IOACHAZ. – King of Israel, Iehu (v.), who reigned for 17 years (815–799 B.C.). This was a period of extreme humiliation for Israel, under the continual pressure of the kings of Syria.
It is not known which battles were fought between I. and the Aramaeans; it is known only that Israel was left with scarcely a small garrison of approximately 50 horsemen, 10 war chariots, and 10,000 infantrymen (II Reg. 13:7): a veritable catastrophe, which was followed by political subjugation. Indeed, we read that throughout that time God delivered the Israelites into the power of Hazael, king of Syria, and his son Benadad III (ibid. 13:3). Hazael was able to cross the territory of Israel freely and advance southward as far as attacking the kingdom of Judah and threatening Jerusalem itself, and he withdrew only after the king of Judah, Ioas, sent him rich gifts (II Reg. 12:17 ff.). But when I. implored Yahweh, “the Lord gave Israel a liberator, who rescued it from the yoke of Aram and restored tranquillity and freedom to it” (II Reg. 13:4–6).
Who this liberator was is not stated; various hypotheses have been advanced on the matter. Some think of I.’s son, Ioas; others of the second successor, Ieroboam II (v.), who would thus be mentioned in chronological anticipation; still others of the Assyrian king Adad-nirâri III (805–782 B.C.), who, through his victorious campaigns against Damascus, freed Israel from Aramaean pressure. It seems more likely that those words refer to a counteroffensive begun in the final years of King I. himself and then continued successfully by his successor Ioas, and even more so by Ieroboam II. A counteroffensive made possible by the Assyrian king’s action against Damascus.