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Obadiah, book of the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Obadiah, short prophetic book of the Bible. The prophet is otherwise unknown. The oracle which comprises this book dates from after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 b.c. The prop...

Sennacherib

(Encyclopedia)Sennacherib sĕnăkˈərĭb [key] or Senherib, d. 681 b.c., king of Assyria (705–681 b.c.). The son of Sargon, Sennacherib spent most of his reign fighting to maintain the empire established by his ...

Hazael

(Encyclopedia)Hazael hăzˈāĕl, həzāˈəl [key], fl. 840 b.c., king of Damascus; successor and murderer of Benhadad. In the Bible he appears as the ally of the party of Elisha in Israel and later as the conquer...

Jehoiakim

(Encyclopedia)Jehoiakim jēhoiˈəkĭm [key], in the Bible, king of Judah, son of Josiah. On Josiah's death his son Jehoahaz became king. However, Pharaoh Neco II dethroned him and set up another of Josiah's sons, ...

Jezreel

(Encyclopedia)Jezreel jĕzˈrēĕl [key] [Heb.,=God sows]. 1 City, ancient Palestine, in the plain of Esdraelon, halfway from Megiddo to the Jordan, and mentioned in the Bible. Situated on land allotted to Issachar...

Jeroboam I

(Encyclopedia)Jeroboam I jĕrəbōˈəm [key], in the Bible, first king of the northern kingdom of Israel. He was an Ephraimite and led a revolt against Solomon, inspired probably by the restlessness of N Palestine...

Molech

(Encyclopedia)Molech mōˈlŏk [key], Canaanite god of fire to whom children were offered in sacrifice; he is also known as an Assyrian god. He is attested as early as the 3d millennium b.c., although most known re...

Baasha

(Encyclopedia)Baasha bāˈāshə [key], king of Israel (c.900–877 b.c.). He made himself king by the murder of King Nadab and the royal family. His reign as king of the schismatic northern kingdom is assessed neg...

Rehoboam

(Encyclopedia)Rehoboam rēˌəbōˈəm [key], in the Bible, last king of the United Monarchy, first king of Judah, son of Solomon. Under him the northern tribes broke away from the rule of Jerusalem and set up a se...

Tiglathpileser III

(Encyclopedia)Tiglathpileser III, d. 728 b.c., king of ancient Assyria. He seems to have usurped the throne in 745 b.c. He bore the alternative name of Pul, by which he was known in biblical history (2 Kings 15.19)...