KING OF ASSYRIA · TWO KINGDOMS

Tiglath-pileser. The Assyrian king who took Galilee and Gilead, and to whom Ahaz sent the temple's silver.

REIGNEDi

Not given c. 745–727 BC (dates vary)

CAPITAL

Calah (Nimrud)

HOUSE

Not stated 1st of 5 in Assyria

SCRIPTURE SAYS

“Pul the king of Assyria came against the land" in Menahem's reign; Menahem gave him a thousand talents of…”

PROPHETS

Isaiah · Hosea

ASSYRIA: 5 RULERS TIGLATH-PILESER → ESARHADDON

ON THE WORLD STAGE

The powers of the day

ISRAEL

Menahem · Pekah

JUDAH

Ahaz

ARAM (SYRIA)

Rezin

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · ABOUT 738 BC (ROGERS)

Tiglath-pileser's annals: the tribute list

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · 730S BC

Fragmentary annals: Naphtali, Gaza and Samaria

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · 730S BC

Pekah deposed, Hoshea set up

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · 733–732 BC

The campaign against Aram

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · TABLET ABOUT 728 BC (LUCKENBILL)

Nimrud tablet: "Jehoahaz of Judah"

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · 745–727 BC

The Babylonian Chronicle

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · COPIED CENTURIES LATER (THE CANON IS GREEK)

Babylonian king list and Ptolemy's canon

SUCCESSION

Before and after

THE REALM

Calah (Nimrud) and the places of the account

Assyria. Only places Scripture names are shown, each where the Atlas puts it.

WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS

What Scripture says of him

  • "Pul the king of Assyria came against the land" in Menahem's reign; Menahem gave him a thousand talents of silver, "that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand", and "the king of Assyria turned back". 2 Kings 15:19–20
  • "In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria", took Ijon, Abel-beth-maachah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee and "all the land of Naphtali", and carried the people captive to Assyria. 2 Kings 15:29
  • Ahaz of Judah sent to him: "I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me". He went up against Damascus, took it, carried its people captive to Kir and slew Rezin. 2 Kings 16:7–9
  • Chronicles: "Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not." 2 Chronicles 28:20
  • Chronicles: "the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria", and the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh were carried to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river Gozan. 1 Chronicles 5:26

DEALINGS

Dealings with God's people

  • The altar Ahaz saw at Damascus, when he went to meet Tiglath-pileser, was copied in Jerusalem; Ahaz moved the brasen altar aside and kept it "for me to enquire by". 2 Kings 16:10–15
  • Menahem paid a thousand talents of silver "to confirm the kingdom in his hand". 2 Kings 15:19
  • Ahaz called himself "thy servant and thy son" and sent the silver and gold of the temple and the palace. 2 Kings 16:7–8
  • Chronicles: he "distressed him, but strengthened him not". 2 Chronicles 28:20
  • Menahem raised the money from "all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver". 2 Kings 15:20
  • The people of Naphtali, Gilead and Galilee were carried captive to Assyria. 2 Kings 15:29
  • The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh were carried away "unto this day". 1 Chronicles 5:26
  • The people of Damascus were carried captive to Kir. 2 Kings 16:9

EVENTS

Wars, works and turning points

UNDATED IN SCRIPTURE

PROPHETS

The prophets who spoke about him

  • Is Isaiah “the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria”
  • Ho Hosea “then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.”

TWO ACCOUNTS

Where the accounts differ

Pul and Tiglath-pileser

2 KINGS

1 CHRONICLES

Did he help Ahaz?

2 KINGS

2 CHRONICLES

DATES DIFFER

When was it?

LUCKENBILL (1926)

c. 745–727 BC[16]

SCRIPTURE'S NUMBERS

No years given

Scripture gives no year or length of his reign; it dates him by the kings of Israel and Judah (2 Kgs 15:19; 15:29; 16:7).

ROGERS (1912)

c. 745–727 BC[76]

Rogers numbers him Tiglathpileser IV, an older numbering.

BABYLONIAN KING LISTS

No years given[71][75]

As king of Babylon: "Pulu", two years, in the Babylonian king list; Chinzer and Poros, five years from 731 BC, in Ptolemy's canon (Rogers's tables).

