ABSTRACT
Under Uzziah in Judah and Jeroboam II (786-746 BCE) in Israel, the nation prospered for the next forty years. Uzziah repaired the fortifications in Jerusalem, reorganized the army, and equipped it with new weapons. He also instituted new agricultural methods and reopened parts of Solomon’s copper refineries on the Gulf of Aqaba. In the northern kingdom Jeroboam II constructed new buildings and engaged in international trade. As the nation grew richer, the people became more religious – they believed their wealth was a sign of God’s favour. Yet some dissenters thought that the quest for riches was incompatible with God’s covenant. According to some scholars, a new edition of Israel’s early history was written at this time as a reaction against such high living. This reflected northern traditions and emphasized the role of Moses. Many of these stories, they believe, came to form a part of the Hebrew Bible, particularly the books of Genesis and Exodus.
