Do we know how King Jehu of Malchei Yisrael looked like? Well there is a carving

 

This is the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III

Carved in the ninth century BC, this Assyrian monument contains one of the earliest surviving images connected to a biblical Israelite king.

Its inscription names “Jehu, son of Omri,” while the relief shows an Israelite delegation bowing before the Assyrian king and presenting tribute

The Bible records Jehu becoming king of Israel during this same period.

This wasn’t written by Israel.

It was carved by Assyria.

A king from the biblical record, named and pictured on the monument of a foreign empire.

DIN: It is interesting, that in Tanach, Achab is the son of Omri not Jehu. Jehu was the son of Yehoshufat , and this story of Jehu paying tribute is only known from the Black Obelisk, however King Jehu did in fact live during the period of 9th century BCE ... so this could likely be a carving of King Jehu!

וְאֵת֙ יֵה֣וּא בֶן־נִמְשִׁ֔י תִּמְשַׁ֥ח לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (מלכים א י"ט: ט"ז)

וּבָ֖אתָ־שָּׁ֑מָּה וּרְאֵה־שָׁ֠ם יֵה֨וּא בֶן־יְהוֹשָׁפָ֜ט בֶּן־נִמְשִׁ֗י (מלכים ב ט)

This is the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III

Carved in the ninth century BC, this Assyrian monument contains one of the earliest surviving images connected to a biblical Israelite king.

Its inscription names “Jehu, son of Omri,” while the relief shows an Israelite delegation bowing before the Assyrian king and presenting tribute

The Bible records Jehu becoming king of Israel during this same period.

This wasn’t written by Israel.

It was carved by Assyria.

A king from the biblical record, named and pictured on the monument of a foreign empire.