Tiglath-pileser

Tiglath-pileser III (reigned 745–727 BC), also referred to in Scripture as Tilgath-pilneser (1 Chronicles 5:26; 2 Chronicles 28:20), was one of the most militarily capable kings of the Neo-Assyrian Empire and the second Assyrian ruler to come into direct conflict with Israel. He reorganized the Assyrian imperial administration and replaced the older policy of tribute collection with direct annexation, making conquest more permanent and the Assyrian grip on conquered territories far more thorough than that of his predecessors.

When Pekah king of Israel withheld tribute, Tiglath-pileser invaded the northern territories (c. 733–732 BC), taking Ijon, Abel-beth-maachah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and all the land of Naphtali, and carrying their populations captive to Assyria (2 Kings 15:29) — the first phase of the deportation of the northern tribes. Ahaz of Judah then appealed to Tiglath-pileser for help against the Syro-Ephraimite coalition threatening Jerusalem (2 Kings 16:7; Isaiah 7), effectively making Judah an Assyrian vassal and ignoring Isaiah's counsel to trust in the LORD. Tiglath-pileser responded by capturing Damascus and deporting the Aramaeans (2 Kings 16:9), completing the destruction of Israel's northern alliance. His successors Shalmaneser V and Sargon II finished the conquest he had begun.