keeping of his chief steward, then sojourned with his flocks to search out his brother and tell him of the passing of their father.

For three generations of men Bat-El and Elyon carried out a test to see if one clan on Earth could maintain a covenant with the elohim without any intervention. The eloah named Chemah, who was enfleshed as a lan named Israel, made a journey to the Land of Promise to see the place with is own eyes. Israel took little thought for his personal safety. Bat-El had said Yakob was more the son of his mother than the son of his father, a man who preferred the womanly arts of whispering and plotting to more masculine action on the field of the hunt or battle.

When Israel caught up with Yakob he was preparing to cross the Jordan River. There Yakob had sent messengers to meet his brother Esau and mention that he had a lot of spare animals, hopefully to smooth over any hard feelings Esau might still have from losing the Birthright.

The messengers returned with a report that Esau was coming out to meet Yakob with four hundred men, so he divided his caravan in twain. If Esau smote one the other might escape. Yakob prayed to Chokhmah for deliverance, then set aside a portion of his herd as a gift to Esau.

Yakob sent two hundred twenty goats, two hundred twenty sheep, thirty horses, fifty cattle, twenty asses, and ten foals, which his servants took on ahead to Esau. As for Yakob himself, he hung back as a rearguard, not against Esau but against someone else he happened to see.14 Yakob hid himself amid thick vegetation near the place where the Zarqa River merged with the Jordan River. When the stranger approached, unaware of Yakob's presence, Yakob assailed him suddenly and there ensued a bitter fistfight that changed into an epic wrestling match.

The stranger kept grasping Yakob's clothing to hurl him around, so Yakob shed his clothing and fought entirely in the nude. Then Israel saw how Abraham's grandson bore the peculiar mutilation that Elyon had demanded in hyz bid to sabotage Chokhmah's experiment.

So Israel had the answer hy had come to Earth looking for, but there was still the growing matter of the ongoing tussle. As they fought Yakob kept asking, "Who are you?" but Israel refused to say. As the night wore on hy grew dismayed how Yakob proved to be so tenacious.

Israel wrenched Yakob's femur out of its socket at the hip, causing intense torment, but Yakob refused to yield. At dawn Israel, a full cubit taller than Yakob and far more bulky, was at the end of hyz own resources and near exhaustion. Hy commanded Yakob to let hym go.

Yakob said, 'I will not release you until you tell me who you are, and bless me.' His foe said, 'No longer shall men call you Yakob, but Israel, for you have contended with gods and men, and you have prevailed. You have even wrested my name away, and taken it for your own.' Then Yakob unhanded the bruised seraph, nameless now. He had sufficient dark light banked to crack open a fold-door little more than a cubit tall, just enough to wriggle back into Heaven like a maggot, and he never came again any closer than the Earth's moon.

Three of Israel's servants found him beaten and unable to stand, with a dislocated hip. Two of them held him down with a bit between his teeth while the third popped it back in place. With help he was able rejoin his wife but he walked with a limp for the rest of his life.

Esau drew near with his men. Israel stood in front of his people bowed before his brother. And to Israel's everlasting surprise, Esau did not strike him, but rather he embraced and kissed him, and he told him their father was dead, and they both wept. So the great family feud was ended. Yet in truth there had never been a feud, since Esau obtained more than his rightful share Yishak's flocks and servants anyway, and after that he had come to miss his brother.

Israel begged his brother to accept the gift of herd animals he had already sent to him, saying, 'Take them please, my lord, because Chokhmah has dealt graciously with me, and I have enough. More than enough!' And Esau assured Israel that none of his men gave Israel his beating

Esau agreed to go on ahead because Israel's group had children and young animals and he himself had a limp. Both brothers mourned the passing of their father but even so they rejoiced that they had returned to the good terms they had enjoyed in their youth.

Israel would ponder the strange nighttime fight for the rest of his life, particularly whenever his limp prompted him. Ultimately he drew the conclusion that God Most High had sent a thrall to put him to the test even as his grandfather had been tested with an order to offer his father Yishak as a human sacrifice..

Esau continued in all the ways of a wanderer passed down from his grandfather Abraham to his father Yishak to himself. He traversed the land with his people, and his flocks greatly increased. But Israel tarried in the hill country between the river and the sea where few inhabitants dwelt at that particular time.

On a hilltop Israel built an altar unto God Most High, and he named that place Beit-El, or House of God. Israel and his servants built a courtyard around the altar, and ringed this open area with houses of mud brick laid on stone foundations. And the hillside was terraced for crops, and trees were planted bearing olives and fruits, but the animals were set to graze freely nearby.

