Sennacherib

Also known as: king of Assyria · Family: Assyria · Role: king of Assyria · First appears: Isaiah 36

Sennacherib, king of Assyria, was marked for punishment by God after completing his work at mount Zion and Jerusalem, because of his pride. In Isaiah 36, he came against Judah in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah and conquered its fortified cities: “Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them.” He then sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem with a great army to address Hezekiah.

In Isaiah 37, Sennacherib faced Tirhakah and was judged by God, who declared that he would not enter Jerusalem. After 185,000 Assyrians were struck down, he departed the campaign and returned to Nineveh. There he worshipped Nisroch, where his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with the sword; Esarhaddon succeeded him as king. Nahum later describes the king of Assyria’s nobles falling into dust and his people scattering across the mountains.