Jewish Prisoners Playing the Lyre

Assyrians Mocking Jews by Making Them Sing

This sketch is from an actual discovery in the ruins of ancient Assyria, and shows Jewish prisoners being led away through a thick forest in the mountains. The Assyrian soldier is carrying a club, with bow and arrows. Notice the Hebrews have long tunics with bare feet, and one of them has his head uncovered. The distinct Jewish features are the peculiar haircut and short, thick beards. The Bible reveals that the Jews were compelled to play the Lyre as they were carried away. Notice also the Assyrians boots. The boots are reminiscent of the words of the Hebrew prophet Isaiah, 'the stamping warriors boot' relating to the ultimate destruction of all who would come against God's people (Isaiah 9:5). Notice what it says about horses and chariots of the Assyrians: Jeremiah 47:3 - At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong [horses], at the rushing of his chariots, [and at] the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to [their] children for feebleness of hands;

For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
- Psalm 137:3

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

Where can we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria: and how shall we escape?
- Isaiah 20:6