Nimrud Slab of Adad-nirari III
Assyria lists 'the land of Omri' among its tributaries
Found 1854 — William Loftus, British excavations at Nimrud (1854)
Where Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), Iraq (Iraq)
Dates from c. 800 BCE · Neo-Assyrian · Divided Kingdom (Jehoahaz / Jehoash of Israel)
Now at Present location of the original slab unknown; known from 19th-century copies
Names a biblical person Omri (only as toponym 'land of Omri'; Jehoahaz not named)
How Nimrud Slab of Adad-nirari III was found
A stone slab from the palace area at Kalhu (Nimrud) inscribed with a summary of the king's western campaigns.
What it is
A cuneiform summary inscription of Adad-nirari III (810–783 BCE). It lists the lands he subdued 'from the Euphrates to the Great Sea', including Tyre, Sidon, 'the land of Omri' (Bit-Humri, that is Israel), Edom and Philistia, and describes shutting the king of Damascus (Mari') in his city and taking heavy tribute.
Why it matters for the Bible
The Bible says YHVH gave Israel a 'deliverer' from Aramean oppression in the days of Jehoahaz (2 Kings 13:5). Many scholars see Adad-nirari's crushing of Damascus around 796 BCE as that deliverance, since it broke Aram's power and let Jehoash and Jeroboam II recover Israel's towns. The slab is a key piece of that picture.
The Hebrew word: mo-SHEE-ah
מוֹשִׁיעַ
מוֹשִׁיעַ is pronounced mo-SHEE-ah and means deliverer; savior (Strong's H3467).
People this discovery connects to
- Jehoahaz — יְהוֹאָחָז (Ye-ho-ah-CHAZ) — YHVH has grasped
- Ben-Hadad (III) — בֶּן־הֲדַד (Ben-ha-DAHD) — son of Hadad
Places
- Damascus — דַּמֶּשֶׂק (Dah-MEH-sek) — (uncertain)
Events
Assyrian defeat of Damascus c. 796 BCE · Israel's recovery from Aramean oppression
Nimrud Slab of Adad-nirari III in Scripture
1 Kings 16:16 First mention of Omri in Scripture.
2 Kings 13:5 YHVH gives Israel a 'deliverer' from Aram; many identify this with Assyria's blow to Damascus under Adad-nirari III.
2 Kings 13:25 Jehoash retakes towns from Ben-Hadad after Aram's power was broken.
Questions people ask
What is Nimrud Slab of Adad-nirari III?
A cuneiform summary inscription of Adad-nirari III (810–783 BCE). It lists the lands he subdued 'from the Euphrates to the Great Sea', including Tyre, Sidon, 'the land of Omri' (Bit-Humri, that is Israel), Edom and Philistia, and describes shutting the king of Damascus (Mari') in his city and taking heavy tribute.
When was Nimrud Slab of Adad-nirari III discovered?
It was found in 1854 by William Loftus, British excavations at Nimrud (1854), at Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), Iraq.
Where is Nimrud Slab of Adad-nirari III today?
Present location of the original slab unknown; known from 19th-century copies.
Which Bible verses does Nimrud Slab of Adad-nirari III relate to?
1 Kings 16:16, 2 Kings 13:5, 2 Kings 13:25.
Related discoveries
- פּוּלAnnals of Tiglath-Pileser IIIMenahem's tribute, Pekah's overthrow, Hoshea's appointment, and 'Jehoahaz of Judah'
- כָּלַחNimrud IvoriesThousands of Phoenician and Syrian ivories — the same art that filled Ahab's palace — hoarded by Assyria
- קֶשֶׁרNimrud Prism of Sargon IIA second Assyrian telling of Samaria's fall and the exile of its people
- מִנְחָהBlack Obelisk of Shalmaneser IIIJehu of Israel bowing before the Assyrian king — the only known portrait of an Israelite king
- רֶכֶבKurkh Monolith of Shalmaneser III'Ahab the Israelite' and 2,000 chariots at the Battle of Qarqar
- עִיר וְאֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵלAbel Beth Maacah and the Faience 'King's Head'A 'mother city in Israel' on the northern border, and the tiny glazed head of a 9th-century ruler
Sources
- Grayson, RIMA 3, A.0.104.8 (Calah slab)
- Wikipedia: Adad-nirari III
- Wikipedia: Nimrud Slab