The Behistun Rock - Tracing the Israelites.
The Behistun Rock is one of the keys to finding the Lost Tribes. The crux is knowing the names used to identify those people. With the trilingual inscription of Behistun Rock we discover what three other cultures called the Ten Tribes.
Behistun Rock is found in the Zargos mountains, in northwestern Iran, on an old caravan road that runs from Babylon to Ecbatana, the ancient capitol of Media. The mountain is 1700 feet high and on the sheer face, 300 feet above the base is a huge bas relief commissioned by Darius the Great in 515 BC as a grandiose Ode to his great accomplishments. Listed are the nations and peoples he conquered and ruled as the king of the Medo-Persian empire.
The picture is accompanied by many large panels which are inscribed with three languages.
The text contains many references that link Darius' subjects with the Israelites. The name "Kana", which is Canaan, appears 28 times. We also have a man named "Sarocus the Sacan who wears a hebrew hat. Included in the nations listed is the Sakka. The term Sakka in Persian and Elamite becomes Gimri in Babylonian.
The Assyrians called the Israelites “Saka-Suni” or 'Sons of the Saca (Isacc).
We'll find that almost all those names we learned in European history are traceable to the Sakka, Gimri and Scythians.
Translated in English
1. This is the Persian.
2. This is the Mede.
3. This is the Elamite.
4. This is the Parthian.
5. This is the Arian.
6. This is the Bactrian.
7. This is the Sogdian.
8. This is the Chorasmian.
9. This is the Drangian.
10. This is the Arachosian.
11. This is the Sattagydian.
12. This is the Gandaran.
13. This is the man of Sind.
14. This is the haoma-drinking Saca. ----
15. This is the Saca with the pointed hat. ----
16. This is the Babylonian.
17. This is the Syrian.
18. This is the Arab.
19. This is the Egyptian.
20. This is the Armenian.
21. This is the Cappadocian.
22. This is the Lydian.
23. This is the Greek.
24. This is the Scythian from across the sea. ----
25. This is the Thracian.
26. This is the Macedonian.
27. This is the Libyan.
28. This is the Kushite.
29. This is the man of Maka.
30. This is the Carian.
Hippocrates, had this to say of the Scythians in 400 BC:
"As the other Scythians have a peculiarity of shape, and do not resemble any other, the same observation applies to the Egyptians, only that the latter are oppressed by heat (Melanin Responding?) and the former by cold (Melanin Non-Responding?).
In search of Israel
"EHJEH hath poured out upon you (Israel) the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets (preachers) and your rulers (politicians), the seers hath He covered . Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me. . . Therefore, behold, I will do a marvelous work and a wonder among them: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent (those who take part in the political process) will be hid." - Isaiah 29:10, 13
Six quick historical facts to consider:
1) When the Israelite people were deported to Media by the Assyrians, part of the people of the Kingdom of Judah were taken with them;
(2) As a consequence, there was among the Israelites in Media a group of Judahites, Judai, or Judes;
(3) Among the Saxons who came into Britain there was a tribe called Jutes;
(4) During the time they were migrating westward across Europe the 'd' in their language became 't';
(5) The Saxons were descended from the Sacae of Media;
(6) Sacae is the name by which the Israelites in Media were known to the Persian historians.
While It is certain, therefore, that the JUTES were originally called Judes or Judai, and that they were the descendants of that part of the people of JUDAH which the Assyrians carried away with Israel to Media, I will attempt to provided further details as the whereabouts of the Judahites/Jutes today.
Uncovering the Historical Jutes
'Among the SAXON invaders of Britain were the JUTES, a people who came from a part of Denmark still called JUTLAND, to settle in Kent and the Isle of Wight.
The Jutes, Iuti, or Iutæ (pronounced /dʒuːts/) were a Germanic people and were one of the three most powerful Germanic peoples of their time, the other two being the Saxons and the Angles.
The Jutes are believed to have originated from the Jutland Peninsula (called Iutum in Latin) and part of the North Frisian coast. In present times the Jutlandic Peninsula comprises the state of Denmark and Southern Schleswig (Southern Jutland) in Germany.
The Jutes invaded and settled in southern Britain in the late 4th century, as part of a larger wave of Germanic settlement in the British Isles.
