Editing Jeroboam II (section)

===Earthquake in Israel c. 760 BC===
A major earthquake had occurred in Israel c. 760 BC, which may have been during the time of Jeroboam II, towards the end of his rule. This earthquake is mentioned in the [[Book of Amos]] as having occurred during the rule of "Jeroboam son of [[Jehoash of Israel|Jehoash]]".<ref>Bible [[Amos 1:1]]</ref>

Geologists believe they have found evidence of this big earthquake in sites throughout [[Israel]] and [[Jordan]].<ref name=aff>Steven A. Austin, Gordon W. Franz, and Eric G. Frost, "Amos's Earthquake: An Extraordinary Middle East Seismic Event of 750 B.C." ''International Geology Review'' 42 (2000) 657–671.</ref> Archeologists [[Yigael Yadin]] and [[Israel Finkelstein]] dated the earthquake level at [[Tel Hazor]] to 760 BC based on stratigraphic analysis of the destruction debris.<ref>Y. Yadin, ''Hazor, the Rediscovery of a Great Citadel of the Bible'' (New York: Random House, 1975). I. Finkelstein, "Hazor and the North in the Iron Age: A Low Chronology Perspective," ''Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research'' 314 (1999) 55–70. Both are cited in Austin et al., "Amos's Earthquake," 658.</ref> Similarly, [[David Ussishkin]] arrived at the same date based on the "sudden destruction" level at [[Lachish]].

According to Steven A. Austin, the magnitude of this earthquake may have been at least 7.8, but more likely as high as 8.2. "This magnitude 8 event of 750 B.C. appears to be the largest yet documented on the [[Dead Sea]] transform fault zone during the last four millennia."<ref>Austin, S. 2010. [http://www.icr.org/article/scientific-scriptural-impact-amos-earthquake/ The Scientific and Scriptural Impact of Amos' Earthquake.] ''Acts & Facts''. 39 (2): 8–9.</ref>

The epicenter of this earthquake may have been 200–300&nbsp;km north of present-day Israel.

Multiple biblical references exist to this earthquake in the [[Book of Amos]],<ref>Bible {{bibleverse|Amos|3:14|KJV}}, {{bibleverse-nb|Amos|6:11|KJV}}, {{bibleverse-nb|Amos|8:8|KJV}}, {{bibleverse-nb|Amos|9:1|KJV}}</ref> and also in Zechariah 14:5.<ref>Bible [[Zechariah 14:5]]</ref>

Recent excavations by [[Aren Maeir]] in ancient [[Gath (city)|Gath]] have revealed evidence of a major [[earthquake]].

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"Based on the tight stratigraphic context, this can be dated to the mid-8th cent. BCE" ...<ref>[http://gath.wordpress.com/2010/07/28/view-of-philistine-temple-and-amos-earthquake/ View of Philistine temple and "Amos" earthquake] The Tell es-Safi/Gath Excavations Weblog - July 2010</ref>
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