Assyria


Capital city, Nineveh.

Geography

Gihon flows from Eden to east of Assyria. (Genesis 2:10, 2:14)

Ishmael's sons, the twelve princes Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah, settle from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. (Genesis 25:13-18)

Archaeology

Thousands of clay tablets from Ashurbanipal's reign were found in the royal library at Nineveh during 25 years of excavation in the second half of the 19th century. These were but copies of far older compositions, handed down from Sumerian times. Among them were the creation epic, Enuma Elish, and the Babylonian-Assyrian version of the great flood, part of the Epic of Gilgamesh.

(The Origin of the Bible: Newly Updated by F. F. Bruce, J. I. Packer, Philip W. Comfort, and Carl F. H. Henry, 2020. Literature in Bible Times by Milton C. Fisher, Page 101-102.)

History

The beginning of Nimrod's kingdom

Nimrod was a mighty man and a mighty hunter before the Lord. The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.

(Genesis 10:10-12)

Israel will be put to shame by Assyria

Jeremiah spoke the Word of God and asked Israel in the hearing of Jerusalem what they gain by going to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates. He prophesied Israel will be put to shame by Egypt as they were put to shame by Assyria. (Jeremiah 2:18, 36)

We have given the hand to Egypt, and to Assyria, to get bread enough (Lamentations 5:6)

Assyrian captivity of Israel

In 722, the 10 tribes of the north were invaded and half the population was held captive by the Assyrian Empire. (Hillsdale College - Ancient Christianity)

Kings