2 Kings 15:19 - "And Pul the king of Assyria came against Israel: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand."
The Old Testament - A Brief Overview
The Assyrians
Assyria was a kingdom located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers that dominated the ancient world from the ninth century to the seventh century B. C. Its capital was Nineveh. In stature the Assyrians were of average modern European height, and were powerfully built. Their complexion was dark, the nose prominent, the hair, eyebrows, and beard thick and bushy. They rarely intermarried with neighboring peoples.
The early inhabitants of Assyria were ancient tribesmen (Gen. 10:22) who probably migrated from Babylonia. They grew powerful enough around 1300 B. C. to conquer Babylonia. For the next 700 years they were the leading power in the ancient world, with their leading rival nation, Babylon, constantly challenging them for this position.
The ancient city of Ashur (west bank of the Tigris)
Assyrian policy was to deport conquered peoples to other lands within the empire, to destroy their sense of nationalism, and break any pride or hope of rebellion and replace them with strangers from far away. Assyrians were great warriors. Most nations at that time period were looters, building their state by robbing other nations. Assyria was the most ferocious of them all. Their very name became a byword for cruelty and atrocity. They skinned their prisoners alive, and cut off various body parts to inspire terror in their enemies. There is records of Assyrian officials pulling out tongues and displaying mounds of human skulls all to bring about stark horror and wealthy tribute from surrounding nations. Nowhere are the pages of history more bloody than in the records of their wars.
Assyrian scribes recording the number slain
Assyrian king putting out the eyes of
an enemy king and leading the officials
into captivity with hooks in their lips
The ruins of Nineveh
On the east bank of the Tigris river lay massive mounds of ruins where there stood the splendid capital city of the Assyrians with its great palaces and buildings. There is record of Alexander the Great, when he was near Nineveh, not recognizing that it once was the center of the great Assyrian empire.
The religion of the Assyrians, much like that of the Babylonians, emphasized worship of nature. They believed every object of nature was possessed by a spirit. The chief god was Asshur. All other primary gods whom they worshiped were related to the objects of nature. These included Anu, god of the heavens; Bel, god of the region inhabited by man, beasts, and birds; Ea, god of the waters; Sin, the moon-god; Shamash, the sun-god; and Ramman, god of the storms. These gods were followed by five gods of the planets. In addition to these primary gods, lesser gods also were worshiped. In some cases, various cities had their own patron gods. The pagan worship of the Assyrians was vehemently condemned by several prophets of the Old Testament (Is. 10:5; Ezek. 16:28; Hos. 8.9)Here is a list of most of the later kings of Assyria (885-607 B.C.):
Assur-nasipal II (885-860 B.C.)Shalmaneser II (860-825 B.C.)
Shansi-adad (825-808 B.C.)Adad-nirari (808-783 B.C.)
Shalmaneser III (783-771 B.C.)Assur-dayan (771-753 B.C.)
Assur-lush (753-747 B.C.)Tiglath-pileser III (Pul) (747-727 B.C.)
Shalmaneser IV (727-722 B.C.)Sargon II (722-705 B.C.)
Sennacherib (705-681 B.C.)Esar-haddon (681-668 B.C.)
Assur-banipal (668-626 B.C.)Assur-etil-ilani (626-607 B.C.)
Assyrian annals mention contacts with some nine Hebrew kings: Omri, Ahab, Jehu, Menahem, Pekah, Uzziah, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Manasseh.Because of the cruelty and paganism of the Assyrians, the Hebrew people harbored deep-seated hostility against this nation. This attitude is revealed clearly in the Book of Jonah. When God instructed Jonah to preach to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, Jonah refused and went in the opposite direction. After he finally went to Nineveh, the prophet was disappointed with God because He spared the city. 150 years later The prophet Nahum spoke against Assyria indicating that they were ripe for the slaughter.
