Introduction:
Tiglath-Pileser III, also known as Pul, was a prominent king of Assyria who reigned from approximately 745 to 727 BC. His reign marked a significant period in the history of the ancient Near East, characterized by military conquests and the expansion of the Assyrian Empire. Tiglath-Pileser is mentioned in the Bible in the context of his interactions with the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

Historical Context:
Tiglath-Pileser III ascended to the throne during a time of internal strife and external threats to Assyria. He is credited with revitalizing the Assyrian Empire through military reforms, administrative efficiency, and aggressive expansion. His campaigns extended Assyrian control over much of the Near East, including parts of modern-day Iran, Syria, and Israel.

Biblical References:
Tiglath-Pileser is mentioned in several passages in the Old Testament, particularly in the books of Kings and Chronicles. His interactions with the Israelite and Judean kingdoms are significant for understanding the geopolitical landscape of the time.

1. 2 Kings 15:19-20 : "Then Pul king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver to gain his support and strengthen his own grip on the kingdom. Menahem exacted this money from each of the wealthy men of Israel—fifty shekels of silver from each man—to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria withdrew and did not remain in the land."

This passage highlights Tiglath-Pileser's influence over Israel during the reign of Menahem. The payment of tribute by Menahem to Tiglath-Pileser indicates the Assyrian king's dominance and the subjugation of Israel as a vassal state.

2. 2 Kings 15:29 : "In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee—all the land of Naphtali—and he took the people to Assyria."

This verse records the military campaign of Tiglath-Pileser against the northern kingdom of Israel, resulting in the capture of significant territories and the deportation of their inhabitants. This event marked a critical moment in the decline of the northern kingdom.

3. 2 Kings 16:7-9 : "So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, saying, 'I am your servant and your vassal. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram and the king of Israel, who are rising up against me.' And Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria complied with his request. He marched up and attacked Damascus and captured it. He deported its inhabitants to Kir and put Rezin to death."

This passage describes the alliance between Ahaz, king of Judah, and Tiglath-Pileser. Ahaz sought Assyrian assistance against the threats posed by Aram and Israel, leading to the capture of Damascus and the execution of Rezin, the king of Aram.

Significance:
Tiglath-Pileser's interactions with the kingdoms of Israel and Judah illustrate the complex political dynamics of the 8th century BC. His campaigns contributed to the eventual downfall of the northern kingdom of Israel and influenced the political landscape of Judah. The reliance on Assyrian power by kings like Ahaz reflects the challenges faced by smaller states in maintaining sovereignty amidst the expansion of empires.

Legacy:
Tiglath-Pileser III's reign is remembered for its military prowess and administrative innovations, which laid the groundwork for the later dominance of the Assyrian Empire. His policies of deportation and resettlement had lasting impacts on the populations of the conquered regions, including the Israelites. His legacy is a testament to the might and influence of Assyria during this period of biblical history.Tiglathpileser

(In (1 Chronicles 5:26) and again in 2Chr 28:20 The name of this king is given as TIGLATH-PILNESER.) Tiglath-pileser is the second Assyrian king mentioned in Scripture as having come into contact with the Israelites. He attacked Samaria in the reign of Pekah, B.C. 756-736. probably because Pekah withheld his tribute, and having entered his territories, he "took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah and Janoah and Kedesh, and Hazer, and Gilead, and Galilee, and all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria." (2 Kings 15:29) The date of this invasion cannot be fixed. After his first expedition a close league was formed between Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, having for its special object the humiliation of Judah. At first great successes were gained by Pekah and his confederate, (2 Kings 15:37; 2 Chronicles 28:6-8) but on their proceeding to attack Jerusalem itself, Ahaz applied to Assyria for assistance, and Tiglath-pileser, consenting to aid him, again appeared at the head of an army in these regions. He first marched, naturally, against Damascus. which he took, (2 Kings 16:9) razing it to the ground, and killing Rezin, the Damascene monarch. After this, probably, he proceeded to chastise Pekah, whose country he entered on the northeast, where it bordered upon "Syria of Damascus." Here he overran the whole district to the east of Jordan, carrying into captivity "the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh," (1 Chronicles 5:26) Before returning into his own land, Tiglath pileser had an interview with Ahaz at Damascus. (2 Kings 16:10) This is all that Scripture tells us of Tiglath-pileser. He reigned certainly from B.C. 747 to B.C. 730, and possibly a few years longer, being succeeded by Shalmaneser at least as early as B.C. 785, Tiglath-pileser's wars do not generally, appear to have been of much importance. No palace or great building can be ascribed to this king. His slabs, which are tolerably numerous show that he must have built or adorned a residence at Calah (Nimrud), where they were found.