Israel begat a daughter named Dinah, and he begat sons Levi, Judah, and Joseph. When they were of age Judah departed Beit-El and taking his inheritance of servants and animals he built the town of Hebron near the tomb of his grandfather.

And Joseph with his inheritance of servants beat down the tower of Rabbah, and the men of that fenced city came out before them, but God dicomfited them before Joseph with stones of ice from heaven and he slew more of the males of Rabbah than Joseph and his servants did with the edge of the word.

Judah son of Israel took to wife Mahlah daughter of Shuah the Canaanite and he begat a daughter, Shelomit. And Judah begat Perez, who took to wife Gaba daughter of Adullam the Gilohite. And Judah built the town of Eltekah after the manner of Beit-El.

And the servants of Israel who dwelt among them begat sons and daughters of their own, and they were free, and the same intermarried with the children of Israel, and they became one covenant people in the eyes of God.

Perez son of Judah took to wife Selomit daughter of begat a daughter, Atorah, and he begat Hezron, who took to wife Naamah daughter of Sheson the Anabite. The same Perez led the force that slew the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and killed of them a hundred men.

Hezron son of Perez begat a daughter, Huldah, and he begat Jerahmeel, who took to wife Janohah daughter of Ahijah. And Jarahmeel son of Hezron begat a daughter, Taphath, and he begat Achar. who took to wife Taralah daughter of Asahel.

Achar became chieftain of the tribe of Benjamin. And the Benjaminites built the cities of Gibeon and Ai, and seized Jericho and Gilgal. The tribe occupied the high country around Beit-El even as far as the river in the East in the Valley of Salt.

Israel's son Levi remained in Beit-El and was taught of his father in all the ways of the Abrahamic Covenant, that he might become priest after the passing of his father. Israel dwelt in Beit-El until the end of his days and he begat more sons and daughters. In the nine and ninetieth year of the Covenant he died and was laid in the cave of Machpelah that housed the bones of his ancestors.

Israel's third son Joseph begat a daughter named Jerusha, and he begat a son, Machir, who built the town of Socoh after the manner of Beit-El. And Joseph also begat a son, Becher, who led a company to waylay the men of Juttah, and smote their horses and chariots, and slew the Juttahites with a great slaughter.

A herald of God Most High who gave the name Jashen came to Levi in Beit-El, commanding him, "Rehearse in my hearing the Ten Words of the Covenant of your fathers."

And Levi said, "God Most High is your God. Serve no other gods. Countenance no injustice. Make no images. Crave nothing of another. Do not consume blood. Eat no swine. Eat no shellfish. Every male of you shall be circumcised. Observe the yearly Day of Atonement.'

Jashen said, "You have spoken well, for the same is carved upon this tablet which was made by the hands of Bat-El himself." And Jashen set before Levi a black tablet made as it were of stone, with letters carved upon it and embossed with gold.

Jashen said, "Make a chest of wood for this Table of the Covenant and place it therein that it may be carried about to the towns of the children of Israel. When the Day of Atonement is at hand, at sunset, the tablet will sound a blast like that from a ram's horn. You and all the people of Beit-El shall eat no food until the atonement with God Most High has been made by you the high priest, and by the fruit of your loins who shall become high priest after you."

Jashen continued to say, "At sunset on the following day you choose a young bullock of your flock and kill it before the altar, and you shall of the blood of the bullock and put it upon the chest of the Covenant with your finger as a sin offering, and you shall burn all the fat of the bullock on the altar. Then God himself shall speak to what man of you is chief priest, and give commandment, and the fast shall be ended, for God Most High shall deem the tenth word of the Covenant to be fulfilled."

And Jashen departed from Beit-El.

Levi son of Israel took to wife Adinah of Harran. And the eldest son of Levi was Kohath. In the one hundred seven and twentieth year of the Covenant Levi slept with his fathers and Kohath became high priest unto God Most High.

Zerah son of Judah took to wife Parah daughter of Avim the Janumite. Zerah begat a daughter, Adah, and he begat Zimri, who took to wife Nahaliel dauighter of Holon the Azemite. And Zerah built the town of Baalath after the manner of Beit-El.

Zimri son of Zerah begat a daughter, Michaiah, and he begat Onam, who took to wife Eglah daughter of Gibrah. The same Zimri smote the Canaanites of Metheg-ammah and subdued them, and took the town out of their hands.

Onam son of Zimri begat a daughter, Azubah, and he begat Abinadab, who took to wife Maachah daughter of Shion. The same Abinadab became the first chieftain of the tribe of Judah.

