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 expansionist policies. 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, primarily 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 subjugation of Israel to Assyrian power and the political maneuvering necessary to maintain autonomy.

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 marks a pivotal 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 from the hand of the king of Aram and the king of Israel, who are rising up against me.' Ahaz also 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 and attacked Damascus, capturing it and exiling its people to Kir. Then he put Rezin to death."

In this passage, King Ahaz of Judah seeks the assistance of Tiglath-pileser against the coalition of Aram and Israel. The alliance with Assyria, while providing temporary relief, ultimately led to increased Assyrian influence over Judah.

4. 1 Chronicles 5:26 :
"So the God of Israel stirred the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria), and he took the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan, where they remain to this day."

This verse underscores the divine sovereignty over historical events, as God uses Tiglath-pileser to execute judgment on the transgressing tribes of Israel, leading to their exile.

Significance:
Tiglath-pileser's interactions with Israel and Judah illustrate the complex political and military dynamics of the 8th century BC. His campaigns contributed to the eventual downfall of the northern kingdom of Israel and set the stage for the Assyrian dominance that would later threaten Judah. The biblical narrative presents Tiglath-pileser as an instrument of divine judgment, emphasizing the sovereignty of God over the nations and the consequences of covenant unfaithfulness.Tiglath-Pileser

that binds or takes away captivity

Tiglath-Pileser

King of Assyria, was invited by Ahaz king of Judah to aid him against the kings of Syria and Israel, 2 Kings 16:7-10. This he did, but exacted also a heavy tribute from Ahaz, so as to distress him without helping him, 2 Chronicles 28:20-21. From the kingdom of Israel, also, he carried off the inhabitants of many cities captive, and placed them in various parts of his kingdom, B. C. 740, 1 Chronicles 5:26 2 Kings 15:29, thus fulfilling unconsciously the predictions of Isaiah, Isaiah 7:17 8:4. He is supposed to be meant by Jareb, the pleader, in Hosea 5:13 10:6. He reigned nineteen years at Nineveh, and was succeeded by his son Shalmaneser.

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

8407. Tiglath Pileser -- an Assyrian king
Tiglath Pileser. 8406, 8407. Tiglath Pileser. 8408 . an Assyrian king.
Transliteration: Tiglath Pileser Phonetic Spelling: (tig ...
/hebrew/8407.htm - 6k

8408. tagmul -- a benefit
... Word Origin from gamal Definition a benefit NASB Word Usage benefits (1).
Tiglath-pileser, Tilgath-pilneser. From gamal; a bestowment -- benefit. ...
/hebrew/8408.htm - 6k

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... CHAPTER II"TIGLATH-PILESER III. AND THE ORGANISATION OF THE ASSYRIAN
EMPIRE FROM 745 TO 722 BC. TIGLATH-PILESER III. AND THE ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

How Zachariah Shallum, Menahem Pekahiah and Pekah Took the ...
... How Zachariah Shallum, Menahem Pekahiah And Pekah Took The Government Over The
Israelites; And How Pul And Tiglath-Pileser Made An Expedition Against The ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 11 how zachariah shallum.htm

Nineveh.
... Therefore, He strengthened the great King Tiglath Pileser, who already held in
subjection the other great Assyrian city of Babylon, and the brave Median ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson ix nineveh.htm

How Upon the Death of Jotham, Ahaz Reigned in his Stead; against ...
... How Upon The Death Of Jotham, Ahaz Reigned In His Stead; Against Whom Rezin, King
Of Syria And Pekah King Of Israel, Made War; And How Tiglath-Pileser, King Of ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 12 how upon the.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... Sarnsiramman I. and his father Ismidagan are mentioned in the great inscription
of Tiglath-pileser II., as having lived 641 years before King Assurdan, who ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

The Nations of the North-East
... chose. Ahaz of Judah turned in his despair to the Assyrians, who had once more
appeared on the scene. Tiglath-pileser III. had overthrown ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iv the nations of.htm

Appendices
... days 731. THE DYNASTY OF SAPE. Yukin-zera or Khinziros, 3 years 730 Pulu
(Pul or Poros), called Tiglath-pileser III. in Assyria, 2 ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/appendices.htm

Babylonia and Assyria
... His son, Tiglath-pileser I., was one of the great conquerors of history.
He carried his arms far and wide. ... Tiglath-pileser III. ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... How Zachariah Shallum, Menahem Pekahiah And Pekah Took The Government Over The
Israelites; And How Pul And Tiglath-Pileser Made An Expedition Against The ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8
... Tyre and its kings after Ethbaal II.: Phoenician colonisation in Libya and the
foundation of Carthage -- The Kingdom of Tyre in the time of Tiglath-pileser III ...
/.../history of egypt chaldaea syria babylonia and assyria v 8/title page.htm

Tiglathpileser (3 Occurrences)
... usurper, who as king of Assyria assumed the name of one of his predecessors,
Tiglath-pileser I, and reigned as Tiglath-pileser III ...Tiglathpileser (3 Occurrences ...
/t/tiglathpileser.htm - 11k

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

Tiglath (3 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Tiglath-Pileser I. (not mentioned ... period. He was
succeeded by his son, Shalmaneser II. Tiglath-Pileser III. Or ...
/t/tiglath.htm - 9k

Pileser (3 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Tiglath-Pileser I. (not mentioned ... period. He was
succeeded by his son, Shalmaneser II. Tiglath-Pileser III. Or ...
/p/pileser.htm - 9k

Tig'lath-pile'ser (3 Occurrences)
Tig'lath-pile'ser. Tiglath-pileser, Tig'lath-pile'ser. Tigris . Multi-Version
Concordance ... (See RSV). Tiglath-pileser, Tig'lath-pile'ser. Tigris . ...
/t/tig'lath-pile'ser.htm - 7k

Pekah (11 Occurrences)
... 2. Attitude of Assyria: Tiglath-pileser III was now ruler of Assyria, and in successive
campaigns since 745 had proved himself a resistless conqueror. ...
/p/pekah.htm - 19k

Ijon (3 Occurrences)
... A ruin, a city of Naphtali, captured by Ben-hadad of Syria at the instance of Asa
(1 Kings 15:20), and afterwards by Tiglath-pileser of Assyria (2 Kings 15:29 ...
/i/ijon.htm - 8k

Rezin (11 Occurrences)
... a prince, a king of Syria, who joined Pekah (qv) in an invasion of the kingdom of
Judah (2 Kings 15:37; 16:5-9; Isaiah 7:1-8). Ahaz induced Tiglath-pileser III ...
/r/rezin.htm - 13k

Menahem (8 Occurrences)
... The Pul of 2 Kings 15:19 and 1 Chronicles 5:26 is now identified with Tiglath-pileser
III, who took this title on ascending the throne of Assyria in 745 BC In ...
/m/menahem.htm - 13k

Pul (3 Occurrences)
... (1.) An Assyrian king. It has been a question whether he was identical with
Tiglath-pileser III. (qv), or was his predecessor. ... See TIGLATH-PILESER. ...
/p/pul.htm - 9k

Who was King Ahaz in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz? | GotQuestions.org

When and how was Israel conquered by the Assyrians? | GotQuestions.org

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