So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son:  come up and save me out of the hand of Syria and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.  And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria.  And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him:  for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir[515] and slew Rezin.[516]

Tiglath-pileser recorded that Rezin took refuge in his city like “a mouse”.  Israel was also dealt with.

In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon and Abel-beth-maachah, and Janoah and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.  And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.[517]

Tiglath-pileser recorded:  “They overthrew Paqaha (Pekah), their king, and placed Ausi’a (Hoshea) over them”.  He swept through Israel “like a hurricane”.  The Philistines and the Arabians of the desert were also subdued.  Tribute was sent to the Assyrian monarch by Phoenicia, Moab, Ammon, and Edom.  It was a proud day for Ahaz when he paid a visit to Tiglath-pileser at Damascus.[518] An Assyrian governor was appointed to rule over Syria and its subject states.

Babylon next claimed the attention of Tiglath-pileser.  Nabonassar had died and was succeeded by his son Nabu-nadin-zeri, who, after reigning for two years, was slain in a rebellion.  The throne was then seized by Nabu-shum-ukin, but in less than two months this usurper was assassinated and the Chaldaeans had one of their chiefs, Ukinzer, proclaimed king (732 B.C.).

When the Assyrian king returned from Syria in 731 B.C. he invaded Babylonia.  He was met with a stubborn resistance.  Ukinzer took refuge in his capital, Shapia, which held out successfully, although the surrounding country was ravaged and despoiled.  Two years afterwards Tiglath-pileser returned, captured Shapia, and restored peace throughout Babylonia.  He was welcomed in Babylon, which opened its gates to him, and he had himself proclaimed king of Sumer and Akkad.  The Chaldaeans paid tribute.

Tiglath-pileser had now reached the height of his ambition.  He had not only extended his empire in the west from Cappadocia to the river of Egypt, crippled Urartu and pacified his eastern frontier, but brought Assyria into close union with Babylonia, the mother land, the home of culture and the land of the ancient gods.  He did not live long, however, to enjoy his final triumph, for he died a little over twelve months after he “took the hands of Bel (Merodach)” at Babylon.

He was succeeded by Shalmaneser V (727-722 B.C.), who may have been his son, but this is not quite certain.  Little is known regarding his brief reign.  In 725 B.C. he led an expedition to Syria and Phoenicia.  Several of the vassal peoples had revolted when they heard of the death of Tiglath-pileser.  These included the Phoenicians, the Philistines, and the Israelites who were intriguing with either Egypt or Mutsri.