KING OF ASSYRIA · TWO KINGDOMS

Sennacherib. The king of Assyria who took Judah's fenced cities and sent his army against Jerusalem, then went home to Nineveh.

REIGNEDi

Not given c. 705–681 BC (dates vary)

CAPITAL

Nineveh

HOUSE

Not stated 4th of 5 in Assyria

SCRIPTURE SAYS

“Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced…”

PROPHETS

Isaiah son of Amoz

ASSYRIA: 5 RULERS TIGLATH-PILESER → ESARHADDON

ON THE WORLD STAGE

The powers of the day

JUDAH

Hezekiah

EGYPT AND ETHIOPIA

Tirhakah king of Ethiopia

ASSYRIA

Adrammelech · Sharezer · Esar-haddon

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · 701 BC CAMPAIGN; PRISMS 691 AND 689 BC

Sennacherib's annals (Taylor and Chicago prisms)

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · 701 BC

What the annals do not say

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · ABOUT 700 BC

The Lachish reliefs

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · ABOUT 703–700 BC

His first and fourth campaigns

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · 681 BC

The Babylonian Chronicle on his death

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · 681–680 BC

Esarhaddon's account

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · WRITTEN ABOUT 430 BC

Herodotus on "Sanacharib"

OUTSIDE THE BIBLE · GREEK WRITERS OF THE 1ST CENTURY BC AND LATER, QUOTED BY EUSEBIUS

Polyhistor and Abydenus

SUCCESSION

Before and after

THE REALM

Nineveh and the places of the account

Assyria. Only places Scripture names are shown, each where the Atlas puts it.

WHAT SCRIPTURE SAYS

What Scripture says of him

  • "Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them." 2 Kings 18:13
  • At Lachish he appointed Hezekiah "three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold". 2 Kings 18:14
  • He sent Tartan, Rabsaris and Rab-shakeh with a great host against Jerusalem, and then a letter: "Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee". 2 Kings 18:17 2 Kings 19:9–10
  • "The angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand"; "So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh." 2 Kings 19:35–36
  • Worshipping "in the house of Nisroch his god", he was struck down with the sword by his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer, who escaped into Armenia. 2 Kings 19:37
  • Chronicles: "he returned with shame of face to his own land". 2 Chronicles 32:21

DEALINGS

Dealings with God's people

  • Rab-shakeh claimed "The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it", and pointed to the high places and altars Hezekiah had taken away. 2 Kings 18:22 2 Kings 18:25
  • Hezekiah spread Sennacherib's letter before the LORD in the temple and prayed. 2 Kings 19:14–19
  • He took Hezekiah's tribute of silver and gold. 2 Kings 18:14–16
  • Rab-shakeh called Egypt "this bruised reed" and offered terms: "Make an agreement with me by a present". 2 Kings 18:21 2 Kings 18:31
  • Rab-shakeh promised to take the people "to a land like your own land"; "the people held their peace, and answered him not a word". 2 Kings 18:32 2 Kings 18:36
  • Chronicles: afterwards "many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah". 2 Chronicles 32:23

EVENTS

Wars, works and turning points

UNDATED IN SCRIPTURE

PROPHETS

The prophets who spoke about him

  • Is Isaiah son of Amoz “He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.”

TWO ACCOUNTS

Where the accounts differ

The fenced cities

2 KINGS · ISAIAH

2 CHRONICLES

The tribute

2 KINGS

2 CHRONICLES

The deliverance

2 KINGS

2 CHRONICLES

His death

2 KINGS

2 CHRONICLES

DATES DIFFER

When was it?

LUCKENBILL (1927)

c. 705–681 BC[26][39]

SCRIPTURE'S NUMBERS

No years given

His invasion came "in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah" (2 Kgs 18:13; Isa 36:1); Scripture gives no year of his own reign.

ROGERS (1912)

c. 704–682 BC[82]

THE BABYLONIAN CHRONICLE

No years given[73][84]

"Sennacherib reigned twenty-three years in Assyria"; he was killed on the twentieth of Tebet. Polyhistor, quoted by Eusebius, gives eighteen years.

