ASSURANCE. — The religions and moral value of linn conviction is fully recognised in Scripture. It is the very aim and object of the divine message in whatever form it conies to produce it. Without it there cannot be that peace and joy in the soul wliiili constitute the highest blessing of religion, nor that inward strengtli which alone can fit man for moral conquest. The want of it makes the 'double-minded man,' who is compared to the •surge of the sea, driven by the wiml and tossed' (Ja 1"). Even in OT times it was realised, as shown in the beautiful description of Isaiali (32"), where for AV ' quietness and assurance' RV reads * quiet - nesii and caiijidence,' the original word denoting 'to hang u|i<>ii something,' hence fig. 'to trust.' A word by which St. Paul expresses this state of mind is -ri-rtiap.ai, ' I am ner.suaded,' whether he refers to the certainty of God's love in Christ (Ho 8"), or to that which he had committed to hi^" Lord (2 Ti 1'^). The term, however, most fri'- i|ui'ntly used for A. in NT and also in patristic writers is Tr\ripo<popia. I'rom the fact tliat tliu cognate verb appears probably for the first tiiue iu
176
ASSURBANIPAL
ASSYRIA
the LXX of Eo 8'i, where it is a tr" of the Heb. x?7, Cremer (^liib. I'heol. Lex.) infers that it was of Alex, origin. It means ' to be fully persuaded, to be fixed and iirm ' (Ko 14^ Col. 4'-). The noun occurs in Col 2-, ttA.. rijs <rvyeixfus, ' full a. of understanding' ; 1 Th I'' tV ttA. TroWfi ; He 6" jrA. Trjs Mir/Sos ; He 10-- ttA. nUrews. In the last two passages RV (also Westcott in loc.) renders ttA. by the simpler word /«?)!ess rather than/uH assurance (as AV), ' the full measure or development of hope,' ' faith which has reached its mature vigour.'
A. Stewart.
ASSURBANIPAL.— Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, died in i'..c'. (i08, while on his way to suppress a re- bellion in Egypt. Samas-sum-ukin (Saoo-Soux'i'os of Ptolemy), an illegitimate son, had been set over the province of Babylon. Assurbanipal was heir to the throne of Nineveh. A Heb. writing of the name is probably found in Ezr 4'" "'?2°; (Schrader, COT ii. 65; Delitzsch, Paradies, 329; contra, Hal§vy, Revue iStudes Juives, ix. 12). His own cuneiform annals and letters give us an abundance of information regarding his long reign. His first expedition was the prosecution of the unfinished campaign of his father against the Ethiopian Tirhakah. Tliis rebellious leader fled to Ethiopia only to await the withdrawal of the Assyr. forces. The native governors of the provinces, as Xecho and fSarludari, were aroused by Tirhakah to form a coalition against foreign authority. But Assyria pounced down upon them, carried oft prisoners, and drove Tirhakah back to his lair, where he died about B.C. 604. Egypt was again tranquil, though hid'ng a volcano. An invasion of Egypt by Taniitamon (Assyr. XJrdamani) precipitated the last and decisive campaign of A. In B.C. 662 the Assyr. army fell upon Egypt, and drove Tanut- amon out of its bounds, captured and plundered Thebes, and carried off to Nineveh great booty. This concluded the sway of Ethiopia over the land of the thrifty Egyptian.
A.'s next expedition enveloped the E. coast of the Mediter. Sea, which rendered him submission. The king of Lydia, .Janus-like, gave presents to A., and made a league with Tusamilki of Egypt. This combination svicceeded finally in throwing Assyria out of Egypt. The country of Van next fell before the arms of A. Elam, which had for centuries stood as a peer of its neighbours, fell at last, after several bloody battles continuing through a course of years, at the feet of the conqueror from Nineveh. His half-brother at Babylon, elated with flatteries and thirsting for independence, threw off the yoke of Nineveh. A. swept down upon Bab., overthrew the opposition, and captured the city. The secedhig ruler, fearing the wrath of A., took refuge in his palace, and burned it over his head (li.c. 648). The secession of Samas-sum-ukin is probably (Schrader, COT ii. 53-59) but a hint at a general ui)rising against As.syria throughout the S. \V., in which Jlanasseh of .ludah was involved (2 Ch 331'). The Arabians likewise were forced to sub- mission, and A. was again lord of his empire.
This great warrior was also an enthusiast in other occupations. With the help of Assur and Istar he was able to cope with and slay lions. One of his chief sports seems to have been fighting lions, either those which were wild in the forests or those which were loosed from cages for the purpose.
But the most important feature of his career for us was his interest in literature. His library in Nineveh, which was uncovered by G. Smith, has preserved for us thousands of clay tablets, which were copied from older tablets in other libraries of his land. The topics treated are historical, etliical, linguistic, religious, and many others — all pertain- ing to Assyria and Babylonia.
•• ronriririht. 1598. ty
As a builder, he was equal to his predecessors. The remains of his palace at Kouyunjik testify to the architectural ingenuity and taste of the monarch. In many cities of his empire he built beautiful temples to the gods, and adorned aU with exquisite pieces of art. He laid every available source under tribute to his royal enterprises.