Bible -- Antiquities; Bible. Old Testament -- Evidences, authority, etc.
[Illustration: Monuments of Petra, showing extent of the ruins in
one direction]
Plate 23
[Illustration: Looking the opposite way from Plate 22]
It is also noted that Assur-Nasir-pal has given a detailed account of
the treasures that he derived from the defeated Hittites. Among them he
lists with great delight “swift chariots with horses therefor.” Whenever
this monarch won a victory over the Hittites, he refers again and again
to their chariots. One such reference is seen in this statement: “The
chariots and warlike engines of the general of Charchemis I laid up in
my magazines.”
We have already noted that Solomon was engaged in trade with the people
called Hittites, taking chariots and horses in exchange for his
merchandise.
Ramses the Second states that the Hittite chiefs were distinguished
among the nations “for their swift chariots and horses and their engines
of war.”
It would seem indeed that the writer of II Kings was better acquainted
with the times of which he wrote than was the later critic who disdains
the authority of the ancient scribe!
Shalmaneser made five references to the Hittites, in every one of which
he refers to their chariots. In the monument of Shalmaneser, which is
now found in the British Museum, the inscription represents the Hittites
at Charchemish with various of their allies fighting against
Shalmaneser. He concludes this record by saying, “With them I fought;
their corpses like chaff through the country I scattered. Multitudes of
chariots and horses trained to the yoke I seized.”
Sargon also tells of his overthrow of the Hittite kingdom, and mentions
the chariots that were so formidable an aid to their military campaigns.
It may be noted in passing that Dr. Cheyne, like the eminent Dr. Sayce,
was later converted to faith in the integrity of the Word of God. This
might be called one of the later victories of the Hittite empire. Its
people have risen from the dead to fight for the faith and for the Book
which alike were delivered unto the saints by the Spirit of God. Some of
the later writings of Dr. Cheyne constitute a frank repudiation of his
earlier position. His lectures and sermons, after his discovery of the
integrity of the Bible, still linger in the memory of those who were
privileged to hear them.
The summary of the matter presents a complete victory for the orthodox
school. First, as to the extent of their empire, the Egyptian and
Israelite inscriptions give three hundred geographical names in
connection with the domain and rule of the Hittites. These cover almost
every section of the ancient civilized world. These same inscriptions
also present a long list of the allies and the dependencies which paid
tribute to the Hittite kings. Lists of the satraps who reigned as
vassals to the Hittites have also been recovered.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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