Page 62 - Biblical Backgrounds

fertile plain. Today, the ancient ruins are located just opposite the present-day city of Mosul. The size of
Nineveh is revealed in the Bible, in Jonah 3:3 and 4:11 (A 3 days journey in breadth with over 120,000
people). The classical writers describe Nineveh as being over 60 miles around the city walls. The city of
Nineveh is described in Genesis 10:11 as having been founded by Nimrod, the hunter who built the
tower of Babel and led the world into a rebellion against God. The Old Testament also mentions Nineveh
in relation to the prophet Jonah, who preached judgment against Nineveh, and afterward the city
repented.

Nineveh took its turn as one of three cities to be the capital of Assyria, whose rule over Mesopotamia
dates back to 2400 BC and was an incredible civilization that rose from humble beginnings into a
fearsome empire that ruled much of the known world until its fall in 612 BC. Because we read of the
judgments upon Assyria, we might tend to look upon them as some demon-possessed frothing people of
whom nothing comes but evil. But the truth for Nineveh and the Assyrian Empire is true of every nation
on earth. They had many kinds of people, subject to the
cultural norms of the time, and doing the best they could to
raise their children, survive, and prosper. God, through Jonah,
showed great mercy on His people because they repented of
hearing the word of God. (8th Century BCEE.) The Assyrians
brought many scientific, philosophical, and practical advances
to humanity, including many inventions that we take for
granted today. Everyday most of us lock our doors when we
leave the house. Locks and keys were invented in Assyria.
They also invented a system that kept time and ascribed 360
degrees to a circle. They are given credit for inventing paved
roads, the first postal system, the first use of iron, the first
libraries, the first plumbing, flush toilets, and aqueducts. They
came up with the first governmental administration of
dividing territories ruled by local governors reporting to a
central authority.

The Book of Jonah, set in the days of the Assyrian empire,
describes it as an "exceedingly great city of three days'
journey in breadth", whose population at that time is given as "more than 120,000". The city wall was
probably around 60 miles in circumference, with 15 magnificent gates, and surrounded by a moat of
water. The Assyrians considered the city impregnable.

Their Religion
The Assyrians worshipped many gods, including a moon god, a sun god, a weather god, a god of
woodworkers, and so on. But most Assyrians ignored all the multitude of Gods and officially worshiped
the god of the nation, Ashur. Ashur was the “husband” of Ishtar, as their gods took on human
relationships. They constructed elaborate worship centers or temples to each of their gods. The
Assyrians were known to cook a morning and evening meal and place it before their idol images. Of
course, it was never consumed, as their gods were made of wood and stone.

Nineveh was also famous in the ancient world because it was a center for the worship of Ishtar (Astarte),
the fertility goddess. She, along with Asherah and Anath, was one of three great goddesses of the
Canaanite religion. She was associated primarily with love and fertility. She was also associated with

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