TCE1

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 Michael of the B’nei Elohim, a servant of God Most High, came before Elah and gave commandment to pull down the golden calf lest his reign be cut short, but Baasha sent Michae 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 Michael 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 Bat-El to anger, for he walked in the ways of Jeroboam and did not remove the golden calf at Beit-El. And Gabriel 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 children 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 Ithuriel and the prophets who came before him.

Then 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 idolatrous practices 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 Bat-El alone.

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.

Queen Jezebel grew tired of the insolence of this Elijah and convinced her husband 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.

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.

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 Bat-El and allow the people to choose which would be their god.

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 called for jugs of water and completely dowsed his bull. Then Eylon 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 Bat-El 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 Bat-El 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, and 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, a servant 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 Bat-El 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.

But King Shallum did not tear down the shrines of the idols of the Edomites in Samaria. Then Kushiel of the B’nei Elohim, a servant of God Most High, came before the king

And Kushiel said, “Because, O King, you have permitted this great offense against Bat-El to remain in Samaria, that the children of Israel are led to sin by worshiping the idols of the Edomites, Bat-El shall make a quick end of your rule in the kingdom and give the throne to another.”

And Shallum waxed full of wrath. He ordered Kushiel to depart from his presence, and this Kushiel did. Then Kushiel went to the cities of the tribe of Ephraim and chose from among them five righteous men who had never performed worship at the shrines of the idols of the Edomites in Samaria.

And the names of the righteous Ephraimites were Jalon and Kenaz and Haran and Millo and Shechaniah.

And Bat-El brought to the mind of Elyon remembrance of the covenant he made when the father of the Israelites was yet living in the household of his own father, Yishak.

Bat-El said the time had come when he would settle families of the children of Israel in Kemen. But Elyon said by the covenant Bat-El was constrained to settle them in Haaretz west of the Wall of God.

So Kushiel led the five righteous Ephraimites with their wives to the north and east of Haaretz and brought them to a cool vale between Shaula Wood and the very face of the Wall of God.

Jalon knew his wife, and begat Salathiel and Mehullam and Ibnijah, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Kenaz knew his wife, and he begat Harim and Malchiah and Jimnah, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Haran knew his wife, and he begat Pashur and Esli and Buzi, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Millo knew his wife, and he begat Ohad and Rizpah and Raham, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Shechaniah knew his wife, and he begat Hasrah and Jonadab and Mahazioth, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

The same Ephraimites founded the city of Hadal, and in the fulness of time this city became the capital of the kingdom of Nath.

King Shallum reigned only thirty days before another officer of Zachariah’s army, Menachem son of of Gadi, rose up and smote him in his turn. And Menachem took the throne of Samaria for himself. But the men of Tiphsah did not give assent that Menachem should be king.

So Menachem smote that city, the coasts thereof, and put all inhabitants to the edge of sword, slaying even the women were heavy with child.

And King Menachem heard a report that Anael of the B’nei Elohim was seen in the city. So he tore down the shrines of the idols of the Edomites, and caused them to be melted down. Then Menachem had Anael brought before his throne in Samaria.

And the king said to Anael, “Behold, the idols of the Edomites are no more. Bless you, then, my reign, in the name of God Most High that I may live long and lead the people into all righteousness.”

But Anael said, “Bat-El has said, O King, that a great evil was carried out in Tiphsah, even to the slaying of women who were with child. Now Judah has become the apple of God’s eye, and God Most High has sworn to have nothing further to do with the king who rules from this city.”

Then Menachem waxed in wrath, and ordered Anael to depart from his presence. So Anael went to the cities of the tribe of Manesseh and chose from among them five righteous men who had never performed worship at the shrines of the idols of the Edomites in Samaria.

And the names of the righteous Manessehites were Bashemath and Abihud and Ishiah and Imlah and Ithiel.

