Isaiah 37

Isaiah is still in his diary of Sennacherib’s last campaign in Israel. Whereas Sennacherib was in 701 BCE (mentioned in one verse in Isaiah 36:1) at Jerusalem to collect money from Hezekiah and other states, of which K1285 from Niniveh is the proof of the sums of money collected, and also his Annals which reported that during this Third Campaign of his, he boasted to have made Hezekiah to be “like a bird in a cage”, during this last campaign of Sennacherib, he stayed away from Jerusalem. He was at Lachish wrapped up in a military campaign and only his messengers came to Jerusalem. This last campaign was probably between 689-687 BCE. There are no Assyrian sources for this last campaign since it was a big disaster. The Assyrian sources never recorded any fear from their side but the Israelite sources are honest and report the immense fear that they suffered when the superpower came to their gates. That is one reason to trust the Bible more than the Assyrian Sources, counter Jewish scholars’ insistence to the contrary. Hezekiah tore his clothes and entered the house of the Lord (v. 1). It is the safest place to be and thus the right decision for any ruler. He got an idea and sent his scribes to Isaiah (v. 2). Also a right decision. They asked for help from Isaiah (v. 3). They asked him to counter the disgrace that the Assyrian messenger did to God and to save the remnant (v. 4). Isaiah’s message was ready. The Lord said that He heard the blasphemy of the Assyrians (v. 6). The Lord will put a spirit in him and he will hear a rumor and return to his own land (v. 7). The Assyrian general returned and found the Sennacherib fighting against Libnah, for Sennacherib had left Lachish. This was in 689-687 BCE. They told him about Tirhaka the king of Cush or Ethiopia that was ruler of Egypt and that was to come against him (v. 9). We know that Tirkhaka was corronated at Memphis in 690 BCE after Shebitku died according to established Egyptian sources (Stelae IV 12-13). Immediately Sennacherib sent messengers with a letter to Hezekiah again, this time blaming God that He is deceiving Hezekiah (v. 10). When Sennacherib said these words, as a leader of a superpower, he dressed himself in the clothes of Satan or Lucifer to continue the Rebellion that started in Heaven, to continue it here on earth. A great mistake. He used mass propaganda of his greatness and how gods could not help other nations and how kings of other nations fell (vv. 11-13). Was Hezekiah afraid? He was. He took the letter and spread it before the Lord and prayed (vv. 14-15). Beautiful honesty of Israelite historiography that overshadows the arrogance of Assyrian historiography. In fact the Assyrian records of these events are totally lost or perhaps obliterated? God’s throne is above the angels and He is God of all kingdoms and Hezekiah wants God to hear and see the words of Sennacherib reproaching the living God (v. 16-17). Isaiah admitted and so did Hezekiah, that the superpower has destroyed other countries and their gods (v. 18-19). He pleaded for deliverance that “the earth may know that You alone Lord, are God” (v. 20). The Lord responded through Isaiah to Hezekiah’s prayer (v. 21). The Lord address Sennacherib in the following way: He said that Judah has despised, mocked and shaken the head against Assyria (v. 22). These are the faithful of Jerusalem or the faithful remnant. Assyria has mocked and blasphemed the faithful remnant of God and against the Holy One of Israel (v. 23). Great error. The messengers of Assyria has angered the Lord by their saying that through their own power “with my chariots” (v. 24b) they have conquered the countries (vv. 24b-d; 25a-c). But, the Lord said that He planned it “from ancient times, I planned it, now I have brought it to pass” (v. 26a-e). The superpower got its strength and power from the Lord (v. 27). The Lord knows the sitting down and going out of Assyria (v. 28) “and your raging against Me” (v. 28c). The arrogance of Assyria, just like Lucifer’s arrogance, has come up before the Lord (v. 29a-b). As a result the Lord decided to punish the superpower “I will turn you back by the way which you came” (v. 29e). The Lord spoke to Hezekiah saying that for three years Hezekiah shall slowly, year by year for three years grow to an agricultural entity (v. 30) and the remnant shall flourish (v. 31). The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this (v. 32). As far as Sennacherib is concerned, the Lord indicated that “he shall not come to this city” (vv. 33-34). This is proof that it is a later campaign than the Third Campaign of Sennacherib in 701 BCE, since it that campaign he did come to Jerusalem as both the Bible and Assyrian Sources confirm. God remembers His covenant and the faithful of the remnant (v. 35). The Angel of the Lord killed 185 000 Assyrians in their camp and the next morning it was great mourning and shock (v. 36). Sennacherib returned home to Niniveh (v. 37). As he was worshipping his two oldest sons killed him with a sword and they ran to Ararat and Esarhaddon, his third son became king (v. 38). Sennacherib died in 684 BCE on the 20^th day of Tebet. In Assyrian sources the oldest brother was Arad-Mulissu or Arad-Ninlil and the accomplice was [god X]-šar-uṣur. Isaiah named them as Adrammelech and Sharezer, the Hebrew form for the names. Assyrian sources says that Esarhaddon cried out “Woe” and in his excitement, torn his priestly robe and uttered a lament. He said “my brothers went mad”. The prophecy of Isaiah and the sure Word of God became fact. When there are differences between Isaiah and 2 Kings 18-19, it is because of difficult exilic times and access to direct reading was very difficult to secure so that slips of the ear, of the eye, of the memory can be seen in the 586 BCE historiography copying of 2 Kings. Sin affects also the quality of preservation of our Scriptures but God preserved in Isaiah a standard text for these problems to be solved.

Dear God

You are in control of all kingdoms and superpowers. We are also living with some. We want to be counted with the faithful remnant knowing that You will take care of them. Amen.

Koot van Wyk, (DLitt et Phil; ThD) Kyungpook National University, Department of Liberal Education, Sangju, South Korea; conjoint lecturer of Avondale College, Australia