The Assyrian Army Destroyed by an Angel
The angel of the Lord smites 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night, delivering Jerusalem.
Sennacherib of Assyria mocked the living God and threatened Jerusalem. Hezekiah spread the blasphemous letter before the Lord and prayed. Isaiah sent word that not an arrow would enter the city. That night the angel of the Lord went out and struck 185,000 in the Assyrian camp; in the morning they were all dead corpses.
The angel of the LORD
The Assyrian camp outside Jerusalem
What Happened
- 1Sennacherib's letter blasphemed the God of Israel
- 2Hezekiah spread the letter before the Lord in the temple
- 3Isaiah delivered God's answer: Sennacherib would not enter the city
- 4The angel of the Lord struck 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night
- 5Sennacherib returned home and was killed by his own sons
Key KJV Scriptures
"And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses."
"Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses."
Spiritual Significance
The fall of Sennacherib's army is one of the great vindications of the Lord's name in the Old Testament — proof that He alone is God and that those who mock Him will not stand.
Lesson for Today
Spread your troubles before the Lord. The God who silenced Assyria is well able to silence every threat against His people.
Key People
Frequently Asked Questions
When did this happen?
Around 701 BC during the reign of King Hezekiah, when Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah.
Is this confirmed outside the Bible?
Assyrian records boast of besieging Jerusalem but never claim to have taken it, an unusual silence that fits the biblical account of a sudden disaster.
Where in the Bible is the miracle of The Assyrian Army Destroyed by an Angel?
The miracle of The Assyrian Army Destroyed by an Angel is recorded in 2 Kings 19:35 (KJV), with additional references in Isaiah 37:36.
Who performed the miracle of The Assyrian Army Destroyed by an Angel?
Scripture records that The angel of the LORD carried out this miracle at The Assyrian camp outside Jerusalem. Ultimately the power belonged to God, who alone does wondrous things (Psalm 72:18).
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