A groundbreaking discovery in Israel has revealed what is believed to be an ancient Assyrian military camp, providing support for the biblical account of the destruction of 185,000 Assyrian soldiers by an angel of the Lord.
Recent research by Stephen Compton, an independent scholar specializing in Near Eastern archaeology, has located what is believed to be an ancient Assyrian Empire camp, bolstering the biblical account as described in 2 Kings 19:35, Isaiah 37:36-38, and 2 Chronicles 32:21.
Compton utilized modern mapping techniques to pinpoint the discovery of ancient Assyrian military camps from circa 700 B.C., corroborating evidence found in Assyrian texts, Greek histories, and the Hebrew Bible.
Ancient Assyrian Camp Discovered, Corroborating Biblical Account
One of the significant cities conquered by the Assyrians, mentioned in both biblical and Assyrian documents, is Lachish. Stone panels depicting the Assyrian Emperor Sennacherib’s conquest of Lachish adorn the walls of his palace, showing a large oval military camp.
Matching the landscape to the relief in Sennacherib’s palace and using early aerial photographs of Lachish, Compton created a virtual map to pinpoint the site of the military camp. The oval shape, described in the relief, helped narrow down his research.
Ancient Assyrian Camp Discovered, Corroborating Biblical Account
"We knew it was an oval. What I did was I took the image of the relief and match it up with recognizable features in the landscape with the actual landscape and overlayed the two," Compton explained. "I used earlier photographs of the landscape from World War II, right before major changes were made."
The results of his mapping aligned perfectly, placing the military camp in a location that fits the historical context of Sennacherib’s invasion camp. Compton’s findings have been published in the journal Near Eastern Archaeology.
Ancient Assyrian Camp Discovered, Corroborating Biblical Account
Excavation teams are expected to investigate the site further to provide additional information and insights.
Compton’s discovery has sparked excitement within the archaeological community, as it offers tangible evidence that supports the biblical account. The presence of the military camp provides a tangible connection to the ancient world and sheds light on the historical events described in the Bible.
Ancient Assyrian Camp Discovered, Corroborating Biblical Account
