Esarhaddon

Esarhaddon (Assyrian Ashshur-ahu-iddina, Assur has given a brother) was king of Assyria from 681 to 669 BC, the son and successor of Sennacherib. After Sennacherib was murdered by his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer (2 Kings 19:37; Isaiah 37:38), Esarhaddon defeated his brothers in civil war and secured the throne. He proved to be one of Assyria's most capable administrators and military commanders.

His most celebrated achievement was the conquest and rebuilding of Babylon, which his father had destroyed, a policy reversal that enhanced his prestige with Babylonian religious and civic elites. He also led two campaigns into Egypt, finally conquering Memphis in 671 BC and installing Assyrian governors over Lower Egypt—the apex of Assyrian imperial reach. In the biblical record, Esarhaddon is mentioned in Ezra 4:2 as the king who brought colonists to resettle Samaria after the Assyrian deportation, a policy consistent with his practice of population transfers to pacify conquered territories. He is also mentioned in 2 Kings 19:37 as the successor of Sennacherib.