016 Israelite Prisoners

Museum Description: Bull for Sennacherib's Palace 4 Approaching River

Room: 9/Case: None/Number: ANE 124822

Scripture: Micah 1:13

In much the same way as we might use flags today, headdresses in ancient carvings were used to denote people of different nations.  Here we can see prisoners working under a slave master with different hairstyles and headdresses, indicating the different nations the Assyrians had conquered and enslaved.  In the middle, we see the same distinctive headband from the siege of Lachish reliefs, also from Sennacherib's palace.  So this is the sad result for Israelites conquered and captured by Assyria!  Those who were not tortured or killed were enslaved.  Here they are shown being forced to work in a stone quarry.  The city of Lachish was evidently not faithful to Jehovah, so suffered the consequences of being at the mercy of the Assyrians.