And the Judahites built the cities of Eglon and Lachish, and seized the cities of Jarmuth and Jebus, but the five strong cities of the Philistines that lay on the coast they could not possess, namely Ashkelon, Gaza, Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron.

Then God Most High gave perpetual ordinances to Kohath the high priest which he declared were binding upon all the children of Israel. Bat-El said, "You shall stand idly by when a human life is in danger. You shall not afflict an orphan or a widow. You shall not to wrong a stranger in speech or in commerce. You shall not smite your parents. You shall not curse a priest."

And these are the ordinances God declared governing the yearly festivals. Bat-El said, "Do no work on the two days of the festival of First Fruits. Do no work on the head of the year, when the Table of the Covenant makes the sound of the horn. Do work on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, neither shall you eat or drink on Yom Kippur.

Bat-El also said, "Do no work on the first day of the festival of Weeks, the harvest festival. All the children of Israel are to dwell in booths during the time of the festival of Weeks."

Kohath took to wife Beriah daughter of Libni the Shamirite and his eldest son was Amram. In the one hundred eight and fiftieth year of the Covenant Kohath slept with his fathers and Amram became high priest unto God Most High.

Joseph son of Israel took to wife Asenath the daughter of the Egyptian priest Potipherah. Joseph begat a daughter, Jerusha, and he begat Machir, who took to wife Kirjah the daughter of Eshtemah the Heperite.

Machir son of Joseph begat a daughter, Abigail, and he begat Gilead, who took to wife Mozah daughter of Jair the Elephite. And Machir built the town of Beit-Anoth.

Gilead son of Machir begat a daughter, Jerioth, and he begat Jeezer who took to wife Ziklag daughter of Shimron. Gilead and a brigade of men fell upon the Canaanite city of Beit-horon and smote three hundred of the defenders in battle.

Jeezer son of Gilead begat a daughter, Keziah, and he begat Izhar who took to wife Bethuel daughter of Ashan. The same Ishar became the first chieftain of the tribe of Manesseh.

And the Manessehites took possession of the coastlands at Dor. They held Tirzah and Gileed nigh to Mount Gilboa, and all that land from the river north to Megiddo.

Amram son of Kohath took to wife Kohath's sister Yochebed, for such close marriages were not yet forbidden by Bat-El. Then God Most High gave commandment to Kohath concerning the law of marriages among the children of Israel.

Bat-El said, "Do not commit incest with your mother. Do not commit incest with your sister. Do not commit incest with your son's daughter nor with your daughter's daughter. Do not to commit incest with your own daughter. Do not commit incest with your father's sister nor with your mother's sister."

And Bat-El said, "Do not have intercourse with a woman in her menstrual period. Do not to have intercourse with a beast. Do not have intercourse with a woman without a deed of marriage. A newly married husband shall be free from military service for one year to rejoice with his wife. Do not withhold food, clothing or conjugal rights from your wife."

Then in the one hundred five and seventieth year of the Covenent Amram slept with his fathers, and his son Aaron became high priest unto God Most High.

Becher son of Joseph took to wife Jashiel daughter of Eran the Bashanite. Becher begat a daughter, Abihah, and he begat Shelah, who took to wife Chephirah the daughter of Arod the Shamirite. The same Becher built the town of Ziph after the manner of Beit-El.

Shelah son of Becher begat a daughter, Ephrath, and he begat Caleb, who took to wife Azem daughter of Hammon. The same Shelah as captain led a large company against Hannathon, and burnt with fire a third of the houses in the midst of the city, and smote a third of the inhabitants with the edge of the sword, and scattered a third of the inhabitants to the wind.

Caleb son of Shelah begat a daughter, Peninnah, and he begat Azubab who took to wife Zorah daughter of Zenan, and he begat other sons and sdaughters beside. The same Azubab became the first chieftain of the tribe of Ephraim.

And the Ephraimites possessed the hills north of Beit-El even to Mount Ebel and Mount Gerizim, and the Hebrew city of Shiloh waxed strong, but they did not lay seige to Shechem when the inhabitants of that city paid five talents in gold as tribute to Azubab.

Aaron son of Armam took to wife Elisheba daughter of Amminadab. And God Most High spoke to him from the Table of the Covenant concerning the ordinances of food that would govern the house of Israel.

And Bat-El spoke to Aaron from the Table of the Covenant in the days of his priesthood, saying, "Do not eat the things that creep upon the Earth. Do not eat the flesh of a beast that died of itself. Do not eat a limb removed from a beast that yet lives. Do not eat the flesh of a beast that is torn. Set the mother bird free when taking the eggs of a nest."