Bashemath knew his wife and begat Eder and Ahishamar and Shammah, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Abuihud knew his wife and begat Raphi and Anah and Hezion, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Ishiah knew his wife and begat Zephi and Jerah and Harhas, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Imlah knew his wife and begat Alemeth and Henadad and Zidon, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Ithiel knew his wife and begat Hassenaah and Pahath and Hori, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

The same Manessehites built Menkant in the valley of the upper Sabik between Mount Rasal and Mount Menkant. Their settlement grew to become the leading city among the tribes in the south of Haaretz. In time these became the kingdom of Hamar.

And Menachem exacted a head tax of fifty shekels upon every male in Samaria that he might give tribute to King Tiglat of Assyria. He reigned for ten years in Samaria, and his son Pekahiah ascended to the throne upon his death.

Pekahiah reigned for two years before word came to him that Elin, a nephil of the B’nei Elohim and a servant of God Most High, was seen in the city. The king gave commandmnent this Elin should appear before his throne.

And Pekahiah said, “Behold, Menachem who sinned against God Most High has been dead these two years, and I have not walked in his ways, neither have I set up idols that the children of Israel may be led into sin. Give to me the blessing of Bat-El, therefore, that the people may prosper in the face of our foes the Aramites and the armies of Damascus.

But Elin said, “As Anael said to Menachem, “God Most High has vowed to have nought to do with the king in Samaria, and Bat-El’s vows are without repentance.”

Then Pekahiah waxed greatly in wrath, and taking a spear he thought to smite Elin, but even as his arm drew back with the spear he fell in a faint, and Elin departed from the presence of the king.

Then Pekah of Gilead, the son of Remaliah and the king’s chief lieutenant in the army, slew Pekiahiah as he lay before the throne of Samaria, and Pekah took that throne for himself and became king.

Then Elin went among the people of the tribe of Gad to find five righteous men who never prostituted themselves with the idols of the Edomites. And the names of these righteous men were Jeush and Manahath and Bedad and Shebna and Shimei.

Jeush knew his wife and begat Jedaiah and Anathoth and Joatham, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Managhath knew his wife and begat Shillem and Haggith and Ludim, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Bedad knew his wife and begat Mehetabeel and Ishbak and Zaccur, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And knew his wife and Shebna begat Jehudi and Zeruiah and Chelal, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Shimei knew his wife and begat Amasa and Jephunneh and Elisham, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

The same Gadites built the city of Kabark on a plain in Kemen that lacked for water. They built a mighty work of stone to dam the river Armak and dug many canals and ditches to water their farms from the lake that formed behind the dam. And their fields and orchards became the envy of Haaretz.

King Pekah made alliance with King Rezin of Aram, and marched on Jerusalem to levy troops of King Ahaz of Judah to turn against Tiglat of Syria, but they did not prevail.

Then Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglat king of Syria begging for succor, and with them sent he also in tribute much silver and gold from the temple, and from the king’s own treasury. Then the Assyrians sacked Damascus and added the lands of Aram to their own territory. And King Rezin was executed,.

And King Tiglat assailed all the land of the tribe of Naphtali, and carried the people thereof captive to Syria. Then a party favorable to Assyria appeared in Samaria, with Hoshea, an officer of Pekah’s army, as its leader.

In the twentieth year of King Pekah word came to him that a nephil of the B’nei Elohim, a servant of God Most High named Beleth, was abroad in the land of Samaria, and he demanded that che appear before the throne to give account of hez doings in his kingdom.

And Beleth said she was about an errand appointed by Bat-El himself, and it had naught to do with the king in Samaria. Neither did Beleth speak a word to the king of the nature of hez errand.

Then Pekah waxed greatly in wrath, and ordered his servants to put Beleth in prison, but no sooner did he pronounce this doom then was a loud report heard by all who dwelt in the palace, and the king was no more, but his smoking bones and entrails lay strewn about.

