Archaeologists Uncover Biblical Palace After ISIS Destroyed Jonah’s Tomb
Archaeologists says they’ve uncovered a biblical palace after the Islamic State destroyed the tomb of Jonah, which was built on the palace.
Historians believe the palace was built for Assyrian King Sennacherib, renovated and expanded by Esarhaddon (681-669 B.C.) and renovated again by Ashurbanipal (669-627). It was partly destroyed during the Sack of Nineveh in 612 B.C., according to the Telegraph.
The author of 2 Chronicles described Sennacherib in chapter 32. The Assyrian king faced off against Judah’s King Hezekiah:
So Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet son of Amoz prayed concerning this. And they called out to heaven. So the Lord sent an angel and destroyed the mighty army, leaders, and officials in the camp of the king of Assyria. So the king returned in shame to his own land. When he entered the temple of his god, some of his sons fell on him there with the sword. So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and gave them rest on every side. Many brought tribute to the Lord in Jerusalem and choice gifts to Hezekiah king of Judah so that he was lifted up before the eyes of all the nations from then on (2 Chron. 32:20-23).
“I’ve never seen something like this in stone at this large size,” said Prof Eleanor Robson, chair of the British Institute for the Study of Iraq. “The objects don’t match descriptions of what we thought was down there, so Isil’s destruction has actually led us to a fantastic find.” {eoa}
