The Assyrians were the inhabitants of a country that became a mighty empire (1) dominating the biblical Middle East from the ninth to the seventh century BC. They conquered an area that comprises what is now Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. In the seventh century BC, Assyria occupied and controlled the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The capital of Assyria was Nineveh (2), one of the greatest cities of ancient times. Excavations in Mesopotamia have confirmed the Bible's (3) description that it took three days' journey to go around this city (Jonah 3:3). The Assyrians were a fierce and cruel nation who showed little mercy to those they conquered (2 Kings 19:17).
 
760 BC Given the Assyrian threat against the Northern Kingdom of Israel (4), it is understandable that the prophet (5) Jonah (6) did not want to travel to Nineveh (Jonah 1:1-3). When he eventually arrived in the Assyrian capital, Jonah preached God’s (7) impending judgment. After hearing Jonah’s message, the king of Assyria (8) and the entire city of Nineveh repented, and God turned His anger away for a time (Jonah 3:10). The grace (9) of God was extended even to the Assyrians.
 
732 BC The Assyrians were a thorn in the side of Israel. Beginning in 733 BC (*) under King Tilgath-pileser (10), Assyria took the Northern Kingdom’s land and carried the inhabitants into exile (11) (2 Kings 15:29; 1 Chronicles 5:25-26). They have since been referenced as the "Ten Lost Tribes of Israel."
 
725 BC Later, beginning in 721 BC (**), the next Assyrian king, Shalmaneser V (12), besieged Israel’s capital, Samaria (13), and it fell three years later (2 Kings 18:9-12). This event fulfilled Isaiah’s (14) prophecy that God would use Assyria as the “rod of His anger” (Isaiah 10:5-19); that is, the Assyrian Empire was implementing God’s judgment against the idolatrous Israelites. The sovereign God takes full credit as the source of Assyria’s authority (compare Isaiah 7:18; 8:7; 9:11 and Daniel 4:17).
 
701 BC In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s (15) (sole) reign, the Assyrians under Sennacherib (16) took 46 of Judah’s fortified cities (Isaiah 36:1). Then they laid siege to Jerusalem (17); the Assyrian king engraved upon his stele (a) that he had the king of Judah (18) "caught like a caged bird" in his own country.
 
However, even though Sennacherib’s army occupied Judah up to the very doorstep of Jerusalem, and even though Sennacherib’s emissary Rabshakeh boasted against God and Hezekiah (Isaiah 36:4-21), Assyria was rebuffed. Hezekiah prayed, and God promised that the Assyrians would never set foot inside the city (Isaiah 37:33). God's Angel of the Lord (19) slew 185,000 of the Assyrian forces in one night (Isaiah 37:36; 2 Chronicles 32:21), and Sennacherib returned to Nineveh where he was slain by his own sons as he worshiped his god, Nisrok (Isaiah 37:38).
 
616 BC Cyaxares (20), King of the Medes (21), established a treaty with Nabopolassar (22), Chaldean King of the Neo-Babylonian Empire (23). They then formed an alliance with their fellow vassal states of Assyria- the Persians (24), Scythians (25) and Cimmerians (26). This coalition proceeded to attack Assyria, with their forces eventually reaching Nineveh, the largest city in the world at that time.
 
612 BC The above named forces besieged Nineveh and so completely destroyed the city that even its location was forgotten until British archeologist Sir Austen Henry Layard began uncovering it in the nineteenth century, some 2500 years later.
 
609 BC After the Battle of Nineveh, where the Assyrian king Sinsharishkun (27) died, Ashuruballit II (28) became king of Assyria and went to Harran (29) with his remaining troops. But the Medes and the Babylonians besieged Harran and took the city, forcing Ashuruballit II  to flee again with the remnants of his army.
 
605 BC What was left of the once mighty and proud Neo-Assyrian Empire was finished off at the Battle of Carchemish (30). Along with Egyptian forces, they were overwhelmed by the full might of Nebuchadnezzar II (31), King of Babylon, who led an alliance of Babylonian, Median, Persian and Scythian troops.
 
Thus, as the Neo-Babylonian Empire ascended, Assyria dropped off the pages of history and Egypt ceased to exist as a military threat. (a)

For a chart of the Kings of the Neo-Assyrian Empire,
explore https://www.marionmannaproject.com/kings-of-assyria
 
+  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +

The excerpted narrative (a) offered above has been published with permission (b) and no monetary gain is being sought. Footnotes within the narrative have been inserted by The Marion County Manna Project and re-direct to our webpages (unless otherwise noted) for additional spiritual insight and reflection.

+  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +

If you're seeking additional info about Christianity on a more personal level, consider visiting a Christian Church here in Marion County (32). Introduce yourself to members and ask to speak with someone to learn more about Jesus. Surrendering your life to Christ (33) (c) is the most rewarding, everlasting decision you'll ever make, and it's comforting to have someone guide you as you begin your new life as a child of the Most High! May God shower you with great favor in this endeavor!

+  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +

Footnotes, Page Credits and External Sources appear below. Consider printing and sharing the offered PDF narrative and other listed resources with family, friends and strangers alike for use in Bible Studies (34), Home and/or Church Faith Sharing Groups (35), Discipleship Encounters (36) and/or Personal Faith Enrichment!
 
Modifications are welcome at [email protected].

+  +  +  +  +  +  +  +  +

FOOTNOTES:
  (1) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/assyria
  (2) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/Nineveh
  (3) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/the-good-news
  (4) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/northern-kingdom-of-israel
  (5) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/prophets-of-the-bible
  (6) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/Jonah-1
  (7) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/God-of-the-bible
  (8) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/kings-of-assyria
  (9) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/grace
  (*) we offer 732 BC in lieu of 733 BC.
(10) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/tiglath-pileser-iii
(11) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/exile
 (**) we offer 725 BC in lieu of 721 BC.
(12) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/shalmaneser
(13) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/samaria
(14) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/isaiah-1
(15) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/Hezekiah
(16) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/Sennacherib
(17) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/Jerusalem
(18) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/kings-of-judah
(19) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/angel-of-the-lord
(20) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/cyaxares
(21) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/kings-of-media
(22) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/nabopolassar
(23) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/kings-of-babylon
(24) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/Persians
(25) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/Scythians
(26) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/cimmerians
(27) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/sinsharishkun
(28) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/ashuruballit-ii
(29) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/harran
(30) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/battle-of-carchemish
(31) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/nebuchadnezzar
(32) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/listing-by-city
(33) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/the-gracious-visitor
(34) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/bible-studies
(35) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/christian-education
(36) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/discipleship
 
PAGE CREDITS:
  (a) "Who Were The Assyrians In The Bible?", accessed September 15, 2020
https://www.gotquestions.org/Assyrians.html
  (b) Copyright Policy, Got Questions Ministries, accessed January 11, 2020 https://www.gotquestions.org/about.html
 
EXTERNAL RESOURCES:
  (c)  How Do I Convert to Christianity?, Got Questions Ministries, accessed January 12, 2020    https://www.gotquestions.org/convert-to-Christianity.html