Then Beleth departed from the palace, and none dared hinder hem. And King Tiglat himself appointed Hoshea as king over the people of Samaria, and he received from him ten talents of gold and a thousand talents of silver and had these brought to his capital.

But Beleth went among the tribe of Naphtali that was in exile under the Assyrians and found of them five righteous men who never worshiped the idols of the Edomites. And those men were named Jehozadak and Semachiab and Huppim and Jehiel and Maath.

Jehozadak knew his wife and begat Hoshaiah and Toah and Paruah, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Senmachiab knew his wife and begat Pelatiah and Athaliah and Giddalti, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Huppim knew his wife and begat Maadai and Jehoadah and Pelaliah, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Jehiel knew his wife and begat Jeuel and Arodi and Halohesh, and he begat other sons and daughters besides. And Maath knew his wife and begat Bariah and Hasshub and Azaz, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

The same Naphtalites built the city of Wazol at the very source of the river Sabik, and the stone Wall of God fairly loomed over it four vertical miles. There the Catwalk of legend touched bottom. The mines of Wazol offered much iron ore, as well as the coal to smelt it.

Hoshea paid tribute to Assyria every year while King Tiglat lived. And when reports came to him that Michael of the B’nei Elohim, a seraph of God Most High, was walking abroad in Samaria, King Hoshea did not demand Michael appear before his throne in the capital.

And Michael went to the lands of the tribe of Zebulin, and found among them five righteous men who had never worshiped the idols of the Edomites. And these men were Abdiel and Azaiah and Kabzeel and Imrah and Epher.

And Adbeel knew his wife and begat Mahali and Kittim and Gedaliah, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Azaiah knew his wife and begat Erran and Jeramee and Lehabim, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Kabzeel knew his wife and begat Letushim and Jonan and Rinnah, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Imrah knew his wife and begat Shiphi and Tabrimon and Eliab, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Epher knew his wife and begat Serug and Zehtam and Tiras, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

The same tribe of Zebuluin settled Kemen far up the vale of the river Nanki on the road leading north from the Saiph League. There caravans transferred their goods to rafts fashioned from logs felled from the endless forests of pine blanketing the foothills of the Wall of God.

When King Tiglat died his son Shalmaneser attained to the throne. Then King Hoshea of Samaria sent ambassadors before the Pharoah in Egypt, and he ceased paying the yearly tribute.

But nothing came to fruit after King Hoshea’s overtures to Egypt. Much chastened, the king offered to resume paying the tribute, but Shalmaneser refused, and gave battle, and took Hoshea captive in war. Shalmaneser’s armies laid seige to Samaria and took possession of the city after three years.

And the nephil Gabriel of the B’nei Elohim, a servant of God Most High, found five righteous men from among the tribe of Issachar who had never prostituted themselves before the idols of the Edomites. These men were Shaphat and Abishai and Jaazaniah and Habaziniah and Gemalli.

Shaphat knew his wife and begat Binnui and Salah and Heth, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Abishai knew his wife and begat Michri and Ezer and Gallim, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Jaazaniah knew his wife and begat Madai and Zabad and Ahasai, and he begat other sons and daughters besides. And Habaziniah knew his wife and begat Joed and Jaalam and Berachah, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Gemalli knew his wife and begat Zeror and Ahilud and Naarah, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

The same Issacharites built the city of Adjara on the western edge of Shaula Wood. It became a great crossroads in the land of Haaretz and the center of a weaponscraft that rivaled that of the Black Beards in Adan. And they set about to build a temple to God Most High after the manner of the house of God in Jerusalem.

King Shalmaneser was assassinated by his half-brother Sargon with the support of the foremost generals of the army, as Shalmaneser’s seiges were deemed too long and fruitless. The army was withdrawn from Samaria to consolidate the king’s position in the capital city of Nimrud.

And Leliel of the B’nei Elohim, a servant of God Most High, went among the cities of the tribe of Reuben to find five righteous men who never prostituted themselves with the idols of the Edomites. And these men were Mattathah and Bichri and Hothir and Asarelah and Mahlah.

Mattathah begat Gilon and Eliphal and Azrikam, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Bichri begat Kareah and Ahikam and Pethuel, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Hothir begat Abiud and Eliadah and Shebuel, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Asarelah begat Jeremai and Tabeal and Malcham, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Mahlah begat Anath and Geber and Raamah, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

The same Reubenites built the city of Mizal near Mount Naruthah, but the lee of the uplands was dry and impoverished. Ever the Reubenites struck north against the Red Beards of Linan for the rich fruit of the orchards round about that city, and they stole much cattle. At length the Reubenites prevailed and took possession of the city.

King Sargon set eunuchs as governors of the provinces of Syria, that succession should not be a matter of blood. And he resolved to end the military matters left standing by his predecessor.

And Jashen of the B’nei Elohim, a servant of God Most High, went among the cities of the tribe of Dan to find five righteous men who never prostituted themselves with the idols of the Edomites.

And the five Danite men were Pethor and Zabud and Abiram and Shamer and Ahumai.

Pethor knew his wife, and begat Shisha and Zehtan and Elionai. And he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Zabud knew his wife, and begat Teman and Immer and Josibiah, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Abiram knew his wife, and begat Abiah and Kadmiel and Paseah, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Shamer knew his wife, and begat Jediael and Zobebah and Korah, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Ahumai knew his wife, and begat Zeziuah and Azzan and Sadoc, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

The same Danites built the city of Fatho at the foot of the Wall of God where many natural caves lay. The Danites delved deep with pick and spade to reap precious stones and much gold.

King Sargon laid siege Samaria and recaptured the capital city. Twenty-seven thousand two hundred and ninety people dwelling in the midst of the city and in the land all about were carried off captive. And Sargon chose fifty of the best chariots for himself and distributed the rest among his army.

Then Sargon appointed a general over the remaining people of the land of Samaria and collected the taxes of Hoshea their former and final king.

And Asrael of the B’nei Elohim, a servant of God Most High, was sent among the captives of the tribe of Ashur to find five righteous men who never prostituted themselves to the idols of the Edomites. These men were Ziphion and Ebed and Zuar and Akkub and Shubael.

Ziphion knew his wife, and begat Abdiel and Shobal and Ithran, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Ebed knew his wife, and begat Nabal and Gera and Baladan, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Zuar knew his wife, and he begat Bimhal and Hodoviah and Seled, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Akkub knew his wife, and he begeat Shaul and Zabiel and Noadiah, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

And Shubael knew his wife, and he begat Jeduthun and Mallothi and Saruch, and he begat other sons and daughters besides.

The same Ashurites settled at the midpoint of the river Nanki where it tumbled over a series of cataracts that would dash any cargo-carrying rafts to splinters. They portaged the goods to new rafts made from the same logs sent individually down sluices to below the falls.

By order of the Assyrian king the people of the tribes of Dan, Asher, Zebulun, Issachar, Gad, Reuben, and half of Manasseh were relocated to lands far to the east. The planning for the move took longer than the march and the execution was without flaw.

None marched under the lash, and many even went willingly. The children of Israel were a lettered people, even to the boys among them, and the Assyrians had need of them in the governance of their empire.

The exiles built new homes in locations chosen such that when the time came for their sons to find wives it was more likely they would find a foreign man’s daughter rather than a daughter of their fellow exiles. None were compelled to intermarry, yet many of them did.

Twelve years later Sargon completed the conquest of Samaria. The remaining people of Manesseh and all of Ephraim were exiled to Medea. At the same time captives from other lands were settled in the lands once occupied by the children of Israel Only the tribes of Simeon, Benjamin, Judah, and Levi remained in the south. But many of the children of Israel who would not go into exile escaped from Samaria to Judah. After that the kingdom of Judah waxed strong even as the kingdom of Samaria once did.