TIGLATH-PILESER

tig-lath-pi-le-zer

tighlath pil'eser, as the name is read in 2 Kings, tilleghath pilnecer, in 2 Chronicles; Septuagint Algathphellasar; Assyrian, Tukulti-abal-i-sarra): King of Assyria in the days of Menahem, Pekahiah, and Pekah, kings of Israel, and of Uzziah, Jotham and Ahaz, kings of Judah. The king of Assyria, whom the historian of 2 Kings knows as exacting tribute from Menahem, is Pul (2 Kings 15:19 f). In the days of Pekah who had usurped the throne of Menahem's son and successor, Pekahiah, the king of Assyria is known as Tiglath-pileser, who invaded Naphtali and carried the inhabitants captive to Assyria (2 Kings 15:29). This invasion is described by the Chronicler (1 Chronicles 5:25 f) rather differently, to the effect that "the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river of Gozan, unto this day." Still later we find Pekah forming a coalition with Rezin, king of Damascus, into which they tried to force Ahaz, even going the length of besieging him in Jerusalem (2 Kings 16:5). The siege was unsuccessful. Ahaz called in the aid of Tiglath-pileser, sacrificing his independence to get rid of the invaders (2 Kings 16:7, 8). He offered the Assyrian the silver and gold that were found in the house of the Lord and in the royal treasury; and Tiglath-pileser, in return, invaded the territories of Damascus and Israel in the rear, compelling the allied forces to withdraw from Judah, while he captured Damascus, and carried the people away to Kir and slew Rezin (2 Kings 16:9). It was on the occasion of his visit to Damascus to do homage to his suzerain Tiglath-pileser, that Ahaz fancied the idolatrous altar, a pattern of which he sent to Urijah, the priest, that he might erect an altar to take the place of the brazen altar which was before the Lord in the temple at Jerusalem. It is a significant comment which is made by the Chronicler (2 Chronicles 28:21) upon the abject submission of Ahaz to the Assyrian king: "It helped him not."

From the inscriptions we learn particulars which afford striking corroboration of the Biblical narrative and clear up some of the difficulties involved. It is now practically certain that Pul, who is mentioned as taking tribute from Menahem, is identical with Tiglath-pileser (Schrader, COT, I, 230, 231). In all probability Pul, or Pulu, was a usurper, who as king of Assyria assumed the name of one of his predecessors, Tiglath-pileser I, and reigned as Tiglath-pileser III. This king of Assyria, who reigned, as we learn from his annals, from 745 B.C. to 727 B.C., was one of the greatest of Assyrian monarchs. See ASSYRIA. From the fact that no fewer than five Hebrew kings are mentioned in his annals, the greatest interest attaches to his history as it has come down to us. These kings are Uzziah or Azariah, and Jehoahaz, that is Ahaz, of Judah; and Menahem, Pekah and Hushes of Israel. Along with them are mentioned their contemporaries Rezin of Damascus, Hiram of Tyre, and two queens of Arabia otherwise unknown, Zabibi and Samsi. When he died in 727 B.C., he was succeeded by Shalmaneser IV, who had occasion to suspect the loyalty of his vassal Hoshea, king of Israel, and besieged him in Samaria.

LITERATURE.

Schrader, COT, I, 229-57; McCurdy, HPM, sections 279-341.

T. Nicol

The Reason of the Order of the Sons of Rachel.
... as 1 have observed by Tiglathpileser,) so at the last he will render it glorious."
For "the way of the sea (trodden by the Assyrian) to the passage of Jordan ...
/.../mede/a key to the apocalypse/the reason of the order 2.htm

The Prophet Hosea.
... The real commencement of the Assyrian oppression is formed by the invasion
of Tiglathpileser at the time of Ahaz. Isaiah, in chap. ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet hosea.htm

The Mystery
A Key to the Apocalypse. <. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the mystery 2.htm

Tiglathpileser (3 Occurrences)
... LITERATURE. Schrader, COT, I, 229-57; McCurdy, HPM, sections 279-341. T. Nicol.
Multi-Version Concordance Tiglathpileser (3 Occurrences). ...
/t/tiglathpileser.htm - 11k

Tiglath (3 Occurrences)

/t/tiglath.htm - 9k

Tiglath-pileser (6 Occurrences)
Tiglath-pileser. Tiglathpileser, Tiglath-pileser. Tig'lath-pile'ser . Int. ...
(BBE NIV). Tiglathpileser, Tiglath-pileser. Tig'lath-pile'ser . Reference Bible
/t/tiglath-pileser.htm - 12k

Janoah (3 Occurrences)
... father of Joshua. (2) A town in the uplands of Naphtali, mentioned as having
been captured and depopulated by Tiglathpileser. It is ...
/j/janoah.htm - 8k

Hazor (19 Occurrences)
... levy (1 Kings 9:15). Along with other cities in Galilee, it was taken by
Tiglathpileser III (2 Kings 15:29). In the plain of Hazor ...
/h/hazor.htm - 17k

Cushan (3 Occurrences)
... oppressing Israel, and provoking them to idolatry), a Mesopotamian king, identified
by Rawlinson with Asshur-ris-ilim (the father of Tiglathpileser I.); but ...
/c/cushan.htm - 8k

Abelbethmaacah
... In 2 Kings it is mentioned, along with Ijon and other places, as a city
in Naphtali captured by Tiglathpileser, king of Assyria. ...
/a/abelbethmaacah.htm - 7k

Abelbethmaachah (2 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 15:29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria,
and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor ...
/a/abelbethmaachah.htm - 8k

Abel-beth-maacah (2 Occurrences)
... In 2 Kings it is mentioned, along with Ijon and other places, as a city
in Naphtali captured by Tiglathpileser, king of Assyria. ...
/a/abel-beth-maacah.htm - 8k

Arkite (7 Occurrences)
... The place was not of much importance, but it is mentioned in the Assyrian inscriptions,
under the name Irkatah and taken by Tiglathpileser III in 738 BC Not ...
/a/arkite.htm - 9k

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