One king: Pul was his name in Babylon

R. W. Rogers (1912); Ellicott's commentary (about 1880); W. E. Barnes (1899)

Rogers: the new king "was proclaimed under the name and style of Tiglathpileser in Assyria, and later under the name of Pulu in Babylonia". The Babylonian king list has a "Pulu" reigning two years where the Babylonian Chronicle puts Tiglath-pileser on Babylon's throne for two years. Ellicott's commentary: "Pûl appears to have been the original name of Tiglath-pileser"; Barnes takes Pul as the earlier name and Tiglath-pileser as the royal name of one king. 2 Kings 15:19 1 Chronicles 5:26 [76][71][72][6][98]

Two kings, as the KJV wording reads

John Gill (1748–63); C. F. Keil (1872); the Pulpit Commentary

Gill takes Pul as the king of Menahem's day and Tilgath-pilneser as the king of Pekah's day, the one who carried the tribes away. Keil speaks of "the Assyrian kings Pul and Tiglath-pilneser"; the Pulpit Commentary also treats them as two. 1 Chronicles 5:26 [54][3][44]

How translations render the verse

the KJV and the World English Bible; the Berean Standard Bible

The KJV reads "and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser", and the WEB likewise ("Tilgath Pilneser"). The Berean Standard Bible (BSB, a modern translation on this site, public domain since 2023) reads "Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria)". 1 Chronicles 5:26

IN SCRIPTURE

Every passage

CHAPTERS · 8

2 Kings 15 2 Kings 16 1 Chronicles 5 2 Chronicles 28 Isaiah 7 Isaiah 8 Hosea 5 Hosea 10

PASSAGES · 10

2 Kings 15:19–20 2 Kings 15:29 2 Kings 16:5–18 1 Chronicles 5:6 1 Chronicles 5:26 2 Chronicles 28:16–21 Isaiah 7:17–20 Isaiah 8:4–8 Hosea 5:13 Hosea 10:6

WHAT SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SAY

  • Scripture gives no year or length for Tiglath-pileser's reign and does not say how he died.
  • Kings does not say that Tiglath-pileser set Hoshea on Israel's throne; that is in his own annals.
  • Scripture does not mention his reign in Babylon.
  • Isaiah names no king of Assyria in his words to Ahaz.

IDENTIFICATIONS THIS PAGE RELIES ON

  • Scholars' viewThis page treats "Pul the king of Assyria" (2 Kings 15:19) as Tiglath-pileser, as the site's person data does. Rogers (1912) gives the reason: the king took the name Tiglath-pileser in Assyria and was known as Pulu in Babylonia. It is an identification, not Scripture's own statement; the views are set out below. 2 Kings 15:19 [76]
  • From the textChronicles spells the name Tilgath-pilneser; Kings spells it Tiglath-pileser. 1 Chronicles 5:6 2 Chronicles 28:20 2 Kings 15:29
  • From the textThe site's person data also files "king Jareb" (Hosea 5:13; 10:6) under this king. That too is an identification; see the question below. Hosea 5:13 Hosea 10:6

