Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III
Jehu of Israel bowing before the Assyrian king — the only known portrait of an Israelite king
Found 1846 — Austen Henry Layard
Where Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), northern Iraq (Iraq)
Dates from c. 825 BCE (records events of 841 BCE) · Iron Age IIB / Neo-Assyrian · Divided Kingdom (reign of Jehu)
Now at British Museum, London
Names a biblical person Jehu, Omri, Hazael (Jehu 'son of Omri' (Bit-Humri); Hazael in the annalistic text)
How Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III was found
Found during Layard's excavations of the Assyrian capital Kalhu (Nimrud), near the central palace area; shipped to London.
What it is
A four-sided black limestone obelisk just under 2 m tall, with five rows of carved scenes and a long cuneiform text summarizing Shalmaneser's campaigns. The second row shows a kneeling ruler kissing the ground before the king, captioned 'tribute of Jehu, son of Omri (Ia-u-a mar Hu-um-ri)'.
Why it matters for the Bible
This is the earliest surviving picture of any Israelite and the only image of a named biblical king of Israel. It confirms Jehu as a real ruler paying tribute to Assyria in 841 BCE, an event the Bible does not mention, and shows that Assyria still called Israel 'the house of Omri' even after Jehu had destroyed Omri's family. It helps anchor the chronology of Israel's kings to a fixed Assyrian date.
The Hebrew word: min-CHAH
מִנְחָה
מִנְחָה is pronounced min-CHAH and means tribute; gift; offering (Strong's H4503).
People this discovery connects to
- Jehu — יֵהוּא (Yay-HOO) — YHVH is He
- Omri — עָמְרִי (Om-REE) — my sheaf (uncertain)
Places
- Samaria — שֹׁמְרוֹן (Shom-RONE) — watch-mountain
Events
Jehu's revolt (841 BCE) · Assyrian pressure on the Levant under Shalmaneser III
Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III in Scripture
1 Kings 19:16 First mention of Jehu in Scripture.
2 Kings 9:6 Jehu's anointing as king of Israel; the obelisk is the earliest picture of that king.
2 Kings 10:32-33 In Jehu's days Israel was cut down and pressed by Hazael; the obelisk shows Jehu buying Assyrian protection in that same period.
Questions people ask
What is Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III?
A four-sided black limestone obelisk just under 2 m tall, with five rows of carved scenes and a long cuneiform text summarizing Shalmaneser's campaigns. The second row shows a kneeling ruler kissing the ground before the king, captioned 'tribute of Jehu, son of Omri (Ia-u-a mar Hu-um-ri)'.
When was Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III discovered?
It was found in 1846 by Austen Henry Layard, at Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), northern Iraq.
Where is Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III today?
British Museum, London.
Which Bible verses does Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III relate to?
1 Kings 19:16, 2 Kings 9:6, 2 Kings 10:32-33.
Related discoveries
- מֶלֶךְ אֲרָםShalmaneser III's Annals of 841 BCEThe Calah bull and marble-slab texts recording Hazael's defeat and Jehu's tribute
- מוֹשִׁיעַNimrud Slab of Adad-nirari IIIAssyria lists 'the land of Omri' among its tributaries
- 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
- יִזְרְעֶאלJezreel: The Omride Royal EnclosureAhab and Jezebel's fortified compound overlooking the valley