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During the reign of Hezekiah, king of Judah, Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, threatened to destroy Jerusalem. This powerful enemy challenged a king who was faithful to God. In his arrogance and threats, Sennacherib did not consider that the Almighty God would intervene on behalf of His people. This story of the enemy's threats shows us God's faithfulness and goodness in protecting His people by answering Hezekiah's prayers during a time of crisis.
The passages that recount this story can be found in 2 Kings 18 and 19, in 2 Chronicles 32:9-23, and in Isaiah 36:4-22. Here are the most important excerpts from this episode:
2 Chronicles 32:1-23 - Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem
1After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. 2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to wage war against Jerusalem, 3 he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him. 4 They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kingsof Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said. 5 Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons and shields.
6 He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: 7 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. 8 With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.
9 Later, when Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces were laying siege to Lachish, he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah king of Judah and for all the people of Judah who were there:
10 “This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you basing your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? 11 When Hezekiah says, ‘The Lord our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria,’ he is misleading you, to let you die of hunger and thirst. 12 Did not Hezekiah himself remove this god’s high places and altars, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar and burn sacrifices on it’?
13 “Do you not know what I and my predecessors have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of those nations ever able to deliver their land from my hand? 14 Who of all the gods of these nations that my predecessors destroyed has been able to save his people from me? How then can your god deliver you from my hand? 15 Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my predecessors. How much less will your god deliver you from my hand!”
16 Sennacherib’s officers spoke further against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah. 17 The king also wrote letters ridiculing the Lord, the God of Israel, and saying this against him: “Just as the gods of the peoples of the other lands did not rescue their people from my hand, so the god of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand.” 18 Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city. 19 They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world—the work of human hands.
20 King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. 21 And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword.
22 So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of themon every side. 23 Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the Lord and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded by all the nations.
- 2 Chronicles 32:1-23
Explanation of Sennacherib's Assault on Hezekiah
Hezekiah was a king faithful to God. He began to reign over the kingdom of Judah at the age of 25 and ruled for 29 years. The Bible states that, unlike his father Ahaz, Hezekiah did what was right and "held fast to the Lord." King Hezekiah took care to obey the Lord and trust Him wholeheartedly, which is why God was with him.
Four years into his reign, the king of the Assyrian empire besieged several cities in Judah, attempting to conquer them. One of the strategies was to surround the towns with his armies and impose fear through threats, hoping that the rulers would yield to his demands. With its great power and army, Assyria dominated various nations, exiling them and imposing heavy tributes - vassalage.
Sennacherib's Threats
The Assyrian emperor had already invaded and deported Israelites from the Northern Kingdom to Assyria, with God's permission - because the Israelites and their kings had forsaken the Lord and worshipped pagan gods (2 Kings 17:7-18). However, Sennacherib did not know or respect the God of Israel. He insulted the Lord, Hezekiah, and the people of Judah. Through words, letters, and even shouts, they defied Israel and its God.
“Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says, ‘Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.’ Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered? Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my predecessors deliver them—the gods of Gozan, Harran, Rezeph and the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar?
- 2 Kings 19:10-12
Sennacherib and his commanders were proud and imposing. They did not know that the God of Israel was the Creator of the entire universe, possessing all power over the kingdoms of heaven and earth; thus, they blasphemed. Sennacherib was unaware that Hezekiah and Judah were still seeking the Lord and had His protection.
Hezekiah's Prayer and God's Deliverance
After hearing the insults, Hezekiah entered the House of the Lord, humbled himself, and called for the prophet Isaiah. They prayed to the Lord, presented the letters sent by the king of Assyria, and cried out for God's help.
Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God.
- 2 Kings 19:19
The Lord heard their prayers. He promised to deliver Hezekiah and the people of Judah from Sennacherib's hands, and He did.
That very night, the Angel of the Lord destroyed 185,000 soldiers in the Assyrian army. King Sennacherib withdrew, returning to his land with the survivors. And while he was in the house of his god, he was killed by his own sons, with the sword.
Lessons from the Story of Sennacherib and Hezekiah
This story shows us God's sovereignty and His great power over the entire world, its kings, and empires, whether they are great or small. God holds control over everything and everyone. This passage also reveals that God is faithful and merciful in helping those who seek Him with all their hearts.
From this story, we also learn that:
- One should not mock God. There will come a day of judgment and punishment for those who rebel against the Creator.
- We must seek God first. Hezekiah tried, in his own way, to convince Sennacherib to abandon his intentions. Before seeking God, he offered a lavish tribute of gold that included the treasures of the Temple to persuade the merciless Assyrian king. But this did not work.
- Despite Sennacherib's threats and the apparent hopelessness, Hezekiah's trust in God resulted in an impressive divine intervention.
- A man's ambition can be the beginning of his own ruin. Sennacherib's intention was to expand his dominion by conquering the Southern Kingdom, Judah, at any cost.
- God's grace and faithfulness in protecting and providing safety and deliverance for His people in times of crisis showed all the kingdoms that He alone is Lord and God.
See also:
- Our collection of Bible Stories and Bible Study Lessons Organized by Theme
- Learn more about our God - YHWH: The Meaning of God's Name in Hebrew (Tetragrammaton)