Taylor Prism
(Sennacherib Hexagonal Prism)
Does this record of
Sennacherib's war campaigns mention Hezekiah the Judahite?
This beautifully preserved six-sided hexagonal prism of baked clay, commonly known as the Taylor Prism, was discovered among the ruins of Nineveh, the ancient capital of the Assyrian Empire.
It contains the victories of
Sennacherib himself, the Assyrian king who had besieged Jerusalem in
701 BC during the reign of king Hezekiah, it never mentions any
defeats. On the prism Sennacherib boasts that he shut up "Hezekiah
the Judahite" within Jerusalem his own royal city "like a caged
bird." This prism is among the three accounts discovered so far
which have been left by the Assyrian king Sennacherib of his
campaign against Israel and Judah. British Museum. The Taylor Prism
discovery remains one of the most important discoveries in Biblical
Archaeology.
Interesting note: Egyptian sources make mention of Sennacherib’s
defeat in the conflict with Judah, but gives the credit for the
victory to an Egyptian god who sent field mice into the camp of the
Assyrians to eat their bowstrings and thus they fled from battle.
(See 2 Kings 19; 2 Chronicles 32 and Isaiah 37)
"Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria: 'He shall not come into this city, Nor shoot an arrow there, Nor come before it with shield, Nor build a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, By the same shall he return; And he shall not come into this city,' Says the LORD. 'For I will defend this city, to save it For My own sake and for My servant David's sake.'" Then the angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses--all dead. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh." Isaiah 37:33-38
Material - Baked Clay
Neo Assyrian (Reign of Sennacherib)
Language: Akkadian (Cuneiform)
Text: Records the first 8 campaigns of King Sennacherib
Date: 691 BC
Dates of Sennacherib's reign: 701–681 BC
Height: 38.5 cm
Width: 16.5 cm (max.)
Width: 8.57 cm (faces)
Depth:
Nineveh, northern Iraq
Excavated at Nebi Yunus
It was acquired by Colonel Taylor and Sold to the British Museum in
1855
Location: British Museum, London
Item: ANE 91032
Room: 69a, Temporary Displays
Biblical Reference: 2 Kings 18:13-19:37; Isaiah 36:1-37:38
British Museum Excerpt
The Taylor Prism
Neo-Assyrian, 691 BC
From Nineveh, northern Iraq
Recording the first 8 campaigns of King Sennacherib (704-681 BC)
This six-sided baked clay document (or prism) was discovered at the
Assyrian capital Nineveh, in an area known today as Nebi Yunus. It
was acquired by Colonel R. Taylor, British Consul General at
Baghdad, in 1830, after whom it is named. The British Museum
purchased it from Taylor's widow in 1855.
As one of the first major Assyrian documents found, this document
played an important part in the decipherment of the cuneiform
script.
The prism is a foundation record, intended to preserve King
Sennacherib's achievements for posterity and the gods. The record of
his account of his third campaign (701 BC) is particularly
interesting to scholars. It involved the destruction of forty-six
cities of the state of Judah and the deportation of 200,150 people.
Hezekiah, king of Judah, is said to have sent tribute to
Sennacherib. This event is described from another point of view in
the Old Testament books of 2 Kings and Isaiah. Interestingly, the
text on the prism makes no mention of the siege of Lachish which
took place during the same campaign and is illustrated in a series
of panels from Sennacherib's palace at Nineveh.
The British Museum
For the Oriental Institute Prism of Sennacherib refer to the Free Bible article.
List of Assyrian Kings
Assur-nasipal II (885-860 B.C.) A cruel warrior king, he made Assyria into the most fierce fighting machine of ancient world.
Shalmaneser II (860-825 B.C.) he was the first Assyrian king to come into conflict with Israel. King Ahab fought against him, and king Jehu paid him tribute.
Shansi-adad (825-808 B.C.) Assyria in decline
Adad-nirari (808-783 B.C.) Assyria in decline
Shalmaneser III (783-771 B.C.) Assyria in decline
Assur-dayan (771-753 B.C.) Assyria in decline
Assur-lush (753-747 B.C.) Assyria in decline
Tiglath-pileser III (Pul) (747-727 B.C.) He carried the Northern Kingdom of Israel into captivity.
Shalmaneser IV (727-722 B.C.) He besieged Samaria and died during the siege.
Sargon II (722-705 B.C.) He completed the destruction of Samaria and the captivity of Israel.
Sennacherib (705-681 B.C.) He was the most famous of the Assyrian kings, he mentions the name of Hezekiah on his prism. His army was defeated at the gates of Jerusalem by the Angel of the Lord. He also conquered Babylon.
Esar-haddon (681-668 B.C.) He rebuilt Babylon and conquered Egypt. He was one of Assyria's greatest kings.
Assur-banipal (668-626 B.C.) He destroyed the Thebes in Egypt and collected a great library, innumerable clay tablets were found.
Assur-etil-ilani (626-607 B.C.) It was under his reign that the Assyrian Empire fell.
Assyrian annals mention contacts with some ten Hebrew kings: Omri, Ahab, Jehu, Menahem, Hoshea, Pekah, Uzziah, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Manasseh.
Related Pages:
Lachish in Easton's Bible Dictionary
Biblical Archaeology: Assyria
Archaeology of Ancient Assyria - Archaeological Discoveries
Ancient
Near East - Images and Art
Free Bible - Fallen Empires (Biblical Archaeology)
Bible History Links - Ancient Near East : Art & Images
Free Bible - Ancient Art
Assyria and Bible Prophecy - Timeline of Events
Ancient History Timeline
The Destruction of Israel - Kings of Israel, Judah and Assyria
Archaeology of Ancient Assyria - Khorsabad
Timeline 800 - 700 BC
The Assyrians
The Captivity
Archaeology of Ancient Assyria - Calah
Ancient Babylonia - Nimrud
Archaeology of Ancient Assyria - Austen Henry Layard
Archaeology of Ancient Assyria - Ancient Assyria
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Calah
Ancient Sketches