Genesis 10:11

10:11 From that land he went ¹  to Assyria, ²  where he built Nineveh, ³  Rehoboth-Ir, ⁴  Calah, ⁵ 

Ezra 4:2

4:2 they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders ⁶  and said to them, “Let us help you build, ⁷  for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him ⁸  from the time ⁹  of King Esarhaddon ¹⁰  of Assyria, who brought us here.” ¹¹ 

Psalms 83:8

83:8 Even Assyria has allied with them,

lending its strength to the descendants of Lot. ¹²  (Selah)

Hosea 14:3

14:3 Assyria cannot save us;

we will not ride warhorses.

We will never again say, ‘Our gods’

to what our own hands have made.

For only you will show compassion to Orphan Israel!” ¹³ 

¹ tn The subject of the verb translated “went” is probably still Nimrod. However, it has also been interpreted that “Ashur went,” referring to a derivative power.

² tn Heb “Asshur.”

³ sn Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city situated on the Tigris River.

⁴ sn The name Rehoboth-Ir means “and broad streets of a city,” perhaps referring to a suburb of Nineveh.

⁵ sn Calah (modern Nimrud) was located twenty miles north of Nineveh.

⁶ tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.” So also in v. 3.

⁷ tn Heb “Let us build with you.”

⁸ tc The translation reads with the Qere, a Qumran MS, the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Arabic version וְלוֹ (vÿlo, “and him”) rather than the Kethib of the MT, וְלֹא (vÿlo’, “and not”).

⁹ tn Heb “days.”

¹⁰ sn Esarhaddon was king of Assyria ca. 681-669 b.c.

¹¹ sn The Assyrian policy had been to resettle Samaria with peoples from other areas (cf. 2 Kgs 17:24-34). These immigrants acknowledged Yahweh as well as other deities in some cases. The Jews who returned from the Exile regarded them with suspicion and were not hospitable to their offer of help in rebuilding the temple.

¹² tn Heb “they are an arm for the sons of Lot.” The “arm” is here a symbol of military might.

¹³ tn Heb “For the orphan is shown compassion by you.” The present translation takes “orphan” as a figurative reference to Israel, which is specified in the translation for clarity.