And Bat-El said, "Do not boil meat with milk. Do not eat tallow or fat. Do not eat the vermin of the Earth. Do not eat fish that lack scales. Do not eat like a glutton nor drink like a drunkard."

Then in the one hundred eight and ninetieth year of the Covenant Aaron slept with his fathers, and his son Eleazar becaome high priest unto God Most High.

Heman son of Machir took to wife Tolah daughter of Achar the Kenahite. He begat a daughter, Zemarah, and he begat Eshean who took to wife Neah daughter of Shimei the Zanoahite. The same Heman built the town of Zior after the manner of Beit-El, and he begat other sons and daughters.

Jether son of Heman took to wife Idalah daughter of Maaz. He begat a daughter, Reumah, and he begat Abishur, who took to wife Hadesh daughter of Hupham. The same Abishur became the first chieftain of the tribe of Naphtali. And Jether begat other sons and daughters.

The Naphtalites overthrew King Jabin at Hazor and siezed the cities of Madon, Shimron, and Achshaph. They occupied all the lands nigh to Mount Merom and took tribute from all the towns north of Lake Chinnereth as far as Kedesh and Leshem. But they were ever assailed by the Amorites from the east.

Eleazar the high priest took to wife Jehud daughter of Putiel. And God Most High gave commandment from the Table of the Covenant. Bat-El said, "Do not reap your entire field or orchard, but leave unreaped corners for the poor. Do not gather the crop that has fallen to the ground while reaping. Do not muzzle a beast while it is working in the field, that it may eat a share of the harvest. Do not return to take a forgotten sheaf of grain or a forgotten bushel of fruit. Do not gather the imperfect clusters of the vineyard but leave them for the poor."

And Bat-El said, "A man shall not wear women's clothing, nor shall a woman wear the raiment of men. Do not remove the entire beard, as do the idolators of the surrounding towns. Do not inquire of the dead. Do not consult a wizard. Do not make cuttings in your flesh for grief."

Then in the two hundred seven and tenth year of the Covenant Eleazar slept with his fathers, and his son Phinehas became high priest unto God Most High.

Ahlai son of Dara begat a daughter, Zeresh, and he begat Shimma, who took to wife Hizpah daughter of Heber.. The same Shimma became the first chieftain of the tribe of Asher. The same Shimma became first chieftain of the tribe of Asher. And Ahlai begat other sons and daughters.

The Asherites seized the city of Achshaph, which name means sorcery. Shimma named the city anew as Kisson. But that tribe did not drive out the inhabitants of Akko on the coast, and their men of war were turned away from the fenced city of Sidon.

Seled son of Zimri took to wife Keilah daughter of Mushi. He begat a daughter, Adah, and he begat Bezaleel, who took to wife Remeth daughter of Remmon. The same Bezaleel became first chieftain of the tribe of Reuben.

The Reubenities contended with the Amorite King Shihon of the city of Hesbon for the lands nigh to the Salt Sea under Mount Peor and seized Jahaz and Dibon to the east. To the south lay Ammon, and the western fence was the lands of the Benjaminites.

Phinehas took to wife Shema daughter of Adamah. And God Most High gave commandment to Phinehas from the Table of the Covenant. Bat-El said, "Do not set up a pillar for worship nor plant a tree for worship. Do not print marks on your body. Do not cast spells over serpents and scorpions. Do not practice magic with herbs and colored stones. Do not interpret signs in the sky to portend favorable or unfavorable seasons."

And Bat-El also said, "Do not wrong your neighbor in speech. Do not idly bear tales. Do not bear a grudge or take revenge. Do not curse another Israelite. Do not leave a beast that has fallen beneath its burden unaided."

Then in the two hundred four and fourtieth year of the Covenant Phinehas slept with his fathers, and his son Abishua became high priest unto God Most High.

Helek son of Gilead took to wife Abez daughter of Jaleel. He begat a daughter, Mahlah, and he begat Oren, who took to wife Zibiah daughter of Ashnah. The same Oren became the first chieftain of the tribe of Zebulun.

Oren strengthened himself, and led forth his valiant men with their chariots to the valley of Jezreel and smote a thousand of the city of Shimron, and they also drove off much cattle. And the Zebulunites took possession of all the surrounding land even unto Mount Carmel.

Ozem son of Shelah took to wife Hazah daughter of Shupham. He begat a daughter, Rizpah, and he begat Uri, who took to wife Mahalath daughter of Maralah. The same Uri became the first chieftain of the tribe of Simeon.

