One or two notices in the Old Testament connect him with the history of the Jews.

And Abydenus, besides the passage already quoted, has an allusion to some of his foreign conquests.

Such are the chief materials from which the modern inquirer has to reconstruct the history of this great king.
It appears that the first expedition of Esar-haddon was into Phoenicia.
Abdi-Milkut king of Sidon, and Sandu-arra king of the adjoining part of Lebanon, had formed an alliance and revolted from the Assyrians, probably during the troubles which ensued on Sennacherib's death.
Esar-haddon attacked Sidon first, and soon took the city; but Aladi-Milkut made his escape to an island--Aradus or Cyprus--where, perhaps, he thought himself secure.

Esar-haddon, however, determined on pursuit.

He traversed the sea "like a fish," and made Abdi-Milkut prisoner; after which he turned his arms against Sandu-arra, attacked him in the fastnesses of his mountains, defeated his troops, and possessed himself of his person.