Was it a Syro-Ephraimite War?

Abstract

Abstract 2Kings 16:5 describes a siege, laid by Rezin king of Aram-Damascus and Peqah son of Remalia king of Israel, on the Judean capital Jerusalem in the days of Ahaz son of Jotham king of Judah. This siege is known in the research literature as the ›Syro-Ephraimite war‹, named so after the two allies who joined forces against Judah: Aram-Damascus, located in Syria, and Israel, whose power base is traditionally identified with the central hill country of Mount Ephraim. The aim of this short paper is to question the appropriateness of the name given to this war and specifically the power structure it represents. It does so by examining regional power relations and the local Israelite power structure at the time, as well as relevant terminological conventions. This examination sheds new light on Israel’s power base at the time, and produces two more suitable options for naming this biblical event, by identifying the real political power structure and by bringing Judah into the picture.