Jeroboam II"s reign of41years was the longest in Israel"s history (793-753 B.C.). For the first12of these years he was coregent with his father Jehoash. [1] He began ruling during the reign of Judah"s Jehoash, outlived Jehoash"s successor Amaziah, and died during the reign of Amaziah"s son Azariah (Uzziah). [source][source][source]
The writer, whose interests were primarily theological, passed over Jeroboam II"s significant political accomplishments. [source][source][source]
"The era of Jeroboam (northern kingdom) and Azariah (southern kingdom) would mark a significant change in the fortunes of God"s people. These would be days of unparalleled prosperity for the twin kingdoms, both economically (as attested by the Samarian Ostraca) and politically." [2][source]
Jeroboam II restored Israel"s borders to approximately what they had been in Solomon"s day and extended Israel"s influence over her neighbors to an extent unparalleled in the history of the Northern Kingdom. Hamath lay northeast of Israel, and the Sea of the Arabah was the Salt (Dead) Sea ( 2 Kings 14:25). The prophet Jonah had predicted Israel"s territorial extension. Hebrews , along with Hosea ( Hosea 1:1) and Amos ( Amos 1:1), ministered in Israel during Jeroboam II"s reign. Wiseman believed that Jonah visited Nineveh during the reign of Assur-dan III (772-755 B.C.). [3] Gath-hepher and Nazareth stood on the north and south sides respectively of the same Galilean hill ( 2 Kings 14:25). [source][source][source]2 Kings 14:26 means no one escaped from Israel"s previous national affliction in Jeroboam II"s day, neither servants nor free people. This probably means that everyone in Israel was suffering before Jeroboam II began to improve conditions. Damascus and Hamath belonged to Judah under Solomon ( 2 Kings 14:28) in the sense that he controlled them. [source][source][source]
Even though Jeroboam had a long and politically impressive career, spiritual conditions in his day were bad. The books of Hosea and Amos throw more light on this period of Israel"s history. Unfaithfulness and selfishness marked the people. For these reasons Yahweh sent very bitter affliction on Israel in Jeroboam II"s reign. Times of material prosperity have usually proved to be more difficult for God"s people to handle successfully than times of adversity. [source][source][source]
As Israel declined spiritually, God strengthened Assyria politically and militarily. The two periods of Israel"s greatest decline correspond exactly to the two periods of Assyria"s greatest growth, namely, during the Omride dynasty and shortly after Jeroboam II"s reign. This reflects precisely what God had said He would do if His people forsook Him ( Deuteronomy 28:1; Deuteronomy 28:25; Deuteronomy 28:43-44; Deuteronomy 28:49-57). One writer correlated Assyria"s rise to power with Israel"s apostasy. [4] The cause and effect relationship is unmistakable. [source][source][source]
"With the death of Jeroboam . . . the history of the northern state becomes a tale of unmitigated disaster. Her internal sickness erupting into the open, Israel found herself racked with anarchy at the very moment when she was called upon to face in resurgent Assyria the gravest threat of her entire history. Within twenty-five short years she had been erased from the map." [5][source]