Ashur

ASHUR, the Son of Shem, who gave his name to Assyria. It is believed that originally he dwelt in the land of Shinar, and about Babylonia; but that he was compell’d by the Usurper Nimrod to go from thence, and settle higher towards the Springs of Tigris, in the Province of Assyria, so called from him, where he built the famous City of Nineveh, and those of Rehoboth, Calah and Resen. This is the sense which is generally put upon these words of Moses. Out of that land (Shinar) went Gen. x. 11, 12.forth Ashur and builded Nineveh, and the City of Rehoboth, and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah.

Micah v. 6.But others explain the Text of Moses in a different manner¹. They understand it of Nimrod, who left his own Country, and attacked Assyria, which he made himself master of, and built there Nineveh, Rehoboth, Calah, and Resen; here he established the Seat of his Empire, and became the most powerful and probably the first Monarch of the East. The Prophet Micah calls Assyria the land of Nimrod; And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof.

Suidas², John Malala³, and Cedrenus⁴ relate, that Thuras reigned at Nineveh after Ninus. He was at war with Caucasus, of the race of Japhet, conquered and killed him. After the death of Thuras, the Assyrians called the planet Mars by his name, and adored him under that of Baal, which in their language signifies the God of War. Daniel speaks of this God Baal, who was worshipped at Babylon. So much we learn from Suidas. It is generally believed, that Thuras and Ashur were the same person, and that the Baal of the Assyrians and Babylonians was their first King, and the Founder of their Monarchy. But instead of making Thuras the Son and Successor of Ninus, it should on the contrary be said, that Ninus was the Son and Successor of Thuras or Ashur, otherwise called Baal, or Belus. For Historians⁵ all agree, in making Ninus the Son of Belus. But there are some who confound Ninus with Ashur. Others make him the Son of Nimrod: and in a matter of such antiquity we can hope to receive very little light from profane Authors. But there should be care taken to distinguish between the old Belus, who is probably the same with Evechoüs King of Chaldæa, and Belus the Assyrian, the Father of Ninus. Evechoüs reigned at Babylon four hundred and forty years before Belus the Assyrian.The Empire of the Assyrians is thought to have been the most ancient in the East. The Foundation of it is ascribed to Ashur, or Nimrod, or Belus, or Ninus. The original of it is not very clear. Herodotus⁶, who is generally followed in this matter, says, that Ninus the Son of Belus founded the Assyrian Empire, which subsisted five hundred and twenty years in upper Asia. Usher fixes the beginning of this Empire to the year of the world 2737, of the Julian Period 3447, before J. C. 1263, before the vulgar Æra 1267. Ninus was succeeded by his Wife Semiramis, who reigned two and forty years. After her Ninus her Son reigned nine and thirty years. He is said to have had a series of six and thirty Kings for his Successors⁷, whose names are set down, together with the dates and duration of their reign, to Sardanapalus. But as these historians are very much to be suspected, and they give us no particular information of any thing, we think it needless to produce them in this place.

The Scripture speaks of the Foundation Gen. x. 8, 9, 10, 11. Gen. xiv. Judg. iii. 8.of the Assyrian Empire by Nimrod, long before Ninus; that is to say, about the time when the tower of Babel was built, in the year of the world 1757, before J. C. 2243, before the vulgar Æra 2247, and before the taking of Babylon by Alexander the Great, nineteen hundred and three years. From this time the Babylonians began to make their observations of the Heavens, and they who were sent by Callisthenes to Aristotle, had a retrospect of nineteen hundred and three years. Who Nimrod’s Successors were we cannot tell; only we read, that in Abraham’s time, and about the year of the world 2092 Chedorlaomar King of Elam having entred into a confederacy with Amraphel King of Shinar, Arioch King of Ellasar, and Tidal King of the Nations, came and attacked the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the neighbouring Cities, which had rebell’d against him. And long after, under the Judges, about the year of the World 2591, the Lord delivered the Israelites into the hands of Chushan-rishathaim, King of Mesopotamia, who oppressed them for eight years. Julius Africanus says that Evechoüs reigned in Chaldæa two hundred twenty four years before the Arabians; that is to say, in the year of the World 2242, in the time of Isaac. The Arabians conquered the Chaldæan Empire in 2466, and kept it for about two hundred and sixteen years, to the year of the World 2682. Belus the Assyrian succeeded the Arabians fifty five years before the foundation of the Assyrian Empire by Ninus.

Dionysius Halicarnassæus observes very well⁸, that the Assyrian Empire was in the beginning of very small extent; and what we have said shews this sufficiently, since we see Kings of Shinar, Elam, Chaldæa, and Eliasar, at the time when the Assyrian Empire founded by Nimrod must have subsisted, and before Ninus the Son of Belus founded, or rather aggrandized the only Empire of Assyria which was known by profane Authors; for they had no notice of that which was established by Nimrod.

