24 EEV. JOHN URQUITAKT, ON THE BEARING OF RECENT 



the latter speaks of the rebellion in the following terms : — " The 

 people of Akkad, Chaliiea, Aram and the sea-coast, from Agaba 

 to Babsalimitu, tributaries dependent on me, he caused to 

 revolt against my band . . . And the kings of Goim, 

 Syria, and Ethiopia . . . all of tbem he caused to rebels 

 and with him they set their faces."* Tliis reference to "Syria 

 and Ethiopia " shows that the conspiracy had spread over the 

 west of tbe empire as well, and must have involved Palestine 

 in the vengeance which followed. Ptolemy's Canon shows that 

 Assurbanipal became King of Babylon, after tbe overthrow of 

 his brother, in 647 B.C. This w\as four years before the death of 

 Manasseh, who began to reign in 698 B.C., and, after a reign of 

 fifty-five years, died in 643 B.C. It will thus be seen that the 

 facts and dates tally completely with tlie Scripture account. 



(2) The phrase (verse 11), "the captains of the host of the 

 king of Assyria," attracts attention. It is unusual, and seems 

 plainly to imply that in this instance the king was not present 

 with his army, and also that he had delegated his autliority not 

 to one individual but to several. It is now known that it was 

 not Assurbanipal's custom to go personally upon campaign ; 

 but he himself has shed light upon the above phrase in an 

 inscription describing that very western expedition. Eef erring 

 to Hazael, the king of Kedar, he says: "My army which on the 

 border of his country was stationed, I sent against him. His 

 overthrow they accomplished."! Here the king speaks of 

 sending, and not of leading, his army. Pie is plainly not 

 personally in command of the forces. The words, " His over- 

 throw flicy accomplished," present a remarkable parallel to 

 those of the Scripture: "The captains of the host of the king 

 of Assyria." 



(3) We are told that ]\Ianasseh was taken " among the 

 thorns." We are now enabled to understand the circumstances 

 of the Jewisli king's removal as our translators could not do. 

 The passage tells us that he was taken with hooks or rings.. 

 The reference is to the Assyrian and Pal >y Ionian ])ra.,('ti('e of ])ut- 

 ting a ring or hook in the captive's upper or under lip, atlaching a 

 cord to it, and leading the prisoner along, an object of ])ity to 

 liis friends and of ridicule to his foes. Here we Jiave an 

 imdoubted Assyrian trait, the description of which later times 

 Avere unable to understand. We have also AssnrlMriipal's own 

 assurance that the practice had continued to his own times. In 



Tteoords. of the Past^ vol. p. 7G. 

 f Ibid., vol. ix, pp. Clj G2 



