Drew Holland Men of the Bible 11/29/2017 The Neo-Assyrians Drew Holland Men of the Bible 11/29/2017

Need to differentiate the colors Orange: Assyria Light Green: Adad-nerari Will explain more about the other areas as we go

Notable Neo-Assyrian Kings Adad-Nirari: 912-891 Shalmaneser III: 859-824 Tiglath-Pilesar III: 745-727 Shalmaneser V: 727-722 Sargon II: 722-705 Sennacherib: 705-681 Essarhaddon: 681-669 Adad-Nerari was the one who expanded the Assyrian empire after the collapse of greater powers like Mittani and Hatti The rest of these kings are mentioned in the book of Kings Finally finished off by the Babylonians in about 608 BC

We begin with Shalmaneser III Black obelisk of Shalmaneser (in British Museum) Note the Art at the top and cuneiform below; art would have spoken to illiterate (including the king!)

This is one of the pieces of art inscribed at the top Shows Jehu kneeling to Shalmaneser III Accompanying inscription that tells of Jehu rendering tribute Oddly 2 Kgs 10 omits this story and Jehu is actually a somewhat celebrated Israelite king

Shalmaneser III From Pakaruhbuni I departed, I approached the towns of Mutalli from Gurgume. I received the tribute of Mutalli from Gurgume (to wit): silver, gold, large and small cattle, wine (and) his daughter with her big dowry. From Gurgume I departed and I approached Lutibu, the fortress town of Hani from Sam’al. Hani from Sam’al, Sapalulme from Hattina, Ahuni, man of Adini, Sangara from Carchemish put their trust on mutual assistance, prepared for battle and rose against me to resist. I fought with them (assisted) by the mighty power of Nergal, my leader, by the ferocious weapons which Ashur, my lord, has presented to me, (and) I inflicted a defeat upon them. I slew their warriors with the sword, descending upon them like Adad when he makes a rainstorm pour down. In the moat (of the town) I piled them up, I covered the wide plain with the corpses of their fighting men, I dyed the mountains with their blood like red wool. I took away from him many chariots (and) horses broken to the yoke. I erected pillars of skulls in front of his town, destroyed his (other) towns, tore down (their walls) and burnt (them) down. Part of the inscription, showing how violent this guy and other n-Assyrian kings were; makes Joshua look tame Joshua 6: They burned down the city, and everything in it; only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. But Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, Joshua spared. 

Under him, now have expanded into the brown areas (Lebanon, northern Syria, Phoenicia); does not include vassal (like Israel)

Tiglath-Pilesar III Israel (lit.: “Omri-Land” Bît Ḫumria) … all its inhabitants (and) their possessions I led to Assyria. They overthrew their king Pekah (Pa- qa-ḫa) and I placed Hoshea (A-ú-si-’) as king over them. I received from them 10 talents of gold, 1,000(?) talents of silver as their [tri]bute and brought them to Assyria. Parallel to 2 Kgs 16 Also exacted payment from Ahaz Now we turn to Tiglath-pilesar III (about 80 years later) This inscription parallels what we have in 2 Kgs 16, in which Ahaz seeks support from Tiglath-pilesar against Israel and Aram; offers a burnt offering for Tiglath-pilesar as a sign of unity

Pink area shows reign of T-P, can see how much n-A has expanded

Shalmaneser V & Sargon II 722 BCE destruction of Samaria Sargon II finished what Shalmaneser V began after the latter’s mysterious death Inscription of Sargon II found in which he describes himself as “Conqueror of Samaria” 2 Kgs 17:1-18 restated in 2 Kgs 18:9-12

Now expanded to blue area, including right up to Jerusalem

Sennacherib’s Siege of Jerusalem In-depth description in 2 Kgs 18-19 2 Kgs 19:35-37: 35 That very night the angel of the Lord set out and struck down one hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians; when morning dawned, they were all dead bodies. 36Then King Sennacherib of Assyria left, went home, and lived at Nineveh. 37As he was worshipping in the house of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with the sword, and they escaped into the land of Ararat. His son Esar- haddon succeeded him.

Sennacherib’s Siege of Jerusalem As to Hezekiah, the Jew, he did not submit to my yoke, I laid siege to 46 of his strong cities, walled forts and to the countless small villages in their vicinity, and conquered (them) by means of well-stamped (earth-) ramps, and battering-rams brought (thus) near (to the walls) (combined with) the attack by foot soldiers, (using) mines, breeches as well as sapper work. I drove out (of them) 200,150 people, young and old, male and female, horses, mules, donkeys, camels, big and small cattle beyond counting, and considered (them) booty. Himself I made a prisoner in Jerusalem, his royal residence, like a bird in a cage. I surrounded him with earthwork in order to molest those who were leaving his city’s gate. His towns which I had plundered, I took away from his country and gave them (over) to Mitinti, king of Ashdod, Padi, king of Ekron, and Sillibel, king of Gaza. Thus I reduced his country, but I still increased the tribute and the katrû-presents (due) to me (as his) overlord which I imposed (later) upon him beyond the former tribute, to be delivered annually. Hezekiah himself, whom the terror-inspiring splendor of my lordship had overwhelmed and whose irregular and elite troops which he had brought into Jerusalem, his royal residence, in order to strengthen (it), had deserted him, did send me, later, to Nineveh, my lordly city, together with 30 talents of gold, 800 talents of silver, precious stones, antimony, Now the neo-Assyrian view of what happened

The Seige of Lachish

After Esarhaddon, Elam, Ammon, Moab, Edom, Lower (really upper After Esarhaddon, Elam, Ammon, Moab, Edom, Lower (really upper!) Egypt added (Memphis) Asshurbanipal added Upper Egypt (Thebes) Jerusalem miraculously hangs on, but is experiencing its own troubles with Egypt

The Hezekiah Coin Most recent find against the minimalist position is this coin Reads: “Belonging to Hezekiah, Ahab, king of Judah”