district had never, since the foundation
of the kingdom by Bezon a century before, suffered at the hands of an
enemy's army, and its population, enriched as much by peaceful labour
as by the spoil of its successful wars, offered a prize of incalculable
value. On his return march Shalmaneser raided the Bekaa, entered
Phoenicia, and carved a triumphal stele on one of the rocks of
Baalirasi.*

* The site of Baalirasi is left undecided by Assyriologists.
The events which follow enable us to affirm with tolerable
certainty that the point on the coast where Shalmaneser
received the tributes of Tyre and Sidon is none other than
the mouth of the Nahr-el-Kelb: the name Baalirasi, "the
master of the head," would then be applicable to the rocky
point which rises to the south of the river, and on which
Egyptian kings had already sculptured their stelae.

The Kings of Tyre and Sidon hastened to offer him numerous gifts,
and Jehu, who owed to his presence temporary immunity from a Syrian
invasion, sent his envoys to greet him, accompanied by offerings of gold
and silver in bars, vessels of gold of various forms, situlae, salvers,
cups, drinking-vessels, tin, sceptres, and wands of precious woods.
Shalmaneser's pride was flattered by this homage, and he carved on one
of his monuments the representation of this first official connection of
Assyria with Israel.

[Illustration: 131.jpg JEHU, KING OF ISRAEL, SENDS PRESENTS TO
SHALMANESER]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from one of the scenes represented
on the Black Obelisk.

The chief of the embassage is shown prostrating himself and kissing the
dust before the king, while the rest advance in single file, some with
vessels in their hands, some carrying sceptres, or with metal bowls
supported on their heads. The prestige of the house of Omri was still a
living influence, or else the Ninevite scribes were imperfectly informed
of the internal changes which had taken place in Israel, for the
inscription accompanying this bas-relief calls Jehu the son of Omri,
and grafts the regicide upon the genealogical tree of his victims.
Shalmaneser's victory had been so dearly bought, that the following year
the Assyrians merely attempted an expedition for tree-felling in the
Amanos (841 B.C.). Their next move was to push forward into Kui, in the
direction of the Pyramos and Saros (840 B.C.). In the summer of 839 they
once more ventured southwards, but