The Black Obelisk Shows King Jehu
This Assyrian monument from approximately 825 BCE depicts and names “Jehu, son of Omri” paying tribute to Assyrian King Shalmaneser III. The Bible records Jehu as an Israelite king in 2 Kings 9-10. This independent Assyrian artifact validates the Bible’s accurate portrayal of international politics. The relief shows Jehu prostrating himself before the Assyrian king, proving Israel engaged in precisely the diplomatic relations the Bible describes.
