Egypt
Judah
Israel
Syria/
Phoenicia/
Trans-Jordan
Assyria/Babylonia
Ahaziah 852-851 1 Kgs 22:51-2 Kgs 1:18 fell to his death
Ascension of Elijah 2 Kgs 2:1-25
Amman Citadel Inscription (Ammonite) 9c COS 2.24; p. 139 The god Milcom
speaks about a temple or the citadel itself
Amman Citadel
Jehoshaphat fights Moab with Joram of Northern Kingdom 2 Kings 3
Jehoram--(married to Athaliah, daughter of Ahab) 851-843/42 2Kgs 8:16-24//2 Chr 21:2-20
Edom (SE) and Libnah (W) gained their independence 2 Kgs 8:20-22//2 Chr 21:8-10
Joram 851-842/41 2 Kgs 3:1-8:15
Elisha 2 Kgs 3:13-8:15
Elohist source in the Pentateuch (date contested)
Joram and Jezebel were killed by Jehu
Bir-Hadad II of Damascus 844-842 (killed by Hazael)
Hazael of Damascus 844-800. Mentioned on ivory piece from Nimrud and on Zakkur stela (see below).
Storm god on ivory from Arslan Tash
Ahaziah killed by Jehu 843/42-
842/41 2 Kgs 8:25-9:29//Chr
22:1-22:9
Jehu 842/41-815/14 2 Kgs 9:1-10:36
Tel Dan inscription [of Hazael?] mentions his killing of [Jeho]ram son of [Ahab] king of Israel and [Ahaziah] son of [Jehoram ki]ng of the House of David COS 2.39; pp. 161-162. In 2 Kings 9-10 Jehu kills these two kings
Athaliah 842/41-835 2 Kgs 11:1-20//2 Chr 22:10-23:21
kills many members of royal household; deposed and killed in bloody coup
Tribute of Jehu to Shalmaneser III 841
Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III
Black Obelisk 828-827 BCE COS 2.113F, pp. 269-270 Click here for text. ANET 278-281
Jehu kneels before Shalmaneser III:
"Jehu the son of Omri"
Marduk-zakir-shumi
of Babylon (right) and Shalmaneser III
(left) enact a
peace pact
Kurba'il Statue-COS 2.113E, p. 268 839-838 mentions attack on Hazael and tribute of Jehu the man of Bit Humri. Click here for text.
Calah Bulls COS 2.113C, pp. 266-267 mention Jehu. Click here for text.
Marble slab COS 2.113D, pp. 267-268 mentions Jehu. Click here for text
Sheshonq III 825-773 (837-798)
Sheshong IV 798-785
Pami 785-778
23. Dynasty 818-715
Pedubastis I Theban king 818-793
Iuput I 804-783 Theban king
Joash 842/1-802/1
2 Kgs 11:21-12:21//2 Chr 24:1-27 (hidden by
Jehosheba, sister of Ahaziah; her husband [?] Jehoiada put Joash on the
throne); Joash was assassinated by his servants
Ashyahu inscription: Just as Ashyahu (Joash) commanded you to give by the hand of Zechariah silver of Tarshish to the House of Yahweh. Three sheqels. 9-7c, COS 2.50; pp. 174-175
Ashyahu
Inscription
According to a 2005 Israeli indictment, this inscription is
a forgery. It has previously been authenticated by some of the
world's premier epigraphers. Some date it to the time of Josiah.
Joash paid tribute to Hazael after he had conquered Gath 2 Kgs 12:17-18
New Joash Inscription (forgery?)
Click thumbnail for bigger image
...son of Ahaziah. And I made the...in the land and in the desert and in all the cities of Judah to make the silver of the holy things much to acquire hewn stone and cypresses and bronze of Edom to do the work in faithfulness and I worked on the damage to the temple and the walls round about and the side chambers and the lattices and the staircases and the ledges and the doors and this day will be a statute because the work prospered. May YHWH ordain blessing for his people. Translation by Peter Williams of Tyndale House, Cambridge
Tell Fekheriye inscription, Hadad-Yith`i, late 9c, COS 2.34; pp. 153-154 Assyrian and Aramaic writing.