The Jutes, a Germanic tribe, originally occupied territory on the Jutland Peninsula in present-day Denmark, named for them. They, along with the Angles, Frisians, and Saxons, were among the Germanics who in the fifth and sixth centuries settled in Britain and eventually became known as Anglo-Saxons.
A great change which took place in the languages of northern Europe some time previous to 100 B.C., whereby a great many words which had previously had in them the sound of our letter 'd' changed this to the sound of 't'. (Grimm's Law). As this change occurred during the years in which the Saxons were migrating to Western Europe from their old home east of the Black Sea, it is obvious that the people who arrived in Denmark as Jutes must have started out as JUDES or Judai.
Understanding the division within the tribe of Judah.
First Israelite DIASPORA - Exodus from Egypt - 1706 BC - 1446 BC
Before going to Egypt, the tribe of Judah was split in two by the birth of twin sons, see Gen. 38:27-30. There is extra-Biblical evidence, that some of the descendants of Judah left Egypt when the persecution of Exodus 1:8-13 began.
Judah had five sons, three by a Canaanite woman named Shuah: they were Er, Onan and Shelah (Gen. 38:2-5). Shelah later had a son named Er.
Judah's two other sons were born to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, and were twins named Zarah and Pharez. This split the tribe (see Gen. 38:11-30.) The name "Pharez" in Hebrew means "breach or split." An intense rivalry sprang up between these two branches over the Royal Birthright blessings. Zarah had two sons named Calcol and Darder, (see 1 Chron. 2:6
From the Pharez branch of the family, there came the line of Jesse, the Father of David and grandfather of Solomon. This was the only branch of the JUDAH family which formed a tribe and remained in Palestine. The other descendants left Egypt and moved to various parts of the world, where they are identified by secular history.
Of the three, son of Judah, Shelah was the, first-born and according to Hebrew custom was entitled to the "birthright" blessings. But he was rejected, in part because of his mother havin g been a Canaanite, which would have contaminated the blood line of the Messiah (see Gen. 24:3, 37; Deut. 7:1-6; 20:16-18.) However, Shelah and his descendants were of JUDAHITE stock. Shelah bore a deep resentment towards his father Judah, because Judah had not kept his word by giving Tamar (a pure blooded Hebrew girl) to him for his wife. This gave Tamar the excuse to "play the prostitute," as told in Gen. 28. From that time on, there was an unfriendly relationship between the Shelah group and other JUDAHITES.
The majority of the descendants of Shelah and Er left Egypt when the persecution began about 1706 BC and retraced their journey across the Sinai Peninsula to the lands of the Canaanites and Phonecians. Here they inter-married and strengthened the Canaanite strain, which had first entered Hebrew stock through Shuah's daughter. In these foreign lands, they picked up the habits, languages and religions of the Canaanites and Phonecians.
Second Israelite DIASPORA - Exodus from Palestine to Ireland - 1400 BC
Later, somewhere around 1400 B.C. many of the descendants of Shelah-Judah left Palestine on Phonecian ships, migrating to what we today know as Ireland. They traveled through the Mediterranean Sea, through the Straits of Gibraltar (then known as the "Pillars of Hercules") into the Atlantic Ocean and then north along the western sea coast of Europe to the British Isles.
These people called their home "ERIN" or "ER's LAND" after their forefather "ER". Ireland was also known as IRENE or HIBERNIA, the latter word coming from the Hebrew word HEBER or EBER, who was the forefather of all the Hebrews. Thus the word IRELAND, actually means LAND OF THE HEBREWS.
The islands to the north were named HEBERIDES the ISLANDS OF THE HEBREWS. The ancient Irish language was BRSE from ER and was a combination of Hebrew and Phonecian. South Ireland today is called "EIRE."
In 1 Chron. 4:21-23, we find that the descendants of Shelah and ER were skilled workers in fine linen, pottery, plants and hedges. This is a pretty accurate description of modern Ireland which is known world-wide for Irish linen, Behlleh China, and a love for gardening.
The Canaanite infusion of blood may be one of the underlying reasons for the apparent "inborn" and often unexplainable and un-reasonable animosity between Ireland and Britain.