And the Simeonites grazed their flocks nigh to Beersheba and built oasis towns in the wilderness south of the hill country, yet their lands were entirely fenced in by the tribe of Judah, and the Simeonites were the smallest of the tribes of the children of Israel.

Abishua took to wife Helah daughter of Eliab. And God Most High gave commandment unto Abishua from the Table of the Covenant concerning the perpetual ordinances of the priesthood. Bat-El said, "You shall built for the ark of the Covenant a Sanctuary and kindle therein lights. You shall offer up incense twice daily. You shall not extinguish the fire of the altar. You shall remove the ashes of the altar daily. The High Priest shall not enter the Sanctuary with torn raiment."

And Bat-El said, "The High Priest shall not enter the Sanctuary outside of the Day of Atonement. The Sanctuary shall never remain unwatched. The High Priest shall not defile himself by contact with the dead. No priest shall marry a divorced woman, a widow, or a harlot. Priests shall wear the holy vestments when they offer sacrifice."

Then in the two hundred eight and sixtieth year of the Covenant Abishua slept with his fathers, and his son Bukki became high priest unto God Most High

Dara son of Becher took to wife Tappuah daughter of Hosah the Kanahite. He begat a daughter, Zeruiah, and he begat Ahlai, who took to wife Merah daughter of Achzib. The same Dara built the town of Ajalon after the manner of Beit-El. And Dara begat other sons and daughters.

Azariah son of Ethan begat a daughter, Hamutal, and he begat Balah, who took to wife Jedidah daughter of Ishi. The same Balah became first chieftain of the tribe of Dan. And Azariah begat other sons and daughters.

And the Danites were not able to dislodge the inhabitants of Joppa on the sea, nor Ekron with its many olive oil presses, and they remained camped in tents amid the hills ranging around the vale of the river Sorek.

Bukki took to wife Abital daughter of Ashan. And God Most High gave commandment from the table of the Covenant concerning the courts of law among the children of Israel. Bat-El said. "Do not testify in court falsely. One accused of transgressioin shall not give testimony. Do not decide a case on the evidence of a single witness. Do not favor a great man in court. Do not be moved by the poverty of a man in court."

And Bat-El said, "Do not curse a judge. Do not accept a bribe. Do not punish anyone who has commited an offense under duress. Do not exceed forty stripes when laying on corporal punishment. You shall inter the executed on the day of execution."

Then in the two hundred three and ninetieth year of the Covenant Bukki slept with his fathers, and his son Uzzi became high priest unto God Most High.

Gibeah son of Perez took to wife Taanath daughter of Janum the Dumahite. He begat a daughter, Sheerah, and he begat Segub, who took to wife Timna daughter of Amad the Ekronite.

Segub son of Gibeah begat a daughter, Naamah, and he begat Jamin, who took to wife Zillah daughter of Ashur. The same Jamin became the first chieftain of the tribe of Gad.

The Gadites dwelt along the river Jordan from the Salt Sea north to Lake Chinnereth, and their chief cites were Jazer and Succoth on the River Jabbok. The city of Ramoth- gilead lay furthest to the east of any possessed by the children of Israel.

Ethan son of Zerah took to wife Azeakah daughter of Nethaneelk the Aphekite. He begat a daughter, Hushim, and he begat Azariah, who took to wife Naarah daughter of Ashnah. And Ethan begat other sons and daughters.

Chelubai son of Gibeah took to wife Ophni daughter of Hammath. He begat a daughter, Jael, and he begat Raddai who took to wife Maacah daughter of Eliab. The same Raddai became the first chieftain of the tribe of Issachar. And Seled begat other sons and daughters.

And the Issacharites took possession of the roads and fields of the vale Jezreel nigh to Mt Tabor and the Hill of Moreh, yet the feet and chariots of many armies crossed through, and seldom did they know peace.

Uzzi took to wife Shua daughter of Ishi. And God Most High gave commandment to Uzzi from the table of the Covenant. Bat-El said, "Do not remove landmarks. Do not steal the property of another man. Return lost property. Do not slay an innocent person. Do not crave that which belongs to another."

And Bat-El said, "Do not postpone paying a hire his due wages. Do not send away a bonded servant emptyhanded when his time of service is fulfilled. Do not compel a Hebrew servant to do the work of a Canaanite slave. Do not swear falsely or violate an oath. Do not suffer a eunuch to marry a daiughter of Israel."

