Old Testament Survey: Genesis-Esther

Sennacherib vs Hezekiah2 Kgs 18:13-19:37

19:35-37 Then it happened that night that the angel of the Lord went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead.

2 Chron 32

32:20-22 But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven. And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed every mighty warrior,

Isaiah 36-37

37:36–38 Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, all of these were dead.

Sennacherib vs Hezekiah2 Kgs 18:13-19:37

So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home, and lived at Nineveh. It came about as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son became king in his place.

2 Chron 32

commander and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned in shame to his own land. And when he had entered the temple of his god, some of his own children killed him there with the sword.

Isaiah 36-37

So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home and lived at Nineveh. It came about as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons killed him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son became king in his place.

Sennacherib Prism

Sennacherib Prism

Sennacherib, the great king, the mighty king, king of the world, king of Assyria, king of the four quarters, the wise shepherd, favorite of the great gods, guardian of right, lover of justice, who lends support, who comes to the aid of the destitute, who performs pious acts, perfect hero, mighty man, first among all princes,

Sennacherib Prism

the powerful one who consumes the insubmissive, who strikes the wicked with the thunderbolt; the god Assur, the great mountain, an unrivaled kinship has entrusted to me, and above all those who dwell in palaces, has made powerful my weapons; from the upper sea of the setting sun to the lower sea of the rising sun,

Sennacherib Prism

he has brought the black-headed people in submission at my feet; and mighty kings feared my warfare, leaving their homes and flying alone, like the sidinnu, the bird of the cave, to some inaccessible place...

Sennacherib Prism

As for Hezekiah the Judahite, who did not submit to my yoke: forty-six of his strong, walled cities, as well as the small towns in their area, which were without number, by levelling with battering-rams and by bringing up seige-engines, and by attacking and storming on foot, by mines, tunnels, and breeches, I besieged and took them.

Sennacherib Prism

200,150 people, great and small, male and female, horses, mules, asses, camels, cattle and sheep without number, I brought away from them and counted as spoil. (Hezekiah) himself, like a caged bird I shut up in Jerusalem, his royal city. I threw up earthworks against him— the one coming out of the city-gate, I turned back to his misery.

Sennacherib Prism

His cities, which I had despoiled, I cut off from his land, and to Mitinti, king of Ashdod, Padi, king of Ekron, and Silli-bêl, king of Gaza, I gave (them). And thus I diminished his land. I added to the former tribute, and I laid upon him the surrender of their land and imposts—gifts for my majesty.

Sennacherib Prism

As for Hezekiah, the terrifying splendor of my majesty overcame him, and the Arabs and his mercenary troops which he had brought in to strengthen Jerusalem, his royal city, deserted him. In addition to the thirty talents of gold and eight hundred talents of silver, gems, antimony, jewels, large carnelians, ivory-inlaid couches, ivory-inlaid chairs, elephant hides,

Sennacherib Prism

elephant tusks, ebony, boxwood, all kinds of valuable treasures, as well as his daughters, his harem, his male and female musicians, which he had brought after me to Nineveh, my royal city. To pay tribute and to accept servitude, he dispatched his messengers..

Herodotus’ AccountHerodotus, Book 2.141

After this, Sanacharib king of the Arabians and of the Assyrians marched a great host against Egypt. Then the warriors of the Egyptians refused to come to the rescue, and the priest, being driven into a strait, entered into the sanctuary of the temple and bewailed to the image of the god the danger which was impending over him; and as he was thus lamenting,

Herodotus’ AccountHerodotus, Book 2.141

sleep came upon him, and it seemed to him in his vision that the god came and stood by him and encouraged him, saying that he should suffer no evil if he went forth to meet the army of the Arabians; for he himself would send him helpers. Trusting in these things seen in sleep, he took with him, they said, those of the Egyptians who were willing to follow him, and encamped in Pelusion,

Herodotus’ AccountHerodotus, Book 2.141

for by this way the invasion came: and not one of the warrior class followed him, but shop-keepers and artisans and men of the market. Then after they came, there swarmed by night upon their enemies mice of the fields, and ate up their quivers and their bows, and moreover the handles of their shields, so that on the next day they fled, and being without defence of arms great numbers fell.

Herodotus’ AccountHerodotus, Book 2.141

And at the present time this king stands in the temple of Hephaistos in stone, holding upon his hand a mouse, and by letters inscribed he says these words: "Let him who looks upon me learn to fear the gods."

OT CANON

“Canonization was not a matter of the closing of a list of entries, partial or final, but a recognition of the inherent canonical quality and qualification of each portion as it became available. Thus canonicity, an innate authenticity by virtue of divine inspiration, may be viewed as antecedent to canonization, the acknowledgement of the authenticity and authority of the writings by the community of believers.”

Josephus on the Hebrew Canon

“For we have not an innumerable multitude of books among us, disagreeing from and contradicting one another [as the Greeks have], but only twenty-two books, which contain the records of all the past times; which are justly believed to be divine; (39) and of them five belong to Moses, which contain his laws and the traditions of the origin of mankind till his death. This interval of time was little short of three thousand years;

Josephus on the Hebrew Canon

(40) but as to the time from the death of Moses till the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, who reigned after Xerxes, the prophets, who were after Moses, wrote down what was done in their times in thirteen books. The remaining four books contain hymns to God, and precepts for the conduct of human life.” (against apion, 1.8.38-40)

Vellum

Reed Pen

The Promise LandAbraham David

How does the bible all tie together? What began in Genesis is now ending in Revelation. Look at Genesis 1-3 and compare it with Rev 20-22•Genesis 1-3

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (1:1)•Revelation 20-22

“I saw a new heaven and a new earth” (21:1)•Genesis 1-3

“The darkness He called Night” (1:5)•Revelation 20-22

“There shall be no night there” (21:25)•Genesis 1-3

“God made two great lights” (sun and moon; 1:16)•Revelation 20-22

“The city had no need of the sun or of the moon” (21:23)•Genesis 1-3

“In the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (2:17)•Revelation 20-22

“There shall be no more death” (21:4)

Genesis & Revelation

• Genesis 1-3Satan appears as deceiver of mankind (3:1)

• Revelation 20-22Satan disappears forever (20:10)

• Genesis 1-3Shown as garden into which defilement entered (3:6-7)

• Revelation 20-22Shown a city into which defilement will never enter (21:27)

• Genesis 1-3Walk of God with man interrupted (3:8-10)

• Revelation 20-22Walk of God with man resumed (21:3)

• Genesis 1-3Initial triumph of the serpent (3:13)

• Revelation 20-22Ultimate triumph of the Lamb (20:10; 22:3)

Genesis & Revelation

• Genesis 1-3“I will greatly multiply your sorrow” (3:16)

• Revelation 20-22“There shall be no more death or sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain” (21:4)

• Genesis 1-3“Cursed is the ground for your sake” (3:17)

• Revelation 20-22“There shall be no more curse” (22:3)

• Genesis 1-3Man’s dominion broken in the fall of the first man, Adam (3:19)

• Revelation 20-22Man’s dominion restored in the rule of the new man, Christ (22:5)

• Genesis 1-3First paradise closed (3:23)

• Revelation 20-22New paradise opened (21:25)

Genesis & Revelation

• Genesis 1-3

Access to the tree of life disinherited in Adam (3:24)

• Revelation 20-22

Access to the tree of life reinstated in Christ (22:14)

• Genesis 1-3

They were driven from God’s presence (3:24)• Revelation 20-22

“They shall see His face” (22:4)

Genesis & Revelation