In Numbers 33:55, the Israelites were warned that the Canaanites were to be "pricks in the eyes, and thorns in the flesh of Israel." So while the descendants of Shelah-Judah are alive and well in Ireland today.
TWO ISRAELITE TREES GROWING - PALESTINE AND EUROPE - 1400 BC - 1075 BC
A close study of the Scriptures and of secular history will reveal two Israel trees growing. One was in Palestine and the other in Europe and the British Isles. At this time, c. 1000 BC, we find this breakdown:
1 - IN PALESTINE - Jacob's family of Simeon, Napthali, Issachar, Asshur, Zebulon, Dan, Ephraim, Manasseh, Gad, Reuben, Judah, and Benjamin. There were also some Ishmaelite Arabs who were of Abraham's blood, but who were not Israelites.
2 - IN THE BRITISH ISLES - we find the descendants of Shelah, the Danaans and Trojans who settled in Hibernia and Britain about 1075 BC.
Both of these trees were rooted in Shem; each had a priestly order of Levites working among them; each had a king from the tribe of Judah reigning over them. About 975 B.C. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon became king on the death of his father and the nation was immediately split over the issue of the exorbitant taxation Solomon had imposed to build the temple and his ps bee in Jerusalem. Elohim used this trouble to split the nation of Israel. When Rehoboam assembled an army of 180,000 men to fight against Northern Israel, a prophet warned JUDAH: "Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren, the children of Israel; return every man to his house: FOR THIS THING IS FROM ME." (1 Kings 12:21-24.)
At this time, the two kingdoms became known as the House of Israel and the House of Judah.
The Assyrian and Babylonian Captivities
The 3rd and 4th Israelite Diaspora - Assyrian Records
Owing to the gross disobedience and awful idolatry on the part of both kingdoms, the punishment clauses of Leviticus 26 became operative and both Israel and Judah were sent into punishment and correction for a period of 2520 years. Both kingdoms became completely broken and the people were deported into Assyria and Babylonia.
It was at this time, that the transplanting of the "Tender Twig" of the Royal House of David, took place between Palestine and Ireland, via Egypt. Ezekiel 17:22, 23, says: "Thus saith EHJEH Elohim, I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent. In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it." (It might be interesting to note here, that the word "mountain" as used in the Old Testament, often refers to "nation.")
Following the Assyrian invasion, the Israel olive tree was broken. The ten tribes in the North had been deported to Assyria, and all that remained were the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with some of the Levites, with King Zedekiah of the House of David, ruling over them from Jerusalem.
Then in 2 Kings 18:13, we have the account of how Sennacherib of Assyria invaded the southern kingdom, capturing and deporting most of the Judah people to Assyria. At this time, they captured 46 fortified cities and deported 200,150 of the men of Judah. Thus we find that the main body of the Israelites went into Assryian captivity, leaving only a relatively small number of the House of David in Jerusalem. By 713 BC only a small remnant of the once powerful nation of Israel remained in Palestine.
An ancient manuscript, called the Austrian Chronicle, suggests that, as early as 703 BC, Assyrians were present in Central Europe and they were pursuing fleeing Israelites along the Danube River valley.
About 100 years, later, Nebuchadnezzer, came to Palestine and found the remnants of the two tribes, the YEHUDIM. He captured Jerusalem after a long siege in 604 BC and made it part of the Babylonian Empire. He deported all the important people to Babylon, leaving only the very poorest rest behind. :The Israel olive tree had: almost ceased to exist in Palestine at this point.
Following the destruction and burning of the temple in 585 BC and the complete destruction of Jerusalem, Jeremiah escaped to Egypt with king Zedekiah's daughters (Jer. 43:5-17) and Israel ceased to exist in Palestine.
In the meantime, the main body of Judah and Israel, living in exile in Assryia, took advantage of the wars which were then raging between Assyria and Babylonia, which resulted in Nebuchadnezzer setting up his world empire. During this period Israel in Assyria regained their freedom and commenced their long trek to the north and west, through the Pass in the Caucasus Mountains, known then as "the Pass of Israel," and into Europe. This is recorded in the historical book of 2 Esdras 13:39-48.
