At this time, Israel and Judah lived peacefully, allowing both kingdoms to thrive and regain nearly all the land Solomon once controlled (see 2 Chronicles 26:6–15).
Lebo-hamath, mentioned in Egyptian and Assyrian records, was about forty-five miles north of Damascus in the Beqa‘ Valley. Jeroboam’s conquests show the northern kingdom’s military strength. Israel defeated the Arameans because Aram was weakened by Adad-nirari III of Assyria's earlier conquests.
Jonah is the well-known prophet who predicted Nineveh's destruction but felt disappointed when God spared its repentant people (Jonah 3:3–4:3).