SOURCES

Where this page comes from

  • A. K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles (facts only) (1975), Chronicle 5.
  • A. K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles, Chronicle 1 (facts only; read in Livius's reproduction) (1975), Chronicle 1, column i, lines 27–28.
  • C. F. Keil, tr. A. Harper, The Books of the Chronicles (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), note on 1 Chr 5:26 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. J. Martin, The Twelve Minor Prophets (Keil and Delitzsch) (1868), note on Hos 10:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. J. Martin, The Twelve Minor Prophets (Keil and Delitzsch) (1868), note on Hos 5:13 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 1 Chr 5:26 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 2 Chr 33:11 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 2 Kgs 20:12 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Dan 1:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Dan 4:33 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Hos 10:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Isa 20:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, The Annals of Sennacherib (Oriental Institute Publications 2) (1924), p. 156, "Epigraph: Sennacherib at Lachish".
  • D. D. Luckenbill, The Annals of Sennacherib (Oriental Institute Publications 2) (1924), pp. 32–34 (Oriental Institute Prism, col. III).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, The Annals of Sennacherib (Oriental Institute Publications 2) (1924), Introduction, pp. 11–13.
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. I (1926), §761, p. 269 (Tiglath-pileser's annals; reign 745–727 B.C.).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. I (1926), §772, p. 276 (annals: tribute list).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. I (1926), §777, p. 279 (annals: Hadaru, the 591 cities of Aram).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. I (1926), §801, p. 287 (Nimrud tablet: tribute list).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. I (1926), §§815–816, pp. 292–293 (fragmentary annals text).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. I (1926), §§828–830, p. 297 (Shalmaneser V).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §1198, pp. 436–438 (eponym list with notes).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §137, pp. 71–72 (Sargon's Nimrud inscription).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §17, p. 7 (Sargon's annals: Arab tribes settled in Samaria).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§193–195, pp. 105–106 (Sargon: prism fragment on Ashdod).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §231, p. 115 (Sennacherib: reign 705–681 B.C.).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §234, pp. 116–117 (Sennacherib's first campaign).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §240, pp. 119–121 (Sennacherib's third campaign).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§242–243, pp. 121–122 (Sennacherib's fourth campaign).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§30–31, pp. 13–14 (Sargon's annals, years 11 and 12).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §4, p. 2 (Sargon's annals, year 1).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §497, p. 199 (Esarhaddon: reign 680–669 B.C.).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§501–506, pp. 200–202 (Esarhaddon's accession).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §55, p. 26 (Sargon's display inscription).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §580, pp. 226–227 (Esarhaddon's stele from Senjirli).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §66, pp. 33–34 (Sargon's display inscription: Merodach-baladan).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §690, pp. 265–266 (Esarhaddon's prism).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §876, p. 340 (Ashurbanipal's cylinder C).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), List of Assyrian kings, pp. 439–442.
  • D. J. Wiseman, Chronicles of Chaldaean Kings (626–556 B.C.) in the British Museum (facts only) (1956), BM 21946.
  • E. F. Weidner, "Jojachin, König von Juda, in babylonischen Keilschrifttexten", Mélanges syriens offerts à M. René Dussaud, vol. II (facts only) (1939), pp. 923–935.
  • Geneva Bible translators, Geneva Bible marginal notes (1599), note on Dan 5:2 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Geneva Bible translators, Geneva Bible marginal notes (1599), note on Isa 20:1 (read on Bible Hub).
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  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 2 Chr 33:11 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 2 Kgs 20:12 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on Hos 10:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on Hos 5:13 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on Isa 20:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Herodotus, tr. G. C. Macaulay, The History of Herodotus, vol. 1 (1890), Book I, §§188 and 191.
  • Herodotus, tr. G. C. Macaulay, The History of Herodotus, vol. 1 (1890), Book II, §141.
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  • J. Skinner, The Book of the Prophet Isaiah (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1896–1898), note on Isa 20:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on 1 Chr 5:26 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on 2 Chr 33:11 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on Dan 1:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on Hos 10:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on Isa 20:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Joseph Benson, Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818), note on Dan 5:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Dan 5:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Hos 10:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Hos 5:13 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Isa 20:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • R. D. Wilson, "Belshazzar", International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915).
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on 2 Chr 33:11 (read on Bible Hub).
  • R. P. Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar (Yale Oriental Series, Researches XV) (1929), p. 106 (the 'Verse Account', col. II, lines 18–20).
  • R. P. Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar (Yale Oriental Series, Researches XV) (1929), pp. 172–174 (the Nabonidus Chronicle on the fall of Babylon).
  • R. P. Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar (Yale Oriental Series, Researches XV) (1929), pp. 196–197, with notes 649, 652 and 654.
  • R. P. Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar (Yale Oriental Series, Researches XV) (1929), pp. 60–62.
  • R. P. Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar (Yale Oriental Series, Researches XV) (1929), pp. 6–7 (the Neo-Babylonian kings in the cuneiform texts).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), p. 202 (Babylonian king list).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 208–212 (the Babylonian Chronicle, cols. I–II).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 215–217 (the Babylonian Chronicle, cols. III–IV).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 237–238 (eponym lists, 708–704 B.C.).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), p. 239 (the Ptolemaic Canon).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 308–313 (Tiglathpileser IV, introduction).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), p. 316 (Tiglathpileser's annals, line 150).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 319–321 (Tiglathpileser on Pekah and Hoshea).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), p. 322 (Nimroud tablet, with note).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 323–326 (Sargon II, introduction; annals on Samaria).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 328–331 (Sargon: the campaign against Ashdod).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 332–333 (Sennacherib, introduction).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 343–345 (Sennacherib against Jerusalem).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 347–348 (Polyhistor and Abydenus).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 349–352 (Esarhaddon, introduction).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), p. 356 (Esarhaddon, Prism B).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 360–364 (Nebuchadrezzar, introduction).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), p. 367 (Nebuchadrezzar's campaign against Egypt).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 368–369 (building inscription of Nebuchadrezzar).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 371–378 (Nabonidus, Belshazzar and Cyrus, introduction).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 378–379 (the four clay cylinders of Nabonidus, col. II).
  • S. R. Driver, The Book of Daniel (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1900), note on Dan 1:1, pp. 1–2.
  • S. R. Driver, The Book of Daniel (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1900), Introduction to ch. V, p. 60.
  • S. R. Driver, The Book of Daniel (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1900), Additional note on Nebuchadnezzar's madness, pp. 58–60.
  • S. R. Driver, The Book of Daniel (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1900), Introduction, pp. l–li.
  • T. K. Cheyne, Hosea (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1884), note on Hos 10:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • T. K. Cheyne, Hosea (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1884), note on Hos 5:13 (read on Bible Hub).
  • W. E. Barnes, The Books of Chronicles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1899), note on 1 Chr 5:26 (read on Bible Hub).
  • W. E. Barnes, The Books of Chronicles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1899), note on 2 Chr 33:11 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Xenophon, tr. H. G. Dakyns, Cyropaedia: The Education of Cyrus (1914), Book VII, ch. 5, §§15–33.

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