Heraldry and the Westward migration of Judah
Judah is the Royal Tribe; remember God said to Abraham, in Genesis 17, "Kings shall come out of you". That was further augmented in Genesis 49. In the blessing of the tribes, we learn that Judah was to be the kingly tribe or the royal tribe, and we trace the bloodline of our own Royal Family right back through King David to Judah and to Abraham with our emblems of the Lion and other heraldic devices.
We know that Judah had two Sons by Tamar, Zarah and Pharez. The story of how the hand of Zarah came out first and was bound with the scarlet cord should be familiar to you. That Red Hand of Zarah/Judah is the Red Hand of Ulster. The Zarah/Judah people did not remain in Palestine but that section of them migrated; there are new books coming out of America soon and they trace the Westward track of those Zarah/iJudah people right round the Mediterranean, via Sardinia, into Spain. They named the river Ebro in honour of Heber. They named the city of Zaragosa (Saragossa) for their father Zarah. They came from Spain into Ireland and they called this land Hibemia. We know that they later went over into Scotland. We know that Robert the Bruce, in the Scottish Declaration of Independence, claimed that the Scottish people were of Judah.
We can say fairly confidently that the people of the North of Ireland and Scotland are predominantly Zarah/Judah, and we have a mixture of Dan as well. We know that it was to Ulster that Jeremiah brought the Princess, daughter of Zedekiah, fleeing the burning ruins of Jerusalem by way of Tahpanes in Egypt. They came on a Milesian vessel to Carrickfergus thence to Tara, and there the Princess was joined in marriage with Eochaidh the Heremon, or High King. Our Royal Family descends from that line.
But what about the Pharez/Judahites who stayed behind in Palestine from which the Davidic line had come? The Bible says that they went into deportation first with ten-tribed Israel. Only a remnant ever went to Babylon. If you read II Kings 18:13 it says:
"Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah (that was the Royal King of the Davidic line in Judah, in Jerusalem) did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them".
What actually happened was that having taken ten-tribed Israel, and deported them to Halah and Habor by the rivers of Gozan, the cities of the Medes, the Assyrians deported the inhabitants of 46 fenced cities of Judah. (200,000 Judahites). That Bible account is borne out by the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser in the British Museum, in the Assyrian Galleries. You will find the Assyrian evidence corroborates that along with our forefathers of ten-tribed Israel, went 200,000 Judahites as well.
Those people migrated across the Crimea. They came through the land of Arsareth (modern Rumania) up the Danube Valley through Germany, through Scandinavia, to Britain. It wasn't just ten-tribed Israel, but also the descendants of 200,000 Judahites. Therefore a remnant of Judah was, and still is, present in Germany today, those who did not move on to the West. For not every Saxon (son of Issac), nor every Jute, left Germany to come to the Isles north and west of Palestine.
Further information: http://www.lds-awakening.info/Publications/Issue9.pdf
Image:
“The dominant feature of the Behistun Rock inscriptions is King Darius, in royal attire and surrounded by captives. Around the captives are five main panels, twenty in all. The first panel contains 19 paragraphs and 96 lines. Each paragraph commences with the words: “I am Darius, the king of kings, the king of Persia.” The second panel has 16 paragraphs and 96 lines; over each figure is a brief history of the man and the tribe he represents. The tenth panel is most interesting to a Bible student because it speaks of “Sarocus,” the Sacan, who has the HEBREW FORM OF A HEAD DRESS.”.
“Most noteworthy is King Darius majestically standing before nine persons united by a rope around their necks and their hands fastened behind their backs ( as seen in Photograph above). A tenth man is prostrate on his back; the right foot of the king is upon his body. No two of the prisoners are dressed alike. Some of them have short tunics, others have long flowing robes. They are evidently the HEAD CHIEFS OF THE TEN TRIBES OF ISRAEL. The word “Kana” occurs 28 times in the inscription and the word “Armenia” also occurs frequently. This is the area from which the prisoners were taken - the very area where the ten tribes of Israel had been placed by the Assyrians” (Missing Links in Assyrian Tablets, by Ray Capt, p.139, emphasis added).
According to Ancient Maps, the Israelites were exiled in the same places as the Cimmerians and the Scythians.
Ancient Assyrian tablets show that the Assyrians called the Israelites the Bit Khumri. It is this name that reveals the Israelites as the Cimmerians. The Scythians are known as the same race as the Cimmerians, also called the "Sacae" "Beth-Saac," House of Isaac.
INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS ON THE ROCK OF BEHISTUN
CONNECTING THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL WITH EUROPEAN TRIBES.
Excerpt from Records Of The Past, Vol. 1, pages 109-132
Samuel Bagster & Sons, London, 1875
Translated by Sir Henry Rawlinson
The editor of Records Of The Past comments, “The great triumphal tablet of Darius Hystaspes, exhibiting the figures of the victorious king and his attendants and of ten vanquished chiefs, and accompanied by a record in three languages, which extends to nearly a thousand lines of Cuneiform writing, is engraved on the face of a precipitous rock at Behistun near the town of Kermanshah on the Western frontiers of Media.” (p.109)
The Bible Research Handbook, published in 1972 by the Covenant Publishing Company (currently out of print) has this to say, “The rock carries on its face an important cuneiform inscription of Darius Hystaspes (Darius the Great). This inscription, which was cut circa 516 B.C., records in three languages – Persian, Susian (Median), and Babylonian – the names of twenty-three provinces subject to him. In the Persian and Susian versions one of these provinces is called Scythia, the root of which is, phonetically, Sak. In the Babylonian text this province is called “(matu) Gi-mi-ri”, translated “land of the Cimmerians.” Sir Henry Rawlinson, who first copied and translated the inscription – although not disposed definitely to identify these Gimiri with the Cimmerians (Kimmerii or Cumri) – was prepared to accept the probability of a connection between them. The Behistun Rock inscription establishes that the Sacae lived in the land of the Cimmerians (modern north-west Persia) and that they formed part of the agglomeration of peoples known to the ancients as Scythians (or Skythians or Skuths).” (Bible Research Handbook, Volume II, Serial 572.9355)
As discussed by Mr. W.H. Bennett in the main body of this book, we find the House of Israel referred to in Scripture as the House of Isaac or Saka, and known to popular history as the Scythians who overspread Europe. They are called Sacae, Sacan, and Sacians in the following translation of Darius’ inscription.
The importance of the Behistun Rock is that it connects the people known in Persian and Median as Saka or Scythians, the House of Isaac or Israelites, with the tribes known in Babylonian as Cimmerian or Gimiri. The Bible Research Handbook also points out that, “The name ‘Gimiri’ …is phonetically close to ‘Khumri’, the name by which the Ten Tribes were known to the Assyrians… According to [Assyrian scholar] Pinches the kh was pronounced -g.”
To summarize, it is a well-proven fact that the people known in Assyrian as Khumri (which is phonetically the same as Gimiri or Cimmerian) were the House of Israel. (see Appendix 2) The Behistun Rock further proves that these ‘Gimiri’ were the same people as the ‘Saka’ (which is phonetically the same as both ‘Isaac’ and ‘Scythians’). Therefore, all five of these ancient tribal names, Saka, Scythian, Cimmerian, Gimiri, and Khumri are identified as Israelites, as they were known in other languages. Following is an important excerpt from Darius’ long inscription.
KEY NAMES:
Assyrian name for Israel on Shalmaneser’s Black Obelisk was KHUMRI
Babylonian equivalent pronounced similar to Assyrian Khumri was GIMIRI
Behistun Rock inscription identifies the people called Gimiri as the SAK OR SACAE
Bible refers to Israel as the House of Isaac, phonetic equivalent to SAK OR SACAE
Historians identify the Sak or Sacae who overspread Europe as the SCYTHIANS
Historians identify the Gimiri who overspread Europe as the CIMMERIANS
The ancient words of Darius on the Behistun Rock
Translation of the Inscription
Column 1
I am Darius, the great King, the King of Kings, the King of Persia, the King of the provinces, the son of Hystaspes, the grandson of Arsames, the Achaemenian.
Says Darius the King: My father was Hystaspes; of Hystaspes the father was Arsames; of Arsames the father was Ariyaramnes; of Ariyaramnes the father was Teispes; of Teispes the father was Achaemenes.
Says Darius the King: On that account we are called Achaemenians; from antiquity we have descended; from antiquity those of our race have been Kings.
Says Darius the King: There are eight of my race who have been Kings before me, I am the ninth; for a very long time we have been Kings.