Hadad-Yith`i
Hazael Booty Inscriptions, 2nd half of 9c, COS 2.40; pp. 162-163 The god Hadad gave Hazael success
Melqart Inscription 9c COS 2.33; pp. 152-153 Bir-hadad, son of Atarhamek, probably not from Damascus but from Arpad; made a vow to Melqart (god of Tyre). Late 9th, early 8th century
Assyria:
Shamshi-Adad V 823-811 married to Semiramis ANEP 442
4 campaigns against Babylon
Shamshi-Adad V
Marduk-balassu-iqbi, king of Babylon 818-813 taken to Nineveh
and flayed by Shamshi-Adad V
Baba-aha-iddina 812 Babylonian king
Melqart Inscription
Jehoahaz 819-804/3 2 Kgs 13:1-9
Samaria besieged by Aram
Kilamuwa
Kilamuwa
Inscription, COS 2.30; pp. 147-148 ca. 830-820 BCE. ANET
500-501, 654-655
Kilamuwa,
from state of Sam'al (south-central Turkey), claims to surpass his
predecessors; paid king of Assyria to drive off another king.
Kilamuwa (Kulamuwa) inscription
Adad-Nirari III 810-783; his mother was Semiramis
ANEP
444
COS 2.114; pp. 272-277
Saba'a Stela COS 2.114 E, pp. 274-275 ANET 282 797 or later. Marched to Hatti and Damascus
Assyrian Eponym Canon--805-732: COS 1.136; pp. 465-466
Sheshonq VI Theban king 783-777
Osorkon III Theban king 777-749
Osorkon III
25. Dynasty (Napatans--
Kushites) 780-656
Alara 780-760
Pimay (Pimiu) 773-767
Amaziah assassinated at Lachish 805/04-776/75 2 Kgs 14:1-20//2 Chr 25:1-28
defeats Edom; defeated and taken captive by Jehoash
Jehoash 805-790
2 Kgs 13:10-25
Tribute of Jehoash the Samarian to Adad-nirari III 796
Defeats Arameans and
attacks Jerusalem; captured Amaziah
Elisha dies
2 Kgs 13:14-21
Kuntillet `Ajrud: I [Joash] bless you by Yahweh of Samaria and by his "asherah."
inscription found in n. e. Sinai Pithos A
COS 2.47A, p. 171 9/8 c.
Pithos B
COS 2.47B, 171-172
Ben-Hadad III followed Hazael (2 Kgs 13:3-5--the Lord provided a deliver = Adad-nirari III); defeated three times by Jehoash; recovered towns that Jehoahaz had lost to the Arameans 2 Kgs 13:25.
Zakkur king of Hamath and Luaš, 800 BCE, ANET 501-502, 655-656; COS 2.35; p. 155 Baal-shamayn (who made me king over Hadrach) spoke to me through seers and diviners (Do not be afraid! I made you king and I will stand with you); also refers to iar Hadad son of Hazael = Ben Hadad 2 Kgs 13:3.
Zakkur stela
Adad-Nirari III defeated Hazael's son Ben-Hadad; received tribute from Jehoash of Israel in 796
Adad-Nirari from Tell Rimah temple
Tell Al Rimah Stela. Mentions Joash the Samarian and "mari" = Ben-Hadad III, son of Hazael. Click here for text. COS 2.114F, pp. 275-276
Calah Orthostat Slab. Click here for text. COS 2.114G, pp. 276-277; ANET 281-282 mentions defeat and taxatiion of the land of Humri (Israel)
Defeated Arameans in 802
Takelot III (23) 754-734
Kashta (25) 760-747
The Late Period 25th - 30th Dynasties
25. Dynasty -- Kushite (Nubian) kings from Sudan rule as pharaohs at Memphis
Piye (Piankhy-Piye) 747-716 great campaign to achieve domination in
Nile valley
Victory Stela of King Piye COS 2.7, pp. 42-51
Amun enthroned; Piankhi standing
(Peftjauawybast) 747-716 Nubian dynasty
Azariah/Uzziah 788/87-736/35 2 Kgs 14:21-22; 15:1-7//2 Chr 26:1-23
Defeated Philistines and Arab tribes
Abiyaw the servant of Uzziah
Shebnaiah the servant of Uzziah
Uzziah fought with Tiglath-pileser III in 743 ANET 282-283
"Hither were brought the bones of Uzziah king of Judah.
Do not open." Dates from time long after Uzziah
Jotham 758/57-742/41 2 Kgs 15:32-38//2 Chr 27:1-9
Inscribed "To Jotham"
found at Tell el-Khefeileh
(Ezion-geber?)
