Jerusalem's MIRACULOUS Survival of the Assyrian Siege: External Evidence | w/ ‎@BehindtheVerse

Summary

In 701 BC, the Assyrian Empire, led by King Sennacherib, launched a military campaign against rebellious city-states in the Levant, including Judah's King Hezekiah. Despite conquering 46 cities, they failed to take Jerusalem. The Bible recounts an angel of the Lord striking down the Assyrian army, while extra-biblical sources like Herodotus and Barasas suggest a bubonic plague played a role. This mysterious event preserved Hebrew culture and the Messianic line, as foretold by Isaiah.

Takeaways

• 🏰 In 701 BC, the Assyrian Empire under King Sennacherib initiated a military campaign against the Levant to quell rebellions and enforce tribute.
• 👑 Hezekiah, king of Judah, was part of the rebellion against the Assyrians.
• 🏹 Sennacherib's forces had already destroyed 46 cities before reaching Jerusalem, the capital of Judah.
• 📚 Historian William McNeil suggests that if Jerusalem had fallen, Hebrew culture, Jewish monotheism, and the Messianic line could have been erased, preventing the birth of Christianity.
• 🤔 The Assyrians unexpectedly withdrew from Jerusalem, an event that remains a mystery to historians.
• 📖 The Jewish account of the event, recorded in the Bible, claims that an angel of the Lord struck down the Assyrian army.
• 🗿 Sennacherib's prism, a cuneiform artifact, acknowledges his failure to conquer Jerusalem and only managed to contain King Hezekiah.
• 📜 Additional accounts from Egyptian and Babylonian sources suggest that a Bubonic plague was the cause of the Assyrian army's destruction and retreat.
• 🕊 The convergence of these accounts suggests that divine intervention through a plague may have saved Jerusalem, aligning with the prophecy of Isaiah.
• 🔍 Extra-biblical sources and archaeological findings support the biblical narrative of the event.

Q & A

In what year did the Assyrian Empire, led by King Sennacherib, launch a military campaign in the region of the Levant?

The Assyrian Empire, led by King Sennacherib, launched a military campaign in the region of the Levant in the year 701 BC.

What was the primary goal of the Assyrian military campaign in the Levant?

The primary goal of the Assyrian military campaign was to subdue and suppress the rebellious Kings of the city-states that had ceased to send their annual tributes to the Assyrians.

Which king's rebellion was part of the reason for the Assyrian campaign?

Hezekiah, the king of Judah, was part of the rebellion against the Assyrians.

How many cities had the Assyrians besieged and plundered before reaching Jerusalem?

The Assyrians had besieged and plundered 46 cities before they reached the gates of Jerusalem.

What would have happened to Hebrew culture and monotheism if Jerusalem had been attacked by the Assyrians?

Historians like William McNeil suggest that if Jerusalem had been attacked, Hebrew culture would have entirely disappeared, Jewish monotheism would have vanished, and Christianity would never have been born.

Why did the Assyrians withdraw from Jerusalem according to the script?

The script suggests that the Assyrians withdrew because something mysterious occurred, and Jerusalem was spared.

What is the Jewish account of what happened on the day the Assyrians withdrew?

The Jewish account, recorded in the Bible, mentions that an angel of the Lord struck down the Assyrian army.

What does Sennacherib's prism, a cuneiform artifact, reveal about the Assyrian version of the failed conquest?

Sennacherib's prism acknowledges that he couldn't besiege Jerusalem and only held King Hezekiah like a caged bird, which modern historians read as a reluctant admission of defeat.

What do the Egyptian and Babylonian accounts suggest as the cause of the Assyrian troops' destruction and retreat?

The Egyptian account from Herodotus and the Babylonian version by Barasas both suggest that a Bubonic plague struck the Assyrian troops, leading to their destruction and retreat.

How does the script interpret the events leading to the sparing of Jerusalem?

The script interprets the events as the angel of the Lord striking down the Assyrian troops through a pestilence, saving Jerusalem, which aligns with the prophecy of Isaiah.

How do extra-biblical sources and archaeology support the biblical account of the events?

Extra-biblical sources and archaeology support the biblical account by confirming the destruction and retreat of the Assyrian troops, suggesting that a plague was indeed the instrument of their downfall.