Says Darius the King: By the grace of Ormazd I am King; Ormazd has granted me the empire.
Says Darius the King: These are the countries which belong to me, by the grace of Ormazd I have become King of them, Persia, Susiana, Babylonia, Assyria, Arabia, Egypt, those which are of the sea, Sparta, Ionia, Media, Armenia, Cappadocia, Parthia, Zarangia, Aria, Chorasmia, Bactria, Sogdiana, Gandara, the Sacae, the Satagydes, Arachosia, and Mecia, in all twenty-three countries.
Says Darius the King: These are the countries which belong to me; by the grace of Ormazd they have become subject to me, they have brought tribute to me. That which has been said unto them by me, both by night and by day it has been performed by them.
Says Darius the King: Within these countries whoever was good, him have I cherished and protected; whoever was evil, him have I utterly destroyed. By the grace of Ormazd these countries have obeyed my laws. As to them it has been said by me, thus has it been done by them.
Says Darius the King: Ormazd granted me the empire. Ormazd brought help to me so that I gained this empire. By the grace of Ormazd I hold this empire.
Says Darius the King: This is what was done by me, before I became King. He who was named Cambyses the son of Cyrus of our race, he was here King before me. There was of that Cambyses a brother named Bardes; he was of the same father and mother as Cambyses. Afterwards Cambyses slew this Bardes. When Cambyses slew Bardes it was not known to the state that Bardes was killed. Then Cambyses proceeded to Egypt. When Cambyses had gone to Egypt, the state became wicked; then the lie became abounding in the land, both in Persia and in Media, and in the other provinces.
Says Darius the King: Afterwards there was a certain man, a Magian, named Gomates. He arose from Pissiachada, the mountain named Arakadres, from thence; on the 14th day of the month Viyakhana then it was that he arose. To the state he thus falsely declared: “I am Bardes the son of Cyrus, the brother of Cambyses.” Then the whole state became rebellious; from Cambyses it went over to him, both Persia and Media, and the other provinces. He seized the empire; on the 9th day of the month Garmapada [the 5th month], then it was he thus seized the empire. Afterwards Cambyses killing himself died.
Says Darius the King: The empire, of which Gomates, the Magian, dispossessed Cambyses, that empire had been in our family from the olden time. After Gomates the Magian had dispossessed Cambyses of Persia and Media and the dependent provinces, he acted with his own party, he became king.
Says Darius the King: There was not a man, neither Persian, nor Median, nor any one of our family, who could dispossess of the empire that Gomates, the Magian. The state feared him exceedingly. He slew many people who had known the old Bardes; for that reason he slew the people “Lest they should recognize me that I am not Bardes the son of Cyrus.” There was not any one bold enough to say aught against Gomates the Magian until I arrived. Then I prayed to Ormazd; Ormazd brought help to me. On the 10th day of the month Bagayadish [first month] then it was, with my faithful men I slew that Gomates, the Magian and the chief men who were his followers. The fort named Sictachotes, in the district of Media, named Nisaea, there I slew him; I dispossessed him of the empire. By the grace of Ormazd I became King; Ormazd granted me the scepter.
Says Darius the King: The empire that had been wrested from our race, that I recovered, I established it in its place; as in the days of old; thus I did . The temples which Gomates the Magian had destroyed, I rebuilt; I reinstituted for the state the sacred chaunts and (sacrificial) worship, and confided them to the families which Gomates the Magian had deprived of those offices. I established the kingdom in its place, both Persia and Media, and the other provinces; as in the days of old; thus I restored that which had been taken away. By the grace of Ormazd I did this. I laboured until I had established our family in its place as in the days of old. I laboured, by the grace of Ormazd, (in order) that Gomates the Magian might not supersede our family.
Says Darius the King: That is that which I did after that I became king.
Says Darius the King: When I had slain Gomates the Magian, then a certain man, named Atrines, the son of Opadarmes, he arose; to the state of Susiana he thus said: “I am King of Susiana.” Then the people of Susiana became rebellious; they went over to that Atrines; he became King of Susiana. And a certain man, a Babylonian, named Nadinta-belus the son of Aenares, he arose. The state of Babylonia he thus falsely addressed: “I am Nabochodrossor the son of Nabonidus.” Then the entire Babylonian state went over to that Nadinta-belus. Babylon became rebellious. He seized the government of Babylonia.
