Lachish Reliefs of Sennacherib
Wall carvings from Nineveh showing the Assyrian siege of a Judean city
Found 1847 — Austen Henry Layard, excavating the South-West Palace of Sennacherib at Nineveh
Where Nineveh (Kuyunjik), South-West Palace (Iraq)
Dates from c. 700–692 BCE · Neo-Assyrian · Sennacherib's invasion of Judah (701 BCE)
Now at British Museum, London (Room 10b)
Names a biblical person Sennacherib (epigraph names Sennacherib and Lachish; Hezekiah not named)
How Lachish Reliefs of Sennacherib was found
Found lining Room XXXVI of the palace; Layard shipped the slabs to London. A cuneiform caption identifies the city as Lachish.
What it is
A series of gypsum slabs originally about 19 m long and 2.5 m high. They show Assyrian archers, slingers and siege engines climbing a ramp, defenders on the walls of Lachish, captives being flayed or impaled, families leaving with carts and camels, and Sennacherib enthroned receiving the spoils. The caption reads 'Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria, sat on his throne while the booty of Lachish passed before him.'
Why it matters for the Bible
This is the only ancient picture of a biblical city under siege, and it matches the excavated remains at Lachish — the siege ramp, the double wall, the gate — in detail. The Bible mentions Lachish's fall only in passing, but Sennacherib chose it as the showpiece of his palace, likely because he could not show the capture of Jerusalem. Deportees are shown wearing Judean dress, giving a rare look at ordinary people of Hezekiah's kingdom.
The Hebrew word: lah-CHEESH
לָכִישׁ
לָכִישׁ is pronounced lah-CHEESH and means Lachish, Judah's second city (Strong's H3923).
People this discovery connects to
- Sennacherib — סַנְחֵרִיב (san-cheh-REEV) — Sin has replaced the brothers (Akkadian)
- Hezekiah — חִזְקִיָּהוּ (Chiz-kee-YAH-hoo) — YHVH strengthens
Places
- Lachish — לָכִישׁ (lah-CHEESH) — uncertain; possibly 'invincible'
Events
Siege and capture of Lachish (701 BCE)
Lachish Reliefs of Sennacherib in Scripture
Joshua 10:3 First mention of Lachish in Scripture.
2 Kings 18:14 Hezekiah sends his surrender message to Sennacherib 'at Lachish' — where the reliefs show the king enthroned.
2 Kings 18:17 The Assyrian commanders march from Lachish to Jerusalem.
Questions people ask
What is Lachish Reliefs of Sennacherib?
A series of gypsum slabs originally about 19 m long and 2.5 m high. They show Assyrian archers, slingers and siege engines climbing a ramp, defenders on the walls of Lachish, captives being flayed or impaled, families leaving with carts and camels, and Sennacherib enthroned receiving the spoils. The caption reads 'Sennacherib, king of the world, king of Assyria, sat on his throne while the booty of Lachish passed before him.'
When was Lachish Reliefs of Sennacherib discovered?
It was found in 1847 by Austen Henry Layard, excavating the South-West Palace of Sennacherib at Nineveh, at Nineveh (Kuyunjik), South-West Palace.
Where is Lachish Reliefs of Sennacherib today?
British Museum, London (Room 10b).
Which Bible verses does Lachish Reliefs of Sennacherib relate to?
Joshua 10:3, 2 Kings 18:14, 2 Kings 18:17.
Related discoveries
- מָצוֹרSennacherib's Prism (Taylor, Chicago and Jerusalem Prisms)Assyrian annals: 'Hezekiah the Judean I shut up like a bird in a cage'
- רִמּוֹןTel Halif (Lahav): A Judahite Town Destroyed in 701 BCEHouses frozen in Sennacherib's campaign, at a site proposed for Rimmon, Hormah or Ziklag
- סֹלְלָהLachish Level III: Assyrian Siege Ramp and Battle DebrisThe only surviving Assyrian siege ramp, with arrowheads, sling stones and a mass grave
- חֶרֶבThe Murder of Sennacherib in Assyrian and Babylonian RecordsEsarhaddon's account of his father's assassination by his brothers — Isaiah 37:38 from the Assyrian side
- מִנְחָהEsarhaddon and Ashurbanipal Prisms Naming ManassehAssyrian tribute lists that include 'Manasseh, king of Judah'
- בָּמָהLachish Gate Shrine and Desecrated ToiletA gate sanctuary with broken altar horns and a stone latrine — Hezekiah's reform in action?
Sources
- Ussishkin, The Conquest of Lachish by Sennacherib (1982)
- British Museum, Lachish reliefs, Room 10b