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37-461: The stela is significant as a text that demonstrates the adoration of Nabonidus to the Sun, Ishtar, and especially Sin, departing from traditional Babylonian exaltation of the chief god Marduk. The following translation is that of C. J. Gadd. (This is) the great miracle of Sin that none of the (other) gods and goddesses knew (how to achieve), that has not happened in the country from the days of old, that

74-686: A Bronze Star . His citation recorded that "the intelligence material gathered through his selfless and earnest work" had enabled the Allied commanders to plan and launch the air operations which brought victory to the Allied armies in Italy. Wiseman studied at Dulwich College and King's College London , where he won the McCaul Hebrew prize. After World War II, he read Oriental Languages at Wadham College, Oxford , studying Hebrew under Godfrey Driver and Akkadian under Oliver Gurney and obtaining

111-617: A Master of Arts degree. He joined the Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union and became its president in 1947. He married Mary Ruoff in 1948, and they had three children. Wiseman worked for four years at the British Museum deciphering cuneiform tablets excavated by Leonard Woolley at Alalakh in Syria. He also made several trips to Nimrud in modern-day Iraq , compiling a catalogue of

148-486: A prince or governor, rather than as a seminomad . Selman suggests that this perspective indicates "Wiseman's ability to approach a long-standing problem in a creative manner." From his work on Babylonian texts, Wiseman established the date of Nebuchadnezzar's first capture of Jerusalem as 15/16 March 597 BC. Wiseman questioned the traditional location of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon , suggesting that

185-467: A brief civil war. Labashi-Marduk was still recognised as king at Uruk up until at least 19 June, and in the key city of Sippar until at least 20 June. The earliest known document dated to the reign of Nabonidus at Sippar is from 26 June. However, the earliest document dated to Nabonidus at the city of Nippur is from 25 May and the latest documents dated to Labashi-Marduk at Babylon itself are from 24 May. The earliest known tablet dated to Nabonidus at Babylon

222-407: A child, it possible that he became king as an adult since commercial texts from two years earlier indicate that Labashi-Marduk was in charge of his own affairs at that time. Labashi-Marduk may still have been relatively young, however. One of the inscriptions of Nabonidus refers to Labashi-Marduk as "a young boy who had not yet learned proper behavior". The reason for the coup against Labashi-Marduk

259-627: A close connection with the Crusaders organisation. He was leader of the class at Finchley , which included Cliff Richard . Richard has publicly spoken about the "significant role played by Crusader leaders in his early Christian journey." Wiseman was elected a fellow of the British Academy in 1969 and served as vice-president in 1982 under Sir Isaiah Berlin . In 1983, he gave the Academy's Schweich Lecture on Biblical Archaeology , on

296-464: A contract from 12 April 556 BC at Babylon and a contract from 16 April that same year from the city of Uruk . The Uruk King List (IM 65066, also known as King List 5), a record of rulers of Babylon from Shamash-shum-ukin ( r.   668–648 BC) to the Seleucid king Seleucus II Callinicus ( r.   246–225 BC), accords Neriglissar a reign of three years and eight months, consistent with

333-578: A dream and said (in the dream) as follows: “Rebuild speedily Ehulhul, the temple of Sin in Harran, and I will hand over to you all the countries. Upon the command of Sin <<and>> Ishtar, the Lady-of-Battle, without whom neither hostilities nor reconciliation can occur in the country and no battle can be fought, extended her protection (lit.: hand) over them, and the king of Egypt, the Medes and

370-759: A fellow of King's College London . He served as chairman of Tyndale House from 1957 to 1986 and president of the Society for Old Testament Studies. He had a variety of roles with the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship , including two terms as president, in 1965–66 and 1973–74. He was chairman of the Scripture Gift Mission from 1978 to 1992, and served for a time on the New International Version Committee on Bible Translation. Wiseman also maintained

407-573: A true break in the dynasty of Nebuchadnezzar and might as such have aroused opposition from the Babylonian populace. After Labashi-Marduk's death, the considerable wealth and estates of Neriglissar's family were confiscated and eventually taken up by Belshazzar , the son of Nabonidus, who (as the main beneficiary) was likely the main orchestrator of the conspiracy against Labashi-Marduk. Donald Wiseman Donald John Wiseman OBE FBA FSA (25 October 1918 – 2 February 2010)

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444-492: Is from 14 July. This evidence can be reconciled by positing that Nabonidus may have been recognised in the Babylonian heartland, including Nippur and Babylon, already on 25 May, whereas some outlying cities continued to recognise Labashi-Marduk (even though he quite possibly was dead at the time on account of a possible palace coup) as king until June. By the end of June 556 BC, tablets dated to Nabonidus are known from across Babylonia. Although Berossus refers to Labashi-Marduk as