Says Darius the King: Then I sent to Susiana; that Atrines was brought to me a prisoner. I slew him.
Says Darius the King: Then I proceeded to Babylon against that Nadinta-belus, who was called Nabochodrossor. The forces of Nadinta-belus held the Tigris; there they had come, and they had boats. Then I divided my army; one portion I supplied with camels; the other I mounted on horses; Ormazd brought help to me; by the grace of Ormazd I succeeded in passing the Tigris. Then I entirely defeated the army of that Nadinta-belus. On the 27th day of the month of Atriyatiya [9th month] then it was that we thus fought.
Says Darius the King: Then I marched against Babylon. When I arrived near Babylon, the city named Zazana, upon the Euphrates, there that Nadinta-belus who was called Nabochodrossor, came with a force before me offering battle. Then we fought a battle. Ormazd brought help to me; by the grace of Ormazd, I entirely defeated the force of Nadinta-belus. A part of the army was driven into the water; the water destroyed them. On the 2nd day of the month Anamaka [10th month], then it was that we thus fought the battle.
[End of Column No. 1, which extends to ninety-six lines, and the writing of which is generally in good preservation.]
COLUMN 2
Says Darius the King: Then Nadinta-belus with a few horsemen fled to Babylon. Then I proceeded to Babylon; I both took Babylon and seized that Nadinta-belus. Afterwards I slew that Nadinta-belus at Babylon.
Says Darius the King: Whilst I was at Babylon these are the countries which revolted against me: Persis, Susiana, Media, Assyria, Armenia, Parthia, Margiana, Sattagydia, and Sacia…
COLUMN 5
A. Repetition of the first four paragraphs of Column 1 above.
B. Tablet attached to the prostrate figure on which the victor King tramples:
“This Gomates, the Magian, was an imposter; he thus declared, ‘I am Bardes, the son of Cyrus. I am the King.’”
C. Adjoining the first standing figure:
“This Atrines was an impostor; he thus declared; ‘I am King of Susiana.’”
D. Adjoining the second standing figure:
“This Nadinta-belus was an impostor; he thus declared, ‘I am Nabochodrossor, the son of Nabonidus; I am King of Babylon.’”
E. Adjoining the third standing figure:
“This Phraortes was an impostor; he thus declared, ‘I am Xathrites, of the race of Cyaxares; I am King of Media.’”
F. Above the fourth standing figure:
“This Martes was an impostor; he thus declared, ‘I am Imanes, the King of Susiana.’”
G. Adjoining the fifth standing figure:
“This Sitratachmes was an impostor; he thus declared, ‘I am King of Sagartia, of the race of Cyaxares.’”
H. Adjoining the sixth standing figure:
“This Veisdates was an impostor; he thus declared, ‘I am Bardes, the son of Cyrus. I am the King.’”
I. Adjoining the seventh standing figure:
“This Aracus was an impostor; he thus declared, ‘I am Nabochodrossor, the son of Nabonidus. I am the King of Babylon.’”
J. Adjoining the eighth standing fugure:
“This Phraates was an impostor; he thus declared, ‘I am the King of Margiana.’”
K. Above the ninth or supplemental figure with the high cap:
“This is Sakuka, the Sacan.’”
CONCLUSION
Sir Henry Rawlinson comments on the final column above as follows: “Of the thirty-five lines which compose a supplementary half column, divided into 6 paragraphs, it is impossible to give a complete translation, one side of the tablet being entirely destroyed. From such portions as are decipherable it appears to contain an account of two other revolts; one in Susiana, conducted by a man named, …..imim; and the other by Saku’ka, the chief of the Sacae, who dwelt upon the Tigris.”
“We have reasonable grounds for regarding the GIMIRRI, or CIMMERIANS, who first appeared on the confines of Assyria and Media in the seventh century B.C., and the SACAE of the Behistun Rock, nearly two centuries later, as identical with the BETH-KHUMREE of Samaria, or the Ten Tribes of the House of Israel.”
-George Rawlinson, note in his translation of History of Herodotus, Book VII, p. 378
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