Then in the three hundred two and twentieth year of the Covenant Uzzi slept with his fathers, and his son Zerahiah became high priest unto God Most High.

Bat-El spoke with the high priest on a single day each year under the covenant he had made with Elyon. Bat-El told Zerahiah on a certain day the Philistines would be swallowed by the Earth, and when the day arrived, the Philistines fell into a sinkhole that appeared under their feet, letting archers quickly slay them to a man.

Zerahiah begat Maraioth, who became the first Judge over all the tribes of the children of Israel. And Maraioth, by previous arrangement with Bat-El, called down divine fire upon a host of Philistines when they assailed the armies of the children of Israel.

Maraioth begat Amariah, who became Judge over all Israel even as his father. Bat-El reheased in the ears of Amariah the future movements of enemy commanders, and Amariah parceled this out to the chieftains of the tribes. By degrees all of Canaan fell under the sway of the children of Israel.

Amariah begat Ahitub, and Bat-El commanded him to build a permanent structure to fulfill his original promise to Abraham of making Canaan the permanent home of his descendants. Bat-El chose a rocky hill named Moriah just east of the chief city of the Jebusites which was newly occupied by David, the chieftain of the tribe of Judah.

Ahitub begat Zadok, who became high priest upon the death of his father. In the sixth year of the high priesthood of Zadok the temple in Jebus, or Jerusalem, was completed by Solomon the son of David, and the ark containing the Table of the Covenant was moved to the permanent Sanctuary there.

When Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, did not became Judge over Israel in his turn, Jeroboam son of Nebat of the Ephraimites claimed that he had taken his place, and he had sufficent men under arms to give this claim the force of a decree.

Jeroboam built up his capital first at Shechem in the saddle between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, but them moved his court to Penuel east of the Jordan River where Yakob once fought the seraph Israel to a draw.

To prevent the people from going down to the new temple in Jerusalem to worship there, Jeroboam set up a golden calf at Beit-El. He told everyone it was God Most High, and the feast days for the golden calf were carefully timed to coincide with the feast days in Jerusalem. But no descendant of Levi attended Jeroboam's cult as priest.

A prophet of God Most High named Iddo came before Jeroboam. He said the image of the calf was a most grievous sin against Bat-El. Iddo gave commandment to have the idol torn down lest the House of Jeroboam come to an end and another be made Judge over the children of Israel.

Jeroboam grew angry and he ordered Iddo to depart from his presence. Jeroboam did not remove the golden calf at Beit-El. And his hand withered such that Jeroboam held it under concealment for the rest of his days.

Then Jeroboam died and his son Nadab ruled as Judge for two years from the city of Samaria. And Azrael of the B'nei Elohim, a servant of God Most High, came before Nadab and gave commandment to do away with the cult of the golden calf at Beit-El, but Nadab turned Azrael away.

In his second year as Judge over Israel Nadab prey to a plot among the officers within his own army. He was slain by Captain Baasha of the tribe of Issachar, who made himself Judge and waged war against Judah continually.

Yet Baasha persisted in the sin of Jeroboam, and did not remove the image of the golden calf at Beit-El. And the prophet Jehu, son of Hanani, said, "The word of God Most High came to me, saying, 'I will make an end of the House of Baasha, for he has walked in the ways of Jeroboam and made the children of Israel to sin.'"

Baasha was succeeded by his son Elah, but Elah drank to excess and he did not tear down the idol of the golden calf at Beit-El. Then Jashen of the B'nei Elohim, the herald of God Most High who spoke with the forefathers of Elah upon a time, came before Elah and gave commandment to pull down the golden calf lest his reign be cut short, but Baasha sent Jashen away from his presence and persisted in the sin of Jeroboam.

Then in the second year of his reign Elah was slain by General Zimri, who commanded half of his charioteers. Zimri destroyed the whole house of Baasha, leaving no male heir alive, and became Judge in Elah's place. Thus the words of Jehu and Jashen came to pass.

But when news spread that Zimri had set himself up as Judge in Elah's stead, the army proclaimed General Omri as the first king over all the children of Israel, and they marched from Gibbethon to lay siege to Tirzah for a week. Zimri let the palace burn around himself rather than be captured alive.

The new king provoked God Most Hight to anger, for he walked in the ways of Jeroboam and did not remove the golden calf at Beit-El. And Jashen of the B'nei Elohim came before the king and said, "Behold, God Most High is wroth over the idolatry at Beit-El and looks not with favor upon the House of Omri. Behold, another shall vie for the throne over the house of Israel."