481-616: Is known as the Wiseman hypothesis , which suggests that many passages used by Moses or other authors to compose the Book of Genesis originated as histories and genealogies recorded in Mesopotamian cuneiform script on baked clay tablets , handed down through Abraham to later Hebrews. His mother Gertrude May, née Savage (1888–1971), was the daughter of a naval officer. Donald was the third of five children. The Wiseman family belonged to

518-606: Is to be believed, Neriglissar was the leader of this conspiracy. It is likely that the conflict between Amel-Marduk and Neriglissar was a case of inter-family discord rather than some other form of rivalry. Neriglissar's claim to the throne likely came through his marriage to Nebuchadnezzar's daughter, who might have been significantly older than either of Nebuchadnezzar's sons (as she is attested significantly earlier in her father's reign). Neriglissar probably died in April 556 BC. The last known documents dated to Neriglissar's reign are

555-407: Is unknown, Berossus simply describes the justification as Labashi-Marduk having indulged in "evil ways". One possible explanation is that whereas Neriglissar derived his claim to the throne from having married a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar II , a previous king, Labashi-Marduk may have been wholly unconnected to the Babylonian ruling dynasty, as a result of being the son of another wife. Labashi-Marduk

592-420: Is unknown. It is possible that despite Labashi-Marduk and his father being well-connected and wealthy, they were ultimately seen as commoners, lacking noble blood. Though his mother would have connected him to the royal dynasty as the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, it is also possible that Labashi-Marduk was the son of Neriglissar and another of his wives. Thus, Labashi-Marduk's rise to the throne might have signified

629-618: The Battle of Britain , he later transferred to military intelligence and in 1942 he became senior intelligence officer of the Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Forces and accompanied the First Army in the race for Tunis, providing General Alexander with daily briefings on German military planning. He finished the war as group captain , was twice mentioned in despatches and received an OBE and

666-581: The Plymouth Brethren . Wiseman came under the influence of the Crusaders , an evangelical Christian youth organisation, and professed faith at the age of nine, being baptised by full immersion in 1932. He taught himself the Hebrew alphabet from the section headings of Psalm 119 . Martin Selman has pointed out that Wiseman was "first and foremost an evangelical Christian" and that his vision

703-571: The Puqudu , since Bel-shum-ishkun is recorded as originating in the Babylonian province of the same name. According to the later Hellenistic -era Babylonian writer and astronomer Berossus , Naboukhodonosoros (Nebuchadnezzar) died of sickness after a reign of 43 years and was succeeded by his son Euilmaradokhos ( Amel-Marduk ), who "ruled capriciously and had no regard for the laws". After a reign of two years, Neriglassaros (Neriglissar) plotted against Amel-Marduk and had him deposed and killed. If Berossus

740-411: The child king being beaten to death. The plotters then agreed that Nabonnedos ( Nabonidus ), one of the plotters, should rule. The Uruk King List only gives Labashi-Marduk a reign of three months and contract tablets from Babylonia suggest that he might have ruled as briefly as just two months. It appears the transition in leadership was either a brief period of confusion after a discrete palace coup, or

777-505: The connection between this political treaty and biblical covenants . In 1948, he presented a paper to the Society of Old Testament Study on the relationship between Old Testament treaties and those of the Assyrians and Hittites . Selman suggests that Wiseman anticipated "by some years an influential article by George Mendenhall , who is usually credited with establishing such a connection." Wiseman suggested that Abraham be viewed as

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814-818: The cuneiform tablets unearthed there. Wiseman served at different times as director, chairman, president of the British School of Archaeology in Iraq , and editor of the school's journal, Iraq . He was also a trustee of the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem, and a founding member of the British Institute in Amman for Archaeology and History. Wiseman published a suzerainty treaty that Esarhaddon had made with his vassals , and recognised

851-570: The hostile Arabs in the area. At that time, he installed his oldest son Belshazzar as regent in Babylon. During the time in Tayma , the Stela describes Nabonidus’s interactions with the enemies of Babylonia. Labashi-Marduk Labashi-Marduk ( Neo-Babylonian Akkadian : 𒆷𒁀𒅆𒀭𒀫𒌓 , romanized:  Lâbâši-Marduk or Lā-bâš-Marduk , meaning "O Marduk , may I not come to shame")

888-464: The land of the Arabs, all the hostile kings, were sending me messages of reconciliation and friendship. As to the land of the Arabs which [is the eternal enemy] of Babylonia [and which] was (always) ready to rob and carry off its possession, Nergal broke their weapons upon the order of Sin, and they all bowed down at my feet. The first quote shows Nabonidus's devotion to Sin, and also shows that Nabonidus

925-452: The people of the country have (not) observed nor written down on clay tables to be preserved for eternity, that (you), Sin, the lord of all the gods and goddesses residing in heaven, have come down from heaven to (me) Nabonidus, king of Babylon! For me, Nabonidus, the lonely one who has nobody, in whose (text: my) heart was not thought of kingship, the gods and goddesses prayed (to Sin) and called me to kingship. At midnight, he (Sin) made me have

