Judah's Rise: An Omride Investment

The great kingdom of Judah was basically a startup funded by its biggest rival. For centuries,

Jerusalem was just a small highland town, not the glorious capital people imagine.

Then, suddenly, it boomed into a major power. So what’s the missing

link? Archaeology points to the 9th century BCE. The real power player

back then wasn't Judah, but the northern kingdom of Israel under the Omride

dynasty. They were the regional superpower. Instead of conquering Judah,

the Omrides propped it up as a client state, helping them build cities and control

valuable trade routes. This northern "investment" is what kickstarted Judah's journey to statehood.