Syro-Ephraimite War

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Syro-Ephraimite War
Date 736–732 BCE Location Levant Result Judahite-Assyrian victory Territorial changes Much of Levant annexed by Assyrian Empire; Judah becomes a tributary state
Belligerents
Neo-Assyrian Empire Kingdom of Judah	Kingdom of Aram-Damascus Kingdom of Israel
Commanders and leaders
Tiglath-Pileser III Ahaz of Judah	Rezin of Aram-Damascus Pekah of Israel

The Syro-Ephraimite War was a conflict which took place in the 8th century BC between the Kingdom of Judah and an alliance of Aram-Damascus and the Kingdom of Israel based in Samaria.^[1] In 735 BC, kings Rezin of Aram-Damascus and Pekah of Israel, attempted to depose king Ahaz of Judah through an invasion. Judah was defeated and, according to 2 Chronicles 28, lost 120,000 troops in just one day. Many significant officials were killed, including the king's son Maaseiah. Many others were taken away as slaves. Telling of the same war, 2 Kings 16:5 states that Rezin and Pekah besieged Jerusalem but failed to capture it. During the invasion, the Philistines and Edomites were taking advantage of the situation and raiding towns and villages in Judah. In turn, Ahaz asked Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria for help.^[2]

The Assyrians intervened on behalf of Judah, conquering Israel, Aram-Damascus and the Philistines. However, the post-war alliance only brought more trouble for the king of Judah. Ahaz had to pay tribute to Tiglath-Pileser III with treasures from the Temple in Jerusalem and the royal treasury. He also built idols of Assyrian gods in Judah to find favor with his new ally.