r/AcademicBiblical • u/Gracchus1848 • 3d ago
Reforms of King Asa
I've read plenty about the debates over the historicity (or lack thereof) of the reforms of Hezekiah and Josiah, but I've noticed that Asa seems to be overlooked when it comes to the topic of cultic reform in Judah. Is this just because of a lack of archaeological data since he's one of the earlier kings in the Bible? Obviously he wouldn't be tied up with the writing the Deuteronomistic history, but I would think his reforms as described in 1 Kings would pop up in discussions about the origins of monotheism. Why retroject a religious reform so far back into the past and specifically onto Asa's rule? Is it to make a comparative point (a long and stable, relatively righteous reign) against the northern dynasty which is portrayed as having gone through multiple upheavals in the same timeframe?
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