CHRONOLOGY OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL AND JDDAH. 267 



of Beiihadad I, contemporary with Omri, succeeded by liis son 

 Benhadad IT, contemporary with Ahab. The King of Damascus 

 from tlie 6th to the 14th year of Shahnaneser is called Dad- 

 idri (Hadadezer) and is almost certainly identified with 

 Benhadad II. Between him and Israel for the three years 18- 

 20 Ahab these was " peace " and alliance ; at the extreme end of 

 the 3 years Ahab fought by the side of Dad-idri at the battle 

 of Qar-qar; they were defeated by Shalmaneser in his 6th year. 

 The alliance between Dad-idri and Ahab was thus broken, and 

 that same year Ahab was slain at Eamoth Gilead in fight with 

 his former ally. In the biblical narration, so far as it is taken 

 from the story of Elijah and Elisha, Benhadad II is not mentioned 

 by name : but there is no question as to which " King of Syria " 

 is intended. In 11 Shalmaneser Dad-idri and other Kings of 

 the Khatti and sea coast were routed by the Assyrian King ; this 

 mast have taken place near about (perhaps immediately after) 

 the " war of the King of Syria against Israel," and the " siege 

 of Samaria by Benhadad " probably as retaliation by Assyria for 

 injury to his Israelitish vassal. In 14 Shalmaneser Dad-idri 

 and 12 Kings were again defeated, and we hear no more of him 

 in Assyrian annals or of Benhadad II. in the Bible. 



In 18 Shalmanezer Hazael of Damascus w^as defeated and 

 tribute received from the Tyrians, Sidonians, and " Jehu son of 

 Omri," evidently at his accession. I think that Jehu was not then 

 " compelled to submit " (as Schrader puts it) but simply 

 continued the vassalage of Joram. Hazael must have succeeded 

 Dad-idri between 14 and 16 Shalmaneser, and in the Bible we 

 find him and no other mentioned as contemporary with Jehu. 

 We next meet with Hazael fighting against Jehoash of Judah, 

 and receiving from him " treasures of the house of the Lord " 

 and gold from the King's house. This was probably in the time 

 of Samsi Eimmon. Jehoahaz was also contemporary with 

 Hazael, who died and was succeeded by Benhadad III, some- 

 where in the reign of Joash. Corresponding to this we find in 

 an Assyrian inscription of 10 Eimmon nirari that he received 

 tribute of the land Omri {i.e., of Joash) the Tyrians, etc., and 

 shut up in Damascus its King Masi. This king I take to be 

 the immediate successor of Hazael and identical with Benhadad 

 III. Hazael died in the reign of Jehoahaz and was succeeded by 

 Benhadad his son, who was king in the reign of Joash when he 

 recovered from him the cities which he had taken in the time of 

 Jehoahaz. There is no reason for a third king between Hazael 

 and Benhadad : and Masi of 10 Eimmon nirari in the time of 

 Jehoahaz, must be anterior to the Benhadad of the time of 



