The Kurkh Monoliths are two stelae that contain descriptions of the reigns of Ashurnasirpal II and his son Shalmaneser III. For the present we are only concerned with the inscription concerning Shalmaneser III.
For a close look at the monolith see:
www.britishmuseum.org
This inscription deals with campaigns that Shalmaneser III made into western Syria (i.e. Aram-Damascus). It describes the Battle of Qarqar (853 B.C.) where Shalmaneser III encountered a coalition army of twelve kings. This event is not recored in the Bible. However, two name on that list are relevant for this thread.
The first is King Ahab. According to the stela, "Ahab the Israelite" had 2,000 chariots and 10,000 soldiers.
The second is King Hadadezer. He had "1,200 chariots, 1,200 cavalrymen, 20,000 foot soldiers."
Hadadezer is found in the Bible under another name, Ben-hadad. In 1 Kings 20 Ben-hadad\Hadadezer attacked Samaria during the reign of (guess who?) King Ahab. Verse 21 states: "The king of Israel [i.e. Ahab] advanced and overpowered the horses and chariots and inflicted heavy losses on the Arameans."
The fact that Ben-hadad\Hadadezer and Ahab were at times enemies and others allies makes sense. The Assyrian forces of Shalmaneser III would have been much great than those of Ahab or Ben-hadad\Hadadezer alone. Sometimes the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
One other point need to be made. Two other kings named Ben-hadad are mentioned in the Bible.
(1) Ben-Hadad I - son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion (I Kings 15:18)
(2) Ben-Hadad III - son of Hazael (2 Kings 13:25)
For a close look at the monolith see:
stela | British Museum
Limestone stela: a round-topped stele, of inferior limestone, much eroded. The king, Shalmaneser III, stands before four divine emblems: (1) the winged disk, the symbol of the god Ashur, or, as some hold, of Shamash; (2) the six-pointed star of Ishtar, goddess of the morning and evening star...
This inscription deals with campaigns that Shalmaneser III made into western Syria (i.e. Aram-Damascus). It describes the Battle of Qarqar (853 B.C.) where Shalmaneser III encountered a coalition army of twelve kings. This event is not recored in the Bible. However, two name on that list are relevant for this thread.
The first is King Ahab. According to the stela, "Ahab the Israelite" had 2,000 chariots and 10,000 soldiers.
The second is King Hadadezer. He had "1,200 chariots, 1,200 cavalrymen, 20,000 foot soldiers."
Hadadezer is found in the Bible under another name, Ben-hadad. In 1 Kings 20 Ben-hadad\Hadadezer attacked Samaria during the reign of (guess who?) King Ahab. Verse 21 states: "The king of Israel [i.e. Ahab] advanced and overpowered the horses and chariots and inflicted heavy losses on the Arameans."
The fact that Ben-hadad\Hadadezer and Ahab were at times enemies and others allies makes sense. The Assyrian forces of Shalmaneser III would have been much great than those of Ahab or Ben-hadad\Hadadezer alone. Sometimes the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
One other point need to be made. Two other kings named Ben-hadad are mentioned in the Bible.
(1) Ben-Hadad I - son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion (I Kings 15:18)
(2) Ben-Hadad III - son of Hazael (2 Kings 13:25)