962-458: The possibility that Neriglissar died in April. Labashi-Marduk thus became king of Babylon, but his reign proved to be brief. Because he reigned for such a short period of time, no inscriptions survive from his time as king. Berossus erroneously gives Labashi-Marduk's reign as nine months (though it is possible that this is a scribal error) and states that Labashi-Marduk's "evil ways" led to his friends plotting against him, eventually resulting in

999-671: The reign of Darius, that is, the reign of Cyrus the Persian." Brian Coless suggests that in doing this Wiseman "cut the Gordian knot " of "the intractable problem of identifying King Darius the Mede." Wiseman was Professor of Assyriology at the University of London from 1961 to 1982. On his retirement, he was made an honorary member of the School of Oriental and African Studies and elected

1036-456: The site lay further west, by the river Euphrates, where the foundations of a massive tower had been discovered. In 1957, Wiseman proposed the identification of Darius the Mede in the Book of Daniel with Cyrus the Great . Daniel 6:28 says "So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian" ( NIV ). This could also be translated, "So Daniel prospered during

1073-464: The subject "Nebuchadrezzar and Babylon". In 1993, a Festschrift was compiled in Wiseman's honour, and presented to him on the occasion of his 75th birthday. Contributors included Kenneth Kitchen , Alan Millard and Gordon Wenham . Wiseman wrote a commentary on the 1 and 2 Kings ( ISBN   0830842098 ), and served as general editor of IVP 's Tyndale Old Testament Commentary series. He

1110-633: Was "based on a deep Christian conviction about the Bible's reliability and relevance." Selman suggests that Wiseman's "basic thesis" regarding the Old Testament was that "the Bible makes most sense when it is interpreted in the light of its own Near Eastern cultural context." Wiseman served in the RAF in World War II . Initially serving as personal assistant to Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park during

1147-453: Was Kashshaya, since her name appears together with the name of Nebuchadnezzar and Neriglissar in economic documents. Though no concrete evidence exists, this identification has generally been accepted by subsequent historians, such as Donald Wiseman and Jona Lendering . Neriglissar was the son of a man by the name Bel-shum-ishkun and might originally have been from the Aramean clan of

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1184-548: Was a biblical scholar, archaeologist and Assyriologist . He was Professor of Assyriology at the University of London from 1961 to 1982. Wiseman was born in Walderton , a hamlet just northeast of Emsworth , Hampshire in 1918. His father, Air Commodore P. J. Wiseman had travelled in the Middle East with the RAF and that had led to him writing a number of books on archaeology and the Bible. P. J. Wiseman formulated what

1221-761: Was one of the editors of the New Bible Commentary and the New Bible Dictionary . Selman notes that he wrote 152 articles in this latter work, since there were so few "evangelicals in the United Kingdom at that time qualified to write such material". On 18 September 1948 Donald John Wiseman married Mary Catherine Ruoff (1921–2006), a health visitor, and daughter of his father's friend Percy Otto Ruoff, bank official. They had three daughters, Gillian, Mary, and Catherine Jane. A full bibliography of Wiseman's work, compiled by Rob Bradshaw,

1258-511: Was the fifth and penultimate king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire , ruling in 556 BC. He was the son and successor of Neriglissar . Though classical authors such as Berossus wrote that Labashi-Marduk was just a child when he became king, Babylonian documents indicate that he had been in charge of his own affairs before his rise to the throne, suggesting he was an adult, though possibly still relatively young. Labashi-Marduk's reign

1295-484: Was the son and heir of Neriglissar ( r.   560–556 BC), the fourth king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire . Labashi-Marduk's mother was a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar II ( r.   605–562 BC), the empire's second and most powerful king. Three daughters of Nebuchadnezzar are known; Kashshaya , Innin-etirat and Ba'u-asitu, but no cuneiform text explicitly mentions which daughter Neriglissar married. Historian David B. Weisberg proposed in 1974 that Neriglissar's wife

1332-548: Was very short, lasting only one to three months, with the last evidence of Neriglissar's life dating in April 556 BC and documents dated to Labashi-Marduk's successor, Nabonidus , appearing in May that same year and becoming widespread in Babylonia by the end of June. Nabonidus's son Belshazzar led a coup against the king, deposing and killing Labashi-Marduk and proclaiming Nabonidus as king. The reason for Labashi-Marduk's deposition

1369-482: Was “one who has nobody,” i.e. he was not of any royal house, and yet he became king. Other sources relate that he was a co-conspirator in the coup that executed Labashi-Marduk , after which his co-conspirators elected him as king. The second section relates to the third year of Nabonidus' reign when he left Babylon to help commission the reconstruction of the Ehulhul temple to Sin in Harran, and apparently also to fight

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