Tiglath-pileser had achieved an overwhelming victory against an army superior to his own in numbers.  Over 70,000 of the enemy were slain or taken captive, while the Urartian camp with its stores and horses and followers fell into the hands of the triumphant Assyrians.  Tiglath-pileser burned the royal tent and throne as an offering to Ashur, and carried Sharduris’s bed to the temple of the goddess of Nineveh, whither he returned to prepare a new plan of campaign against his northern rival.

Despite the blow dealt against Urartu, Assyria did not immediately regain possession of north Syria.  The shifty Mati-ilu either cherished the hope that Sharduris would recover strength and again invade north Syria, or that he might himself establish an empire in that region.  Tiglath-pileser had therefore to march westward again.  For three years he conducted vigorous campaigns in “the western land”, where he met with vigorous resistance.  In 740 B.C.  Arpad was captured and Mati-ilu deposed and probably put to death.  Two years later Kullani and Hamath fell, and the districts which they controlled were included in the Assyrian empire and governed by Crown officials.

Once again the Hebrews came into contact with Assyria.  The Dynasty of Jehu had come to an end by this time.  Its fall may not have been unconnected with the trend of events in Assyria during the closing years of the Middle Empire.

Supported by Assyria, the kings of Israel had become powerful and haughty.  Jehoash, the grandson of Jehu, had achieved successes in conflict with Damascus.  In Judah the unstable Amaziah, son of Joash, was strong enough to lay a heavy hand on Edom, and flushed with triumph then resolved to readjust his relations with his overlord, the king of Israel.  Accordingly he sent a communication to Jehoash which contained some proposal regarding their political relations, concluding with the offer or challenge, “Come, let us look one another in the face”.  A contemptuous answer was returned.

Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife:  and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.  Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up:  glory of this, and tarry at home, for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?  But Amaziah would not hear.  Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh [city of Shamash, the sun god], which belongeth to Judah.  And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents.

Jehoash afterwards destroyed a large portion of the wall of Jerusalem and plundered the temple and palace, returning home to Samaria with rich booty and hostages.[505] Judah thus remained a vassal state of Israel’s.