Sennacherib was an Assyrian king who sought to conquer Jerusalem. Isaiah prophesied his defeat. He laid siege to the city, but King Hezekiah withstood the siege. An angel defeated the Assyrian army and Sennacherib withdrew his forces.
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The Miraculous Defeat of Sennacherib
TANAKH
The miraculous defeat of the Assyrian army by an angel of God underscores divine intervention and protection. The Book of Kings recounts the dramatic events leading to the retreat of King Sennacherib after an angel struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers.
Sennacherib's Ambition
TALMUD
Sennacherib's ambition extended beyond earthly conquest to a desire to challenge the divine. In the Talmudic tractate Sanhedrin, Rabbi Chanina bar Pappa explores the implications of Sennacherib's statements about his intentions to destroy both the earthly Temple and the heavenly dwelling place.
The Missed Opportunity of Hezekiah
MIDRASH
Hezekiah's failure to sing a song of praise after Sennacherib's defeat was a missed opportunity that could have changed the course of history. The midrashic commentary Shir HaShirim Rabbah explains how Hezekiah rationalized his mistake.
The Assurance of Prophecy
COMMENTARY
The fulfillment of prophecy serves as evidence of divine truth and assures us that future prophecies, including those concerning the Messiah, will also come to pass. The Tze'enah Ure'enah, a Yiddish commentary on the Torah and Haftarot, notes that Sennacherib's defeat was foretold in a prophecy.
The Downfall of Assyria
COMMENTARY
The arrogance of Assyria, epitomized by Sennacherib’s emissary Rabshakeh, led to its downfall as a divine punishment. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’s modern translation and commentary on the book of Ezekiel explains how Ezekiel uses the imagery of a cedar tree to symbolize Assyria's pride and impending downfall.
The Temporary Prosperity of the Wicked
COMMENTARY
According to the Psalmist, the prosperity of the wicked is temporary and ultimately leads to their downfall. Rashi, the renowned medieval French commentator, argues that a particular passage from the book of Psalms refers to the biblical story of Sennacherib, the Assyrian king who besieged Jerusalem.
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