In the reigns of David and Solomon the Assyrian Monarchs possessed nothing on this side the Euphrates. David subdued all Syria, without their concerning themselves at all about it. When he attacked the Ammonites they sent for succour to the Country 2 Sam. x. 16.on the other side of the Euphrates; but David defeated the Troops sent to their assistance, and obliged even the people on the other side of this river to pay tribute to Ver. 16, 19.him. The first King of Assyria mentioned in the Scripture, is he who reigned at Nineveh, when Jonah went thither to preach repentance, about the year of the World 3180. This Prophet does not inform us what the name was of that Prince who then reigned at Nineveh, but he describes this City to be prodigiously large. The Books of Kings and Chronicles relate, that Pul King of Assyria 2 Kings xv. 19. 1 Chron. v. 26.invaded the Territories of Israel, under the reign of Menahem. It is the conjecture of some, that Pul was the Father of Sardanapalus. This last began to reign, according to Usher, in the year of the Julian Period 3947. of the World 3237. which was the fifth year of Menahem; and Pul’s invasion of his Country happened in the beginning of Menahem’s reign.

The measure of Nineveh’s sins being compleated, God raised up enemies against Sardanapalus, who obliged him to kill himself. Arbaces Governour of Media, with disdain observing the effeminacy of Sardanapalus’s life, which he passed in the most retired parts of his Court, confederated with Belesus Governour of Babylon, and resolved to shake off the Assyrian yoke, and set the Medes and Chaldeans at liberty. After several combats Sardanapalus was constrained to shut himself up in Nineveh; and in the third year of the siege, the Tigris having overthrown the City walls for twenty furlongs in length, Sardanapalus burnt himself in his Palace, with his Wealth, his Eunuchs, and his Concubines. Thus the City being taken, In the Year of the World 3257. before J. C. 743. before the Vulg. Æra 747. In the year of the World 3323. Vide Usher ad hunc annum. 2 Kings xv. 29. xvi. 7, 10. 1 Chron. x. 6. 2 Chron. xxviii. 20. In the Year of the World 3294. before J. C. 706. before the vulg. Æra 709. In the Year of the World 3335, before J. C. 665, before the vulgar Æra 669. In the Year of the World 3356. before J. C. 644. before the vulg. Æra 647. In the Year of the World 3444. according to Usher, before J. C. 556, before the vulg. Æra 560. In the Year of the World 3356. before J. C. 644, before the vulgar Æra 647. In the Year ofBelesus and Arbaces assumed the Title of King, set the Medes and Chaldæans at liberty, and dismembered the ancient Empire of the Assyrians, which had endured from the time of Nimrod, about two thousand five hundred years; and from Ninus the Son of Belus, about five hundred and twenty years⁹. This ancient Empire of Assyria maintained itself still with some splendor at Nineveh, under young Ninus and his Successors. We believe this Ninus to be the same with Tiglath-pileser, mentioned in the Book of Kings. This Prince came to the assistance of Ahaz King of Judah, and overcame the Kings of Israel and Damascus. Salmanefer succeeded Tiglath-pileser, in the year of the Julian Period 3986. of the World 3236. before J. C. 764. Sennacherib the Successor of Salmanefer, is celebrated in sacred and profane writings. He was killed by two of his Sons¹⁰, and succeeded by another of them called Eser-haddon; who after he had reigned some time at Nineveh, made himself Master of Babylon, and re-united the Empires of Chaldæa and Assyria. He left the Empire to Saosduchinus, who reigned twenty years. This is he who is supposed to be named Nebuchodonosor in Judith. Saosduchinus was succeeded by Saracus or Chynaladanus, who reigned two and twenty years.

Nabopolassar, otherwise Nebuchadnezzar, Governour of Babylon, and Astyages, otherwise Ahasuerus, Son to the King of Media, laying siege to Nineveh, took the City, and divided the Monarchy of the Assyrians between them. Nabopolassar had Nineveh and Babylon for his share; and Astyages continued Master of Media and the neighbouring Provinces. Nabopolassar was Father of the Great Nebuchadnezzar, who took Jerusalem. Evilmerodach succeeded him, and Belshasar succeeded Evilmerodach; after Belshasar Darius the Mede took possession of the Empire. Hitherto we have the authority of Scripture, which clearly points out Nebuchadnezzar, Evilmerodach, Belshasar, and Darius the Mede.

But profane Authors relate the series of Evilmerodach’s Successors in a different manner.¹¹ that Megasthenes says Evilmerodach was put to death by Nerigliffor his Brother-in-law, who reigned four years. He was succeeded by Labassoaraschus, who was killed by some persons that had formed a Conspiracy against him, and agreed to give the Crown to one of their own number, whose name was Nabonidas, or Nabannidoch, or Labinith. From this last, Cyrus conquered Babylon. Berosus¹² says the same almost as Megasthenes. According to his account, Nerigliffor reigned four years, Laborosardoch nine months, Nabonidas seventeen years. After which Cyrus made himself Master of the Chaldæan Empire, and reunited the Empires of Assyria, Chaldæa, and Persia.

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