Sennacherib the Terrible and Dreadful Falls Before Jerusalem

[Another interpretation] (of Habakkuk 1:7): "TERRIBLE AND DREADFUL" — this is Sennacherib, as it is said (in II Kings 19:24): "With the sole of my feet I have dried up all the streams of Egypt." And he said (in II Kings 18:35): "Who among all the gods of the lands has delivered their land out of my hand?" [And likewise it says] (in Isaiah 8:8): "And the spread of his wings shall fill," etc. One sixtieth of his troops was enough to supply the Land of Israel, as it is said: "And the spread of his wings" — this "spread" (muttah) of a single cock is one sixtieth of its wings. When he came to enter Jerusalem, he said to his troops: "Lie down, and in the morning we will throw our signet rings into it and