Nadav Na'aman, «New Light on Hezekiah's Second Prophetic Story (2 Kgs 19,9b-35)», Vol. 81 (2000) 393-402
The article re-examines some elements in Account B2 (2 Kgs 19,9b-35) in an effort to shed more light on the date and place in which the story was composed. It is suggested that the list of cities mentioned in vv. 12-13 reflects the conquests of Nabopolassar and Nebuchadrezzar in the late seventh century BCE. It is also suggested that vv. 17-18 may reflect the Babylonian practice of destroying cult statues during their conquest of Assyria. The author of Account B2 was probably a descendant of a Judean deportee who lived in eastern Babylonia in the second half of the sixth century BCE. It is further suggested that the Deuteronomist combined chronistic and narrative early texts (Accounts A and B1) and integrated them into his composition of the history of Israel.
Babylonian city in this area, and these deportees are mentioned by the author of Account B2.
(e) The district (p|4h~atu) of Hamath was conquered by Nebuchadrezzar after he defeated the Egyptian troops in Carchemish (605 BCE)31. Arpad was captured in the course of this campaign. The combination of Hamath and Arpad is influenced by the references to the cities in Account B1 (2 Kgs 18,34) and Isa 10,9. However, for the readers of B2, the reference to the gods of Hamath points to its recent capture by Nebuchadrezzar, rather than to its conquest by the Assyrians a long time before (as correctly noted by Hardmeier)32.
(f) Telassar, Lair, Sepharvaim and Ivvah are located in eastern Babylonia33. The site of Hena is unknown, but it may possibly be sought in the same area34. Sepharvaim and Ivvah (Avva) are included in the list of peoples settled by Sargon in the province of Samerina (2 Kgs 17,24), and Sepharvaim is mentioned in Account B1 (18,34) (see note 6 above). Lair is identical with Lah~iru, a city located in northeastern Babylonia. It was an Assyrian province under the Sargonids, and is mentioned in numerous Neo- and Late-Babylonian texts35.
The late date in which Account B2 was written and the authors poor knowledge of the policy of Assyria is also revealed in 2 Kgs 19,17-18: It is true, o YHWH, that the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, and put their gods to fire.... It is well known that the Assyrians usually treated the gods of the conquered nations with respect. Often the divine statues were brought to Assyria, where they were installed in chapels until sent home, and only seldom were they actually destroyed36.
Is it possible that this passage reflects the Babylonian practice of destroying cult statues during their conquest of Assyria, and did the author again select an example familiar to his audience in order to illustrate his theology? In light of the long bitter enmity between Assyria and Babylonia, and the utter destruction of the royal cities of Assyrian (e.g., Nineveh, Assur, Calah, Dur-sharrukin, Arbela) by the Babylonian-Median armies, the suggestion is certainly possible. Unfortunately, we do not know enough about