BREAKING: In a brand new, groundbreaking archaeological find in Jerusalem, researchers have unearthed remnants of an ancient military base that may provide tangible evidence for a pivotal Biblical event.
According to a report from the Daily Mail on Sunday, the discovery points to the likely battleground of a clash between God’s army and Assyrian soldiers some 2,700 years ago.
The Assyrian Empire, under the rule of King Sennacherib from 1,365 to 609 BC, sought to dominate strategic routes through the Syrian Desert leading to the Mediterranean Sea. According to Biblical accounts, during this period, an angel of the Lord descended upon the Assyrian troops, resulting in the miraculous death of 185,000 soldiers in a single night.
“That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies!” (2 Kings 19:35).
The newly discovered site, located at Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem, aligns with historical evidence found on an ancient engraving from Sennacherib’s palace. Archaeologist Stephen Compton utilized aerial photographs and historical maps to identify the remains of what is believed to be Sennacherib’s camp during the siege of Jerusalem.
“This appears to be the site of Sennacherib’s camp from the siege of Jerusalem, which was featured in the three books of the Bible,” Comtpon stated in a June 4 press release.
The excavation revealed ruins of a perimeter wall and pottery shards dating back approximately 2,600 years, marking the site’s occupation and subsequent abandonment following Sennacherib’s campaign.
The discovery not only supports Biblical accounts, but also opens avenues for further exploration into similar military bases and ancient cities destroyed by the Assyrian Empire.
Compton expressed optimism about future discoveries, noting, “In some cases, it has also been possible to use the newly discovered camps to locate the sites of ancient cities that were known to have been besieged by the Assyrians but whose locations were unknown or uncertain.”
The Biblical story of the Assyrian defeat in Jerusalem is recounted in multiple scriptures, including Isaiah 37:36-38, 2 Kings 19:35, and 2 Chronicles 32:21. These texts describe how Jerusalem’s ruler, Hezekiah, sought divine intervention through prayer, resulting in the miraculous decimation of Assyrian forces.
Different accounts of the event include references to a divine plague and even an invasion of mice that damaged Assyrian weaponry, as described in Greek scripture. The discovery at Ammunition Hill provides tangible archaeological evidence linking ancient history with Biblical narrative, offering new insights into the events that shaped the region millennia ago.