Scripture's account

2 Kings 19; 2 Chronicles 32; Isaiah 37

The angel of the LORD struck the Assyrian camp and Sennacherib went home; Isaiah had said he would not come into the city. 2 Kings 19:32–36 2 Chronicles 32:21 Isaiah 37:33–37

Sennacherib's account

Sennacherib's annals (translated by D. D. Luckenbill, 1924)

A blockade, Hezekiah's submission, and tribute sent after Sennacherib to Nineveh; no defeat is mentioned.[14]

A victory that was not decisive

D. D. Luckenbill (1924)

Luckenbill judged the very full account of the siege "a sure sign that the victory claimed was not at all decisive".[15]

An Egyptian story of mice

Herodotus (about 430 BC)

Herodotus heard in Egypt that Sanacharib's army at Pelusium lost its bows and quivers to field mice in one night and fled. He sets the story in Egypt, not Judah.[51]

IN SCRIPTURE

Every passage

CHAPTERS · 5

2 Kings 18 2 Kings 19 2 Chronicles 32 Isaiah 36 Isaiah 37

PASSAGES · 5

2 Kings 18:13–37 2 Kings 19:1–37 2 Chronicles 32:1–23 Isaiah 36:1–22 Isaiah 37:1–38

WHAT SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SAY

  • Scripture does not say how long Sennacherib lived after he returned to Nineveh.
  • Scripture does not say how the 185,000 in the Assyrian camp died.
  • Scripture does not name Sennacherib's father.
  • Scripture does not say where the house of Nisroch his god stood.

