[Pictures on page 6, 7]

Above: Three details taken from wall relief

Below: Drawing of Assyrian wall relief depicting siege of Lachish

[Credit Lines]

(Courtesy of The British Museum)

(From The Bible in the British Museum, published by British Museum Press)

An Arrogant Assyrian King

The palace at Nineveh contained over 70 rooms, having almost two miles [3 km] of walls. On these walls were the burned remains of sculptures commemorating military victories and other achievements. Most were badly damaged. Toward the end of his stay, however, Layard discovered one chamber in a remarkable state of preservation. On the walls was a display showing the capture of a well-fortified city, with captives being marched before the invading king, who was seated upon a throne outside the city. Above the king is an inscription that experts in Assyrian writing translate as follows: “Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria, sat upon a nimedu -throne and passed in review the booty (taken) from Lachish (La-ki-su).”

Today this display and inscription can be viewed in the British Museum. It agrees with the historical event recorded in the Bible at 2 Kings 18:13, 14: “In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib the king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and proceeded to seize them. So Hezekiah the king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying: ‘I have sinned. Turn back from against me. Whatever you may impose upon me I shall carry.’ Accordingly the king of Assyria laid upon Hezekiah the king of Judah three hundred silver talents and thirty gold talents.”