Tiglath-pileser III

Tiglath-pileser III (reigned c. 745-727 BC), also known in Scripture as Pul, was one of the most powerful Assyrian kings and a decisive figure in biblical history. He exacted tribute from Menahem of Israel (2 Kings 15:19-20) and later, at the invitation of Ahaz of Judah, invaded the northern kingdom, capturing Galilean territories and deporting their populations to Assyria (2 Kings 15:29; 1 Chr. 5:26). This was the first wave of the Assyrian exile of Israel.

His campaigns fundamentally altered the political landscape of the ancient Near East, transforming Assyria into the dominant imperial power of the era. He employed systematic deportation of conquered populations as a policy tool to prevent rebellion — the practice that scattered the northern tribes. Isaiah's early prophecies of Assyrian judgment against both Israel and the surrounding nations are set against the background of Tiglath-pileser's campaigns. He is called Pul in his identity as king of Babylon (2 Kings 15:19; 1 Chr. 5:26).