Jeroboam II 790-750/49 2 Kgs 14:23-29
Belonging to Shema the servant of Jeroboam (II)
Samaria Ostraca 8 c (more than 100) ANET 321
An ostracon from Samaria
Balaam Inscription from Tell Deir 'Alla
800 BCE COS 2.27, pp. 140-145
vision of divine assembly
1 Chr 5:17 census of Transjordan
Samaria ivories
Amos ca. 760
Hosea ca. 750-725
Zechariah 750/49 2 Kgs 15:8-12
(6 months; assassinated by Shallum; end of Jehu dynasty)
Shallum 749 2 Kgs 15:13-15 (one month; assassinated by Menahem)
Menahem 749-38 2 Kgs 15:16-23
Tribute of Menahem the Samarian to Tiglath-pileser III 740, 738 2 Kgs 15:19 ANET, 283
Aramaean regions in 9-8c
Tiglath-pileser III receives homage
Tiglath-pileser III
Assyrian troops
attack a city
Assyrian campaigns
in 9-8 centuries
Sefire Treaty between Barga'yah, king of KTK and Mati-ilu, king of Arpad mid 8 c. Mati-ilu had earlier made treaty with Ashur-Nirari V ANET 503-504, 659-661; COS 2.82; pp. 213-217
Shalmaneser IV Assyrian king 783-773 COS 2.116; pp. 283-284
Refers to campaign of Šamši-ilu, commander-in-chief,
against Hadiyani of Damascus
Šamši-ilu conducts victorious campaign against Argishtu, king of Urargtu
COS 2.115A, p. 278
Ashur-Dan III
772-755
A solar eclipse took place on June 15, 763, in the
eponymy of Bur-Sagala--crucial for chronological calculations
Babylon: Eriba-Marduk 770
Nabu-shuma-ishkun, king of
Babylon 760-748
Ashur-Nirari V
754-745 -treaty with Mati-ilu, who appears in Sefire Treaty
Nabu-nasir (Nabonassar), king of Babylon 747-734
Neo-Babylonian Chronicle 1
Tiglath-pileser III (Pul) Assyrian king 745-27
ANET 282-284; ANEP 366,
445; COS 2.117A-117G; pp. 284-292
Campaign against Hamath, Damascus, Tyre, Byblos, and Samaria 738
Click here for text of his inscriptions mentioning Israel
Pulu was his throne name when he became king of Babylon in 729
Osorkon IV (= So? = Kitchen) 730-15 sent commander-
in-chief to assist Gaza against Sargon in 720
Prenomen of Osorkon IV
Rudamun (23) 734-731
Iuput II (23) 731-720
24. Dynasty at Sais in western delta 727-715
Tefnakhte 727-720 (= "So" in 2 Kgs 17:4)
Ahaz 742/41-726 2 Kgs 16:1-20//2 Chr 28:1-27
Belonging to Ahaz, [son of] Jehotham, king of Judah
Belonging to Ushna, the servant of
Ahaz
Isaiah
Ahaz (Jehoahaz the Judean) sends tribute to Tiglath-pileser III (first Judean king mentioned in Assyrian Annals; cf. Tell Dan and Ashyahu Inscriptions) ANET 282
Pekahiah 738-736 son of Menahem 2 Kgs 15:23-26; assassinated by Pekah
Pekah 750?-732/31 2 Kgs 15:27-31
Syro-Ephraimite War (allied
with Rezin)
deposed by Tiglath-pileser III "They overthrew their
king Pekah and I (Tiglath-pileser) set Hoshea as king over them" and assassinated by Hoshea.
Hanunu, king of Gaza, fled to Egypt in 734.
Drawing of Bar-rakib
Hoshea 732/31-722 2 Kgs 17:1-6 ANET 284 (confirmed on throne by
Tiglath-pileser III)
refused to pay tribute to Shalmaneser V
Belonging to Abdi the servant of Hoshea.
Zinjirli = Sam'al off NE coast of Mediterranean Sea
Panammu I = Hadad Inscription, mid 8c, COS 2.36; pp. 156-158
Rezin, (Rakhianu) king of Damascus; killed by Tiglath-pileser III 2 Kgs
16:9
Panammu II
(died 735-32) Inscription COS 2.37; pp. 158-161 (mentions Tiglath-pileser
III and benefits of serving Assyrian king). Died in battle
supporting Tigalath-pileser III
Barrakib, son of Panammu II 733-732 COS 2.38, pp. 160-161 ANET 501, 655; ANEP 281, 460;
Picture
of Bar-rakib above, inscription below
Panammu II died fighting for Tiglath-Pileser III
Tiglath-pileser's campaigns
Tiglath-pileser's deportations
Campaign against Tyre and Gaza 734
Campaign against Tyre, Damascus (Rezin), and Israel (Pekah) 733
Babylon: Nabu-nadin-zeri 733-732
Nabu-shuma-ukin II 732 assassinated his predecessor; ruled one month
Damascus (Hazael) captured; Israel loses Gilead, Galilee, and Dor, which became Assyrian provinces 732
Nabu-mukin-zeri 731-729 deposed his predecessor. At the end of his reign Tiglath-pileser III ascended the throne of Babylon. Neo-Babylonian Chronicle 1
Osorkon IV supported Gaza revolt 720
Egyptians defeated at Raphia
Sent tribute to Sargon II
Hezekiah 726-697/96 2 Kgs 18:1-20:21//2 Chr 29:1-32:33
Hezekiah
(Israeli data on this king)
Belonging to Hezekiah, [son of] A[haz], king of Judah
Khirbet el-Qom inscription COS 2.52; p. 179 Blessed was Uriyahu, O Yahweh, and from his enemies, by his asherah, he saved him.
Ashdod revolt, under Aziru, supported by Judah, opposed by Isaiah (chap 20)
Defense wall in Jerusalem
lamelek jar handle with mention of "Mamshit." Others of
2,000 examples refer to Hebron, Ziph, and Sokoh
Beersheba altar dismantled in Hezekiah's reform
"Belonging to the temple of Yahweh, holy to the
priests"--probably a forgery
Creator of the Earth Ostracon; COS 2.49, 174
Drawing of Hezekiah (?) from Ramat Rachel
Conquest of Samaria 722
Second attack on Samaria and exile of inhabitants 720 ANET 284-285
27,290 captured
Court Order from Samaria COS 3.122; pp. 270-271 repayment of a loan for work animals--shows mixed population of Samaria. 2 Kgs 17:24, 29-30
Ishtar Seal from Shechem
dating destruction to 724
Sargon II besieges Ekron
Sargon, followed by an attendant, before Ashur
Sargon (L) Sennacherib (R)
Sargon Stela Ashdod
Sargon and vizier
Sargon II
Nimrud Inscription: "I
brought into Samaria
people from countries
conquered by my hands."
Iaubi'di, king of Hamath, revolted vs. Sargon II in 720
711 Assyria crushed rebellion in Ashdod led by Aziru, Akhimetu, and
Yamani (possible Judean involvement; ANET 287)
Shalmaneser V 726-722 Assyrian king
Babylonian Chronicle COS 1.137; pp. 467-468; ANET 30-307 For text of mention of Samaria click here.
Incirli Stela
website
Sargon II 722-705 ANET 284-287
"I led away as prisoners
27,290 inhabitants of [the town of the Samarians]." Called "the
conqueror of Samaria and all the land of Beth Omri."
Ascension of Sargon mentioned in Babylonian Chronicle
ANEP 446;
Coronation Hymn COS 1.141; pp. 472-473
COS 2.118A-118J; pp. 293-300 Click
here for the text of his inscriptions
mentioning Israel and Judah ("conqueror of Judah which is far away")
Sargon stela from
Ashdod
deposed "usurper of Samaria and the whole land of the house of Omri." Bull Inscription
714 pillaged sanctuaries of Urartu
Maduk-apla-iddina II 721-710 (Merodach-baladan), king of Babylon ANEP 454 2 Kgs 20:12-19; Isaiah 39
Merodach-Baladan and his smaller vassal
Revolt of Syria, Samaria, and Gaza suppressed; defeat of Egyptians at Raphia 720
710 Assyria under Sargon II captured Babylon and forced Merodach Baladan
II into exile Neo-Babylonian Chronicle 1
New capital at Dur Sharrukin (Khorsabad); Sennacherib moved capital to Nineveh
Overall plan
Egypt
Judah
Israel
Syria/
Phoenicia/
Trans-Jordan
Assyria/Babylonia