The Israelites of the northern territories outside of the tribes of Ephraim and Manesseh held forth that Tibni was their king rather than this Omri.

Civil war raged four years until Omri pulled down the altar at Beit-El, and caused the golden calf to be melted, according to the words of Jashen and the prophets. Tibni was slain, and Omri was secure upon the throne. After that was a long peace even with Sidon and the Judahites.

King Omri despised the capital city of Tirzah and purchased a hill from Shemer where he built a new capital city for the kingdom. And Samaria became the name of the city and the kingdom after the name of this hill.

King Omri waxed was strong enough to make Samaria the greatest power that existed between the Nile and Euphrates rivers. He ruled for twelve years and when he died he left the kingdom to his son Ahab.

In the first year of his reign Ahab forged an alliance with the Phoenicians by gaining the hand of Princess Jezebel in marriage. Her father Ithobaal was both king of Sidon and a priest of the fertility goddess Astarte. Jezebel herself had been trained to attend to Baal, who was believed by the Phoenicians to be the consort of Astarte.

Queen Jezebel needed a shrine to maintain her role as priestess of Baal so Ahab caused one to be made for her in the city of Samaria. Ahab also agreed Baal should have a shrine made for his wife the goddess Asherah too.

The Phoenician shrines multiplied in Samaria, and with them came their attendant priests and priestesses. There was a new prosperity that emerged from the alliance and the people became willing to accept the idolatry of their new queen. But bringing over from Sidon the priests and idols of foreign gods was too much for Bat-El to abide. A new prophet named Elijah frequently rebuked King Ahab to his face about the issue and constantly reminded His Majesty that his God was Yahweh alone, for that was the name by which Bat-El was known by the Israelites.

King Ahab made alliance with Jehoshapohat, chieftain of the tribe of Judah, to recapture the city of Ramoth-Gilead from the Arameans. The king was laid low by a stray arrow and died after he was carried back to the capital city. His son Ahaziah became king over Samaria.

King Ahaziah reigned one year and died when he fell through a railing from the upper floor of his palace. And his brother Jehoram became king over Samaria.

Queen Jezebel grew tired of the insolence of this Elijah and convinced Jehoram to bring matters to a head with a public demonstration. Two altars were prepared with slain bulls. The first priest who could get his god to set a bull on fire would prevail.

Jezebel thought it was likely that neither god would actually strike fire, in which case the arrangement was for Elijah to speak no more to the king of Yahweh and allow the people to choose which would be their god. And she was entirely confident the people would choose the gods of the Phoenicians.

Baal was much delayed in setting his bull aflame. His chief priest called in forty reinforcements to wail and plead and rip their garments and pluck hairs from their heads and beards.

Elijah, for his part, called for jugs of water and completely dowsed his bull. Then Bat-El opened a tiny fold-door inside the bull and allowed a small burst of sun fire to slip across. It was enough to kindle the fat in the bull to burn despite being entirely soaked in water.

The spirit of the crowd was raised such that Elijah was able to incite them to deadly violence against the priests of Baal who were standing there, but Bat-El never commanded this.

King Jehoram tore down the pillar of Baal in Jezreel but to keep the people from making pilgrimmage to the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem he restored the golden calf at Beit-El and Dan which had been set up in the days of Jeroboam.

And the prophet Elisha, a disciple of Elisha, came before the king and said the idol was a great sin before God Most High, and that Yahweh would chastise the king by bringing the army of Damascus against Samaria.

The seige came to pass, and grew strait for the inhabitants of the city, such that the people contemplated cannibalism.

Then King Joram sent forth soldiers to seek Elisha and drag him to his court that he might be put to death, but Elisha foretold that the king's death would follow hard upon his own.

Then Jehoram repented of the beheading that he thought to do to Elisha, and swore to remove the idol at Beit-El. And the seige by the king of Damascus was lifted and food was brought into Samaria.

But Jehoram forgot his vow to Elisha and the golden calf remained in place at Beit-El. Then Elisha said to king Jehoram, "Behold, because you have sinned against God Most High, and have led the children of Israel to follow you in your sin, Bat-El has said the posterity of the House of Omri shall be brought to an end."

King Jehoram grew angry and ordered Elisha to depart from his presence forever.

Then Jehoram made alliance with Ahaziah, the son of his sister Athaliah. And Ahaziah was chieftain of the tribe of Judah. He gave battle at Ramoth-gilead to take back the city from Aram even as his father tried to do, but he was soundly defeated. Following the retreat of his army Jehoram was assassinated by General Jehu at Jezreel.

