Shalmaneser — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Name of several Assyrian rulers, two of whom had direct contact with the people of Israel. However, only Shalmaneser V is known by name in the Bible.

1. Shalmaneser I (1274–1245 BC), the first king of this name, was active in the days when Israel was emerging as a significant group in Palestine. He had no direct contact with Israel.

2. Shalmaneser II (1030–1019 BC) was roughly contemporary with King Saul, but he had no contact with Israel.

3. Shalmaneser III (859–824 BC) had the first significant contact with Israel. This ruler made frequent raids into the lands west of Assyria during his reign. In his annals he left accounts of his exploits and gave lists of small kingdoms he overwhelmed. Another significant entry in the annals of Shalmaneser III is his reference to a campaign against Syria in 841 BC in which he claimed to have defeated Hazael of Damascus (1 Kgs 19:15-18). He did not capture Damascus but moved farther west to the region of Lebanon, where he received tribute from “Jehu, son of Omri.” The black obelisk on which he recorded these events portrays Jehu, the king of Israel (842–814 BC), on his knees submitting to Shalmaneser while Israelites carry booty to the king. This event is not mentioned in the Bible.

Show passage in OET: KI1 19:15–18

OET-RV KI1 19:15

15 Then Yahweh told him, “Go back towards the Damesek (Damascus) wilderness, then you must go and anoint Hazael as king over Aram (Syria).

OET-RV KI1 19:16

16 Also you need to anoint Nimshi’s son Yehu (Jehu) as king over Yisrael (Israel), and you must anoint Shafat’s son Elisha from Avel -Meholah to succeed you as prophet.

OET-RV KI1 19:17

17 In the future, anyone who escapes from being killed by Hazael’s army will be killed by Yehu’s army, and anyone who escapes from being killed by Yehu’s army will be killed by Elisha.

OET-RV KI1 19:18

18 But I’ve still got seven thousand people in Yisrael who’ve never bowed to Ba’al or kissed his image.”

OET-LV KI1 19:15

15 And_ YHWH _he/it _said to_him/it go go _back to_way _of_your the _wilderness _of_to of _Dammeseq and_you _will _go and_you _will _anoint DOM Ḩₐzā^ʼēl to_king over ʼArām.

OET-LV KI1 19:16

16 And_DOM Yēhūʼ/(Jehu) the _son _of Nimshiy you _will _anoint to_king over Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) and_DOM ʼElīshāˊ the _son _of Shāfāţ from_Abel- meholah you _will _anoint to_prophet in_place _of _you.

OET-LV KI1 19:17

17 And_it _was the_one_who_escapes from_the _sword _of Ḩₐzā^ʼēl Yēhūʼ he _will _put _to _death and_the_one_who_escapes from_the _sword _of Yēhūʼ ʼElīshāˊ he _will _put _to _death.

OET-LV KI1 19:18

18 And_I _will _leave among_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) seven _of thousand(s) all _of the_knees which not they _have _bowed _down to_Baˊal and_all (the)_mouth which not it _has _kissed to_him/it.

Jump to OET KI1 19:15–18 section.

4. Shalmaneser IV (782–772 BC) had no contact with Israel. He ruled Assyria during a period of decline. His successor Tiglath-pileser III (745–727 BC) was an exceedingly vigorous and able ruler who conducted campaigns in Syria and farther west from 743 BC onward and made several contacts with Israel (2 Kgs 15:17-29).

5. Shalmaneser V (727–722 BC) was able to bring Hoshea, the last king of Israel (732–723 BC), under his control (2 Kgs 17:3). Hoshea failed to pay his annual tribute in his seventh regnal year and was visited by Shalmaneser V, who placed Samaria, the capital of Israel, under siege. The king of Egypt was implicated in this treachery in some way, for he gave encouragement to Hoshea in his rebellious intentions. The siege of Samaria lasted for three years, and in Hoshea’s ninth year the city fell. The biblical record seems to attribute the fall of the city to Shalmaneser. Unfortunately, there are no extant records for the reign of Shalmaneser V, and the capture of Samaria was claimed by Shalmaneser’s son Sargon II (721–705 BC) in his own annals as an important event in his accession year.