continue the siege, “he advanced through the province east of Jordan,
spreading fire and sword,” and became master of Philistia, and took
Samaria and Damascus. He died B.C. 727, and was succeeded by
Shalmanezer IV., who ruled till B.C. 722. He also invaded Syria (2 Kings
17:5), but was deposed in favour of Sargon (q.v.) the Tartan, or
commander-in-chief of the army, who took Samaria (q.v.) after a siege of
three years, and so put an end to the kingdom of Israel, carrying the people
away into captivity, B.C. 722 (2 Kings 17:1-6, 24; 18:7, 9). He also
overran the land of Judah, and took the city of Jerusalem (Isaiah 10:6, 12,
22, 24, 34). Mention is next made of Sennacherib (B.C. 705), the son and
successor of Sargon (2 Kings 18:13; 19:37; Isaiah 7:17, 18); and then of
Esar-haddon, his son and successor, who took Manasseh, king of Judah,
captive, and kept him for some time a prisoner at Babylon, which he alone
of all the Assyrian kings made the seat of his government (2 Kings 19:37;
Isaiah 37:38).
Assur-bani-pal, the son of Esarhaddon, became king, and in Ezra 4:10 is
referred to as Asnapper. From an early period Assyria had entered on a
conquering career, and having absorbed Babylon, the kingdoms of Hamath,
Damascus, and Samaria, it conquered Phoenicia, and made Judea feudatory,
and subjected Philistia and Idumea. At length, however, its power declined.
In B.C. 727 the Babylonians threw off the rule of the Assyrians, under the
leadership of the powerful Chaldean prince Merodach-baladan (2 Kings
20:12), who, after twelve years, was subdued by Sargon, who now
reunited the kingdom, and ruled over a vast empire. But on his death the
smouldering flames of rebellion again burst forth, and the Babylonians and
Medes successfully asserted their independence (B.C. 625), and Assyria
fell according to the prophecies of Isaiah (10:5-19), Nahum (3:19), and
Zephaniah (3:13), and the many separate kingdoms of which it was
composed ceased to recognize the “great king” (2 Kings 18:19; Isaiah
36:4). Ezekiel (31) attests (about B.C. 586) how completely Assyria was
overthrown. It ceases to be a nation. (See NINEVEH; BABYLON.)
- ASTROLOGER (Daniel 1:20; 2:2, 10, 27, etc.) Hebrews ‘ashshaph’, an
enchanter, one who professes to divine future events by the appearance of
the stars. This science flourished among the Chaldeans. It was positively
forbidden to the Jews (Deuteronomy 4:19; 18:10; Isaiah 47:13). - ASTRONOMY The Hebrews were devout students of the wonders of
the starry firmanent (Amos 5:8; Psalm 19). In the Book of Job, which is