Jehu led a revolt and slew all the male descendants of Omri and Ahaziah in a great slaughter. Jezebel the widow of Ahab he also ordered to be killed by her own eunuch attendants. Jehu then entered the palace at Samaria and declared himself to be king.

Jehu caused the golden calf at Beit-El to be torn down, and the cult of priests that served the idol were put to death. Never again while the kingdom of Samaria endured would the city of Beit-El be disfigured by idolatrous images.

King Jehu reigned for twenty-eight years but during his reign he was ever assailed by the Arameans in all the lands held by the children of Israel east of the river Jordan. Therefore to gain an ally Jehu paid tribute to the Assyrians in the form of silver, gold, a golden bowl, a golden vase with pointed bottom, golden tumblers, golden buckets, tin, a staff for a king and many spears.

Jehoahaz the son of Jehu ascended to the throne in Samaria upon the death of his father and reigned for seventeen years. But King Jehoahaz permitted the people to erect a pillar to the goddess Asherah in Samaria.

And Jashen of the B'nei Elohim, the herald of God Most High, came before Jehoahaz and said the pillar to Ahsherah in Samaria was exceedingly wicked in the eyes of Bat-El, who would certainly mete out chastisement even as he had done to the kings of Samaria before him. But King Jehoahaz waxed full of wrath. He ordered Jashen to depart from his presence and the king did not tear down the pillar.

After that the Aramean king Hazael assailed Samaria. In battles beyond count the army of Jehoahaz was steadily reduced to fifty horsemen, ten chariots and just ten thousand infantrymen. Yet the heart of the king was hardened, and the pillar of Asherah was not torn down.

Joash the son of Jehoahaz ascended to the throne in Samaria upon the death of his father and reigned for sixteen years. He tore down the piller to Asherah in the capital city and made an end to all idolatry in the kingdom.

Then Adad-Nirari III, king of the Assyrians, marched with his chariots and armies to the great sea in the west. He erected a statue of his lordship in the city of Sidon, which is in the midst of the sea.

He received two thousand talents of silver, one thousand talents of copper, two thousand talents of iron, and three thousand linen garments with multicolored trim. All of these were tribute of Mari of the land of Damascus. He also received the tribute of King Joash the Samarian.

When Amaziah the chieftain of the tribe of Judah set up the idols of the Edomites in Jerusalem Joash advanced on that city. God Most High himself caused a portion of the city wall to crumble. King Joash carried off the Temple treasury and took Amaziah the Judahite chieftain prisoner.

And the idols of the Edomites were also carried off to Samaria. King Joash ordered them to be stacked in the lowest level of the palace and he set a guard upon them, lest the Judahites retrieve them once more and fall into their grievous sin against God Most High.

Jeroboam II ascended to the throne in Samaria upon the death of his father and reigned for forty-one years. During his reign the tribe of Judah acclaimed Uzziah as their own king, as it did not suit them that their brother Joash, even one of the children of Israel, should assail the temple as though he were one of the foreign kings.

And a decree went out from King Jeroboam to number Samaria. It was reported back to the king that the men of the kingdom able to hold a sword numbered more than three and ninety thousands, with their wives and men-children and maid-children and servants many more besides.

In battle Jeroboam prevailed over the Arameans. He took possession of Damascus, Lodebar, and Karnaim, and he extended the boundaries of Samaria from Hamath on the river Orontes. King Jeroboam took the whole Jordan valley to the Red Seat.

But King Jeroboam did not give glory to God Most High for his good fortune. He removed the idols of the Edomites from the depths of the palace and ordered them set up throughout the city of Samaria, thinking it was they who had caused him to prevail on the field of battle.

Then a prophet from the city of Tekoa named Amos came before the king and said he had caused the children of Israel to sin by setting up the idols of the Edomites. "Two years are appointed that you may act to remove the abominations from the sight of God Most High. Failing that, at the end of the two years a great earthquake shall smite many."

But Jeroboam grew full of wrath and sent Amos out from his presence, and he did not remove the idols of the Edomites from their shrines in the city. When the two years had passed a great earthquake struck the kingdom, such as had never been known before, and forty thousand were slain.

Yet King Jeroboam did not remove the idols of the Edomites, and he restored the shrines that had been smitten of God Most High in the earthquake. Then Amos came before the king once more and said Yahweh had decreed the kingdom would be ripped from the hands of Jeroboam's son and be given to another.

Zachariah the son of Jeroboam ascended to the throne in Samaria upon the death of this father, but he only reigned for six months before an officer of his army named Shallum son of Jabesh assassinated him and took the throne for himself.