The Arrogant Sennacherib

Sennacherib (ruled 705–681 BC) was the youngest son of the Assyrian Emperor Sargon II. Before his father’s death, Sennacherib served as a military governor in the northern provinces of Assyria, commanding a massive army. When Sargon II was killed in 705 BC, Sennacherib seized the throne. He later quelled rebellions in both the eastern and western provinces. In 703 BC, he captured Babylon, and in 701 BC, he turned his focus westward to attack a Palestinian coalition led by King Hezekiah. He first took Tyre and Sidon, then moved on to Judah. He besieged Lachish, captured 46 cities, and took over 200,000 Judeans captive. Faced with extreme danger, Hezekiah offered Sennacherib 300 talents of silver and 30 talents of gold to try and stop the attack.

During Sennacherib’s invasion of Jerusalem, Taharqa, the Kushite king of Egypt, led his army to Libnah. Sennacherib defeated the Egyptian forces and then concentrated his full strength on attacking Jerusalem (2 Kings 19:15-19). Sennacherib sent messengers to Jerusalem to threaten them and demand their surrender. In his arrogance, he insulted Hezekiah and blasphemed the God of Israel, claiming that God could not save the Judeans. He boasted of his immense military might, bragging that he had defeated many nations stronger than Judah, so how could Judah be his opponent? He even asked, “Has the Lord been able to deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?” Hezekiah refused to yield to the threat and prayed earnestly, and God intervened directly. God sent Isaiah to inform Hezekiah that Sennacherib would be defeated, and for the sake of David, He would protect and save Jerusalem (2 Kings 19:20-34). The word of the Lord was ultimately fulfilled. Sennacherib attempted to besiege Jerusalem, but 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp were wiped out in a strange disaster, forcing the plan to be abandoned. Sennacherib had no choice but to withdraw. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus (484-425 BC) recorded a legend about this Assyrian defeat: “A multitude of field-mice swarmed into the Assyrian camp by night and devoured their quivers and their bows, and the handles of their shields, so that on the next day they had to flee without arms, and many fell dead” (The Histories, Book 2, Chapter 141).

After his withdrawal from Judah, Sennacherib continued to fight against Babylon and Elam in the east. He was eventually assassinated 20 years later in the temple of Nisroch by his sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer. His youngest son, Esarhaddon (ruled 681–669 BC), succeeded him.

While Sennacherib’s death fulfilled God’s prophecy, it occurred five years after Hezekiah’s death (2 Kings 20:6). God was well aware of Sennacherib’s arrogance but delayed his retribution for 20 years because He continued to use him to fight against Elam and Babylon, temporarily restraining the beast that would have consumed Judah. God is the God who controls history. The actions of the Assyrian king, the experiences of Hezekiah, and future events are all “what I have planned and what I have decreed from ancient times,” all under God’s plan and control. Likewise, today, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).