Scenes From the Promised Land
Samaria—Capital Among Northern Capitals
BABYLON, Nineveh, and Rome. They were capital cities in Bible times. Yet, Biblically speaking, aside from Jerusalem itself, the most noteworthy capital was likely not one of them but, rather, Samaria. For about 200 years, it was the capital of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel, and many prophetic messages focused on Samaria. But what do you know of Samaria? And why was it a capital among northern capitals?
Referring to the map, recall some history after ten Israelite tribes broke from Jehovah’s king and temple at Jerusalem. Jeroboam, who led in forming the northern kingdom, reigned briefly from Shechem, on the north-south mountain route. Jeroboam later moved his capital to Tirzah, which was at the head of Wadi Far‛ah. A route from the Jordan Valley passed Tirzah and joined the mountain road. Did you know that Tirzah was the capital of the ten-tribe kingdom during the reigns of Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, and even Omri?—Genesis 12:5-9; 33:17, 18; 1 Kings 12:20, 25, 27; 14:17; 16:6, 15, 22.
After six years, though, Omri created a new capital. Where? He purchased the mountain you see to the left, Samaria. (1 Kings 16:23-28) Though it now has abundant terraces for agriculture, Omri likely chose it because the flat-topped hill jutting up from the plain was easily defended. His son Ahab continued building Samaria, evidently extending its fortifications with thick walls. He also built a temple to Baal and a palace for himself and his Phoenician wife, Jezebel. Excavations have revealed the ruins of Ahab’s palace, shown on the next page. That palace was known for luxury and exceeding wickedness. (1 Kings 16:29-33) Picture the prophet Elijah climbing to this city and walking the broad road to the palace, there to denounce Ahab’s Baal-centered evil.—1 Kings 17:1.
In 1910 archaeologists found there potsherds with writing on them, recording wine and olive-oil shipments or taxes paid. But many of the personal names on them had the component baʹal. It may be of interest to you that archaeologists also discovered fragments of ivory inlay or panels, as shown here. Remember that 1 Kings 22:39 long ago mentioned that Ahab built a “house of ivory.” Perhaps this included furniture with carved ivory inlays, such as the splendid “couches of ivory” that the prophet Amos referred to a century later. (Amos 3:12, 15; 6:1, 4) Among the motifs on them were winged sphinxes and other symbols from Egyptian mythology.
Mention of Ahab and Jezebel may bring to your mind how they died. Ahab lost his life in a foolish war with Syria. When his chariot was washed out near “the pool of Samaria . . . the dogs went licking up his blood,” true to Elijah’s word. (1 Kings 21:19; 22:34-38) Queen Jezebel was thrown to her death from a palace window. Was it from this palace in Samaria? No. Ahab also had a palace up north in the valley of Jezreel. He coveted the nearby vineyard of Naboth. From the height of that palace, watchmen looking eastward saw Jehu riding furiously up the valley. And there the former queen of Samaria splattered to her horrible but justified end.—1 Kings 21:1-16; 2 Kings 9:14-37.
While Samaria continued as a capital, it did not have God’s approval or blessing. Rather, it displayed rivalry and hostility toward his capital to the south, Jerusalem. To no avail, Jehovah sent many prophets to warn Samaria’s rulers and its people about their idolatry, immorality, and disrespect for his laws. (Isaiah 9:9; 10:11; Ezekiel 23:4-10; Hosea 7:1; 10:5; Amos 3:9; 8:14; Micah 1:1, 6) So in 740 B.C.E., Samaria was called to account, being devastated by the Assyrians. Many of its people were taken away captive, and they were replaced with foreigners.—2 Kings 17:1-6, 22-24.
Later, especially in the time of Herod the Great, the Greeks and the Romans restored some prominence to Samaria. So even Jesus and the apostles were familiar with this capital among northern capitals.—Luke 17:11; John 4:4.
[Map on page 16]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
Jezreel
Tirzah
Samaria
Shechem
Jerusalem
Jordan River
[Credit Line]
Based on a map copyrighted by Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est. and Survey of Israel.
[Picture Credit Line on page 16]
Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.
[Picture Credit Lines on page 17]
Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.
Garo Nalbandian
Inset: Israel Department of Antiquities and Museums; photograph from Israel Museum, Jerusalem