SOURCES

Where this page comes from

  • A. K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles (facts only) (1975), Chronicle 5.
  • A. K. Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles, Chronicle 1 (facts only; read in Livius's reproduction) (1975), Chronicle 1, column i, lines 27–28.
  • C. F. Keil, tr. A. Harper, The Books of the Chronicles (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), note on 1 Chr 5:26 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. J. Martin, The Twelve Minor Prophets (Keil and Delitzsch) (1868), note on Hos 10:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. F. Keil, tr. J. Martin, The Twelve Minor Prophets (Keil and Delitzsch) (1868), note on Hos 5:13 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 1 Chr 5:26 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 2 Chr 33:11 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on 2 Kgs 20:12 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Dan 1:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Dan 4:33 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Hos 10:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A Bible Commentary for English Readers (c. 1878–1884), note on Isa 20:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, The Annals of Sennacherib (Oriental Institute Publications 2) (1924), p. 156, "Epigraph: Sennacherib at Lachish".
  • D. D. Luckenbill, The Annals of Sennacherib (Oriental Institute Publications 2) (1924), pp. 32–34 (Oriental Institute Prism, col. III).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, The Annals of Sennacherib (Oriental Institute Publications 2) (1924), Introduction, pp. 11–13.
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. I (1926), §761, p. 269 (Tiglath-pileser's annals; reign 745–727 B.C.).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. I (1926), §772, p. 276 (annals: tribute list).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. I (1926), §777, p. 279 (annals: Hadaru, the 591 cities of Aram).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. I (1926), §801, p. 287 (Nimrud tablet: tribute list).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. I (1926), §§815–816, pp. 292–293 (fragmentary annals text).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. I (1926), §§828–830, p. 297 (Shalmaneser V).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §1198, pp. 436–438 (eponym list with notes).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §137, pp. 71–72 (Sargon's Nimrud inscription).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §17, p. 7 (Sargon's annals: Arab tribes settled in Samaria).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§193–195, pp. 105–106 (Sargon: prism fragment on Ashdod).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §231, p. 115 (Sennacherib: reign 705–681 B.C.).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §234, pp. 116–117 (Sennacherib's first campaign).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §240, pp. 119–121 (Sennacherib's third campaign).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§242–243, pp. 121–122 (Sennacherib's fourth campaign).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§30–31, pp. 13–14 (Sargon's annals, years 11 and 12).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §4, p. 2 (Sargon's annals, year 1).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §497, p. 199 (Esarhaddon: reign 680–669 B.C.).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §§501–506, pp. 200–202 (Esarhaddon's accession).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §55, p. 26 (Sargon's display inscription).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §580, pp. 226–227 (Esarhaddon's stele from Senjirli).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §66, pp. 33–34 (Sargon's display inscription: Merodach-baladan).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §690, pp. 265–266 (Esarhaddon's prism).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), §876, p. 340 (Ashurbanipal's cylinder C).
  • D. D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia, vol. II (1927), List of Assyrian kings, pp. 439–442.
  • D. J. Wiseman, Chronicles of Chaldaean Kings (626–556 B.C.) in the British Museum (facts only) (1956), BM 21946.
  • E. F. Weidner, "Jojachin, König von Juda, in babylonischen Keilschrifttexten", Mélanges syriens offerts à M. René Dussaud, vol. II (facts only) (1939), pp. 923–935.
  • Geneva Bible translators, Geneva Bible marginal notes (1599), note on Dan 5:2 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Geneva Bible translators, Geneva Bible marginal notes (1599), note on Isa 20:1 (read on Bible Hub).
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  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 2 Chr 33:11 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 2 Kgs 20:12 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on Hos 10:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on Hos 5:13 (read on Bible Hub).
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on Isa 20:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Herodotus, tr. G. C. Macaulay, The History of Herodotus, vol. 1 (1890), Book I, §§188 and 191.
  • Herodotus, tr. G. C. Macaulay, The History of Herodotus, vol. 1 (1890), Book II, §141.
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  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on 1 Chr 5:26 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on 2 Chr 33:11 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on Dan 1:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on Hos 10:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on Isa 20:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Joseph Benson, Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818), note on Dan 5:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Dan 5:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Hos 10:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Hos 5:13 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Isa 20:1 (read on Bible Hub).
  • R. D. Wilson, "Belshazzar", International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915).
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on 2 Chr 33:11 (read on Bible Hub).
  • R. P. Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar (Yale Oriental Series, Researches XV) (1929), p. 106 (the 'Verse Account', col. II, lines 18–20).
  • R. P. Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar (Yale Oriental Series, Researches XV) (1929), pp. 172–174 (the Nabonidus Chronicle on the fall of Babylon).
  • R. P. Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar (Yale Oriental Series, Researches XV) (1929), pp. 196–197, with notes 649, 652 and 654.
  • R. P. Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar (Yale Oriental Series, Researches XV) (1929), pp. 60–62.
  • R. P. Dougherty, Nabonidus and Belshazzar (Yale Oriental Series, Researches XV) (1929), pp. 6–7 (the Neo-Babylonian kings in the cuneiform texts).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), p. 202 (Babylonian king list).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 208–212 (the Babylonian Chronicle, cols. I–II).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 215–217 (the Babylonian Chronicle, cols. III–IV).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 237–238 (eponym lists, 708–704 B.C.).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), p. 239 (the Ptolemaic Canon).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 308–313 (Tiglathpileser IV, introduction).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), p. 316 (Tiglathpileser's annals, line 150).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 319–321 (Tiglathpileser on Pekah and Hoshea).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), p. 322 (Nimroud tablet, with note).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 323–326 (Sargon II, introduction; annals on Samaria).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 328–331 (Sargon: the campaign against Ashdod).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 332–333 (Sennacherib, introduction).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 343–345 (Sennacherib against Jerusalem).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 347–348 (Polyhistor and Abydenus).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 349–352 (Esarhaddon, introduction).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), p. 356 (Esarhaddon, Prism B).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 360–364 (Nebuchadrezzar, introduction).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), p. 367 (Nebuchadrezzar's campaign against Egypt).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 368–369 (building inscription of Nebuchadrezzar).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 371–378 (Nabonidus, Belshazzar and Cyrus, introduction).
  • R. W. Rogers, Cuneiform Parallels to the Old Testament (1912), pp. 378–379 (the four clay cylinders of Nabonidus, col. II).
  • S. R. Driver, The Book of Daniel (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1900), note on Dan 1:1, pp. 1–2.
  • S. R. Driver, The Book of Daniel (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1900), Introduction to ch. V, p. 60.
  • S. R. Driver, The Book of Daniel (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1900), Additional note on Nebuchadnezzar's madness, pp. 58–60.
  • S. R. Driver, The Book of Daniel (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1900), Introduction, pp. l–li.
  • T. K. Cheyne, Hosea (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1884), note on Hos 10:14 (read on Bible Hub).
  • T. K. Cheyne, Hosea (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1884), note on Hos 5:13 (read on Bible Hub).
  • W. E. Barnes, The Books of Chronicles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1899), note on 1 Chr 5:26 (read on Bible Hub).
  • W. E. Barnes, The Books of Chronicles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1899), note on 2 Chr 33:11 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Xenophon, tr. H. G. Dakyns, Cyropaedia: The Education of Cyrus (1914), Book VII, ch. 5, §§15–33.

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