Shalmaneser III, the Assyrian imperial overlord, had deputized him to govern on his behalf. This image and its inscription reflect an administrative relationship agreed upon by suzerain and vassal, analogous to YHWH’s relationship to Adam in Genesis 1–2. However, unlike Genesis 1–2, it does not speak of the Aramaean vassal as an image of his Assyrian overlord. Rather, the expressions apply to the physical image bearing the inscription. Presumably dmwt, “likeness,” applies to the statue’s physical