Ashurbanipal (Akkadian: Aššur-bāni-apli, meaning “Ashur is the creator of the heir”) was the last great king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, reigning from 668 to approximately 627 B.C. His reign marked the peak of Assyrian power, when the empire stretched further than ever before, encompassing Egypt and exerting absolute control over the smaller kingdoms of the Levant, including Judah.
Though not explicitly named in most KJV translations, his influence is central to understanding the historical setting of the prophets Nahum and Zephaniah, and the reigns of the Judean kings Manasseh and Josiah.
1. The Biblical Connection (Osnappar)
While the name Ashurbanipal does not appear directly, most scholars identify him with the figure Asnapper (or Osnappar) mentioned in the Book of Ezra in connection with the Assyrian policy of mass deportation and resettlement:
“And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are in this side the river, and at such a time.” (Ezra 4:10, KJV, emphasis added).
This deportation and mixing of populations, which Ashurbanipal actively continued from his predecessors, led directly to the spiritual syncretism we discussed earlier, wherein foreigners in Samaria blended their pagan worship with that of the LORD.
2. A Vassal King: Manasseh of Judah
Ashurbanipal inherited the Assyrian Empire from his father, Esarhaddon, and his grandfather, Sennacherib (both mentioned in the Bible). During Ashurbanipal’s reign, the Kingdom of Judah was ruled by the wicked King Manasseh (reigned c. 697-642 B.C.).
Historical Assyrian records from Ashurbanipal’s time list Manasseh of Judah as one of the twenty-two kings of the West who paid heavy tribute to the Assyrian Empire. This historical fact confirms that Judah was little more than a subjugated vassal state under Assyrian dominion throughout much of Manasseh’s long, idolatrous reign.
3. The Object of Prophecy
Ashurbanipal’s relentless and brutal military campaigns, particularly the destruction of the Egyptian city of Thebes (called No-amon in the Bible), provided the prophets with a powerful example of God’s eventual judgment.
The prophet Nahum, in predicting the total downfall of the Assyrian capital, Nineveh, uses Ashurbanipal’s conquest of Thebes as a point of comparison:
“Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?” (Nahum 3:8, KJV).
The message was clear: if a massive, powerful city like Thebes, which Ashurbanipal had sacked, could fall, then the seemingly invincible Nineveh would also fall, showing that God is sovereign over even the mightiest “King of the World.”
The Scholarly King
Ashurbanipal is equally famous for his cultural achievements, which ironically preserved much of the ancient world’s literature.
- The Library of Nineveh: Ashurbanipal established the great Royal Library at Nineveh, gathering and copying tens of thousands of clay tablets containing hymns, omens, medical texts, and literature, including the Epic of Gilgamesh. This library has become an invaluable resource for modern historians, providing crucial external confirmation of biblical events and chronology.
The Theological Significance
Ashurbanipal and the Neo-Assyrian Empire represent the terrible, destructive power of the Gentile world, used by God as a “rod of anger” to discipline His people. Although Assyria was at its peak under Ashurbanipal, its rapid decline began almost immediately after his death, leading to the collapse of Nineveh in 612 B.C. (as prophesied by Nahum and Zephaniah). His reign is a powerful witness to the prophetic truth that no earthly empire, no matter how great, is immune to the judgment of the LORD God of Israel.