Synopsis: During Neo-Assyria’s absence from the region, King Hazael of Aram-Damascus forges an Aramean Empire that extends to the borders of Egypt. “And Hazael said, ‘Why does my lord weep?’ He answered, ‘Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel. You will set on fire their fortresses, and you will kill their young men with the sword and dash in pieces their little ones and rip open their pregnant women.’” – 2 Kings 8:12, English Standard Bible Map of the Iron Age Near East: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Near_East.jpg Map of Iron Age Northern Syria: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Syria.jpg Map of Iron Age Southern Syria and Canaan: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/Map_Canaan.jpg Episode Images: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C21_Images.pdf References and Further Reading: https://audio.ancientworldpodcast.com/C21_References.pdf Please contact [email protected] if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices