SUMMARY: Part 2 of a series on the Ashurbanipal exhibit at the British Museum (Part 1). See how archaeology helps give context to the Bible.
…and the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates. – Ezra 4:10 (NIV)
The Ashurbanipal Exhibit: A Contribution for the World
The 2018-19 Ashurbanipal exhibit at the British Museum featured a stunning collection of artifacts from the World’s first true empire, and from the period of its greatest ruler, Ashurbanipal of Assyria. The exhibit was comprised of a remarkable quantity of surprisingly well-preserved ancient artifacts reaching back in time over two and a half millennia.
The world’s first superpower spanned an area well over 500,000 square miles, and produced an enormous amount of cultural heritage. The Ashurbanipal exhibit adequately conveyed the depth and breadth of the empire, by letting its artifacts tell the story. Thousands of volumes from Ashurbanipal’s personal library, along with detailed reliefs and prisms detail and illustrate the actions, values, and history of this ancient and brutal civilization at the height of its power.
Accompanying the exhibit was a beautiful 348 page illustrated companion volume with contributions by top experts from the field of Assyriology. The book provides readers with a gateway into the world of the Neo-Assyrian Empire by way of the many artifacts that it catalogues. Those who explore its pages get a glimpse of life in the Assyrian court, a snapshot of Assyria’s geo-political situation, a survey of Ashurbanipal’s military campaigns, and a history of the empire’s collapse and subsequent rediscovery by archaeologists.
Ashurbanipal: Superstitious, Egotist in Chief
Appropriately, the title of the book was taken from Ashurbanipal’s royal inscription, a striking boast that reveals the hubris of the rulers from Sargonid dynasty (Isaiah 20:6). The full inscription reads:
“I am Ashurbanipal, great king, mighty king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters (of the world), offspring of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, governor of Babylon, king of the land of Sumer and Akkad, descendant of Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria.” [1]
Ashurbanipal believed that his rise to the Kingship was preordained by his patron deity. In fact, his regnal name “Ashurbanipal” means “Ashur is the creator of the heir.” It is true that at its height, Assyria was the most powerful nation in the world. It is also true that Nineveh, its capital city, was the largest. But these were already realities that Ashurbanipal inherited at the time of his ascension in 669 BC. From the perspective of biblical writers, however, these words reflect an attitude that was condemnable.
In one boast, Ashurbanipal describes the training he received as the crown prince. He states,
“I cantered on thoroughbreds, rode stallions that were raring to go; I held a bow and made arrows fly as befits a warrior; I threw quivering lances as if they were javelins; I took the reins (of a chariot) like a charioteer and made the rims of the wheels spin; I wield my round and heavy shield like a military specialist. I am proficient in the best technical lore of all the specialists, every one of them.” [2]
While he certainly possessed unique skills allowing him to build on the greatness of his predecessors, the development of Assyria into the world’s first and greatest empire was centuries in the making. And the factors involved were beyond the scope of anything that Ashurbanipal could have ever imagined. The Hebrew prophets consistently wrote that not only was Israel subject to the purposes of Yahweh, but so was Assyria as well as all the nations. This means that whatever successes Ashurbanipal experienced, they were subject to the purposes of the Lord.
Assyrian Kings and Hebrew Prophets
At a time well in advance of Ashurbanipal, the prophet Isaiah summed up the situation of the Assyrian kings as follows:
“When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes. For he says: “By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding; I remove the boundaries of peoples, and plunder their treasures; like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones…. 15 Shall the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it? As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood! Therefore the Lord GOD of hosts will send wasting sickness among his stout warriors, and under his glory a burning will be kindled, like the burning of fire.” – Isaiah 10:12-16 (ESV)
The specific king about which Isaiah writes in this passage is unnamed. This is likely because he intended the oracle to apply equally to the various kings of Assyria’s ruling dynasty. From the perspective of Ashurbanipal and his predecessors, the world and the Assyrian empire in all of its glory was about them. (See the story of an unlikely Bible prediction confirmed by a new find.)
But from the standpoint of the Israelite prophets, Assyria and its kings were instruments in Yahweh’s hand to accomplish His purposes for the nations, at the center of which was Israel. Isaiah described Assyria as a tool in the hand of Yahweh, like a rod, used by God to chasten rebellious Israel. But because of their brutality and arrogance, Assyria would eventually face the consequences of its own sin.
“Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury! Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.” – Isaiah 10:5-6 (ESV)
Interestingly, Isaiah describes the king of Assyria as imagining himself like a “bull” who brings destruction. One wonders if this reference is intended to connect to the great stone guardians referred to as lamassu that stood at the entrances of some royal facilities. These great colossi were winged bulls with the face of a bearded man that were intended to magically ward off threats.
Sometimes the guardians were great winged lions that looked almost the same. The particular animal can be most easily distinguished in photos by the form of the foot – if it is a hoof, the animal is a bull, if it is a claw, then it is the lion. There were other magical creatures, including great sphinxes, that served the same purpose as well.
Also noteworthy in Isaiah’s prophecy of judgement is his statement that underneath the glory of the king of Assyria would be a fire. In the end, after a three months long siege, Nineveh was in fact burned. Its temples, palaces, and even rural dwellings were destroyed by extensive fire. So great was international hatred for Assyria, that its invaders went to extraordinary lengths to express their abhorrence. As noted by John Macginnis,
“As the enemies of Assyria marauded through the palaces they took care to stop and disfigure images of the king, chiseling out eyes and ears to replicate and avenge the horrible mutilations that the kings of Assyria had themselves inflicted on so many” [3].
Remarkably, however, not only was Nineveh burned, it was also flooded. This happened when a river breached a wall. This aspect of the destruction is clearly referenced by the prophet Nahum. The entirety of the book of Nahum is about the destruction of Nineveh. But amazingly, it was written well in advance of the destruction and at a time when Ashurbanipal was at the pinnacle of his greatness. Nahum wrote:
“The chariots race madly through the streets; they rush to and fro through the squares; they gleam like torches; they dart like lightning. He remembers his officers; they stumble as they go, they hasten to the wall; the siege tower is set up. The river gates are opened; the palace melts away;” – Nahum 2:4-6 (ESV)
Nations of the World: Like Clay in the Potter’s Hand
How is it, though, that from a biblical perspective, a nation like Assyria, Babylon, Egypt or even Israel could experience blessing and prosperity and subsequently be exposed to judgement? The prophet Jeremiah answers that question. And his explanation goes like this:
“Then the word of the LORD came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it.” – Jeremiah 18:5-10 (ESV)
Jonah and Nineveh: A Case Study
This perspective is clearly seen in the Old Testament book of Jonah and accounts for his heavy resistance to his commission to preach in Nineveh. At the time, Israel was experiencing a season of relative peace and prosperity, but was in spiritual decline (2 Kings 14:23-25). Conversely, Assyria and the surrounding nations were experiencing a period of weakness.
If Israel refused to repent at the preaching of Jonah, then God would raise up a rod for chastening (Isa. 10:5). If, astonishingly, Assyrian Nineveh were to repent at the preaching of Jonah, not only would their response serve as a rebuke to Israel but, Jonah feared, God just might forgive Assyria thus clearing the way for its eventual success and usefulness. The issue is clarified in chapters 3 and 4 of Jonah after Nineveh turns from its evil and violence. The text says:
“When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. 4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.” – Jonah 3:10-4:2 (ESV)
Jonah’s reluctance is sometimes interpreted by modern commentators as an instance of racism, ethno-centrism, or some other idea drawn from sociological, political, or personal experiences. However, an analysis of the book shows that Jonah’s theology and understanding of God’s character were consistent with the Torah and rest of the Old Testament. Jonah knew God, and Jonah knew the Assyrians, and what fate awaited his rebellious people if Assyria repented but Israel did not.
This provides a clearer picture of the problem that Jonah faced. So serious would be the threat, that he preferred death than to see the Ninevites repent and be forgiven (1:12). It also provides a clearer picture of the usefulness of ancient Near Eastern studies and other backgrounds resources for interpretation. When tools including archaeology, language studies, and more combine with biblical studies, interpretive mysteries can be greatly clarified or even solved. This is one of the values of the Ashurbanipal exhibit. It sheds light on more than Assyriology, it sheds light on the Bible. And this is a field of study about which we all have a lot to learn. Keep Thinking!
References
[1] Brereton, Gareth. “Nineveh: The Centre of the World.” In I am Ashurbanipal: king of the world, king of Assyria. Ed. By Gareth Brereton. London: Thames & Hudson, 2018; p.10
[2] Ibid.16.
[3] Macginnis, John. “The Fall of Assyria and the Afterman of the Empire.” In I am Ashurbanipal: king of the world, king of Assyria. Ed. By Gareth Brereton. London: Thames & Hudson, 2018; p. 281.
TOP PHOTO: Sculpture: Face of a Giant Sphinx. (Credit: R. Brian Rickett; The Ashurbanipal Exhibit, The British Museum)
NOTE: Not every view expressed by scholars contributing Thinker articles necessarily reflects the views of Patterns of Evidence. We include perspectives from various sides of debates on biblical matters so that readers can become familiar with the different arguments involved. – Keep Thinking!