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Table of Contents
The Story of the Bible
- The Old Testament
- Quick Summary
- About
- Divisions
- Timeline
- Charts
- Maps
- Creation
- Adam and Eve
- The Flood
- The Tower of Babel
- Abraham the First Hebrew
Isaac, Son of Promise
- Jacob and the 12 Tribes
- Joseph and Egypt
- Moses and the Exodus
- The Giving of the Law
- The Tabernacle
- The Wilderness Wanderings
- Joshua and the Promised Land
- The Judges
- Samuel the Prophet
- Saul, Israel's First King
- King David
- King Solomon
- The Divided Kingdom
- The Northern Kingdom of Israel
- The Southern Kingdom of Judah
- The Assyrian Captivity
- The Babylonian Captivity
- The Return From Babylon
- The Prophets
- The Messiah
- Conclusion
- Bibliography and Credits
Summary of the Old Testament Books
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
- Joshua
- Judges
- Ruth
- Samuel
- Kings
- Chronicles
- Ezra
- Nehemiah
- Esther
- Job
- Psalms
- Proverbs
- Ecclesiastes
- Song of Solomon
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Lamentations
- Ezekiel
- Daniel
- Hosea
- Joel
- Amos
- Obadiah
- Jonah
- Micah
- Nahum
- Habakkuk
- Zephaniah
- Haggai
- Zechariah
- Malachi
Read the Old Testament Stories
Bibliography Resources on the Old Testament
- A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, Revised and Expanded by Archer, 508 Pages, Pub. 2007
- The Old Testament: A Historical, Theological, and Critical Introduction
- Introducing the Old Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey
- A Survey of the Old Testament
- An Introduction to the Old Testament: Second Edition
- Old Testament Theology
- A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the Old Testament: The Gospel Promised
Old Testament Charts to Help with the Study of the Bible
- Old Testament Books
- Old Testament Books in English Order
- Old Testament Books in Hebrew Order
- Old Testament Books - Hebrew Meanings
- Divisions of the Old Testament
- Timeline of the Pentateuch
- Adam and Eve, a Type of Christ and the Church
- The Table of Nations in Genesis 10
- Lifespans in Genesis
- The Lineage of Christ in Genesis
- The Family Tree of Esau
- The 12 Tribes of Israel
- Joseph, A Type of Christ
- The Encampment of Israel
- The Hebrew Calendar of Months
- The 7 Feasts and God's Calendar
- The Feasts and Festivals of Israel
- Scriptures and Procedures of the Feasts
- Chapters, Verses, and Words in the Old Testament
- Miracles in the Old Testament
- Parables in the Old Testament
- Gentile Nations in the Old Testament
- The Servant of the LORD, Israel and the Messiah
- The Distinction Between Kings and Chronicles
- The Judges who Delivered Israel
- The Royal House of David
- The Kings of Israel
- The Kings of Judah
- Chronology of Israel and Judah's Kings and Prophets
- Chronology of the Prophets
- Messages of the Prophets
- Kings of the Assyrian Empire
- Kings of the Babylonian Empire
- Kings of the Persian Empire
- Cuneiform Inscriptions with Names of Foreign Kings
Main Menu
- Ancient Assyrian Social Structure
- Ancient Babylonia
- Ancient Canaan During the Time of Joshua
- Ancient History Timeline
- Ancient Oil Lamps
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- Archaeology of Ancient Assyria
- Assyria and Bible Prophecy
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- Fallen Empires - Archaeological Discoveries and the Bible
- First Century Jerusalem
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- High Priest's in New Testament Times
- Jewish Literature in New Testament Times
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- Map of David's Kingdom
- Map of the Divided Kingdom - Israel and Judah
- Map of the Ministry of Jesus
- Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
- Messianic Prophecy
- Nero Caesar Emperor
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- Paul's First Missionary Journey
- Paul's Second Missionary Journey
- Paul's Third Missionary Journey
- Pontius Pilate
- Questions About the Ancient World
- Tabernacle of Ancient Israel
- Tax Collectors in New Testament Times
- The Babylonian Captivity
- The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser
- The Books of the New Testament
- The Court of the Gentiles
- The Court of the Women in the Temple
- The Destruction of Israel
- The Fall of Judah with Map
- The History Of Rome
- The Incredible Bible
- The Jewish Calendar in Ancient Hebrew History
- The Life of Jesus in Chronological Order
- The Life of Jesus in Harmony
- The Names of God
- The New Testament
- The Old Testament
- The Passion of the Christ
- The Pharisees
- The Sacred Year of Israel in New Testament Times
- The Samaritans
- The Scribes
Ancient Questions
- How did the ancient Greeks and Romans practice medicine and treat illnesses?
- What were the major contributions of ancient Babylon to mathematics and astronomy?
- How did the ancient Persians create and administer their vast empire?
- What were the cultural and artistic achievements of ancient India, particularly during the Gupta Empire?
- How did ancient civilizations like the Incas and Aztecs build their remarkable cities and structures?
- What were the major trade routes and trading practices of the ancient world?
- What was the role of slavery in ancient societies like Rome and Greece?
- How did the ancient Mayans develop their sophisticated calendar system?
- What were the key events and significance of the Battle of Thermopylae in ancient Greece?
- What was life like for women in ancient Rome?
Bible Study Questions
- The Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV): Historical Significance, Translation Methodology, and Lasting Impact
- Exploring the English Standard Version (ESV): Its Aspects, Comparisons, Impact on Biblical Studies, and Church Use
- A Detailed Historical Analysis of Language Updates in the KJ21: Comparison with Other Versions
- A Detailed Historical Analysis of the American Standard Version (ASV): Comparison to the King James Version, Influence on Later Translations, and Evaluation of Strengths and Weaknesses
- A Detailed Historical Analysis of Amplifications in the Amplified Bible (AMP) and Its Comparison to Other Bible Translations
- Detailed Historical Analysis of the Amplified Bible Classic Edition (AMPC): Examples of Amplifications and Comparative Analysis with Other Bible Translations
- Theological Implications of the BRG Bible's Color-Coding System: A Comparative Analysis
- The Christian Standard Bible (CSB): An In-Depth Analysis
- The Geneva Bible: Theological Distinctives, Impact on English Literature, and Role in Bible Translation History
- Exploring the Common English Bible (CEB): Translation Methodology, Church Use, and Comparative Analysis
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