Israelite Captives from Lachish

This sculptured wall relief was excavated at ancient Nineveh and illustrates the fall of Lachish by the army of king Sennacherib of Assyria. He drove the inhabitants into captivity. Sennacherib was later routed at Jerusalem by the Angel of the Lord, he had captured 36 cities.  

This real historical picture of the Hebrew Captives from Lachish is an amazing discovery in Biblical Archaeology because it is a clear testimony that God does not show partiality and when His people rebelled against Him, He allowed them to be taken away from His presence and deported to Assyria. This wall relief is now in the British Museum.

"Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them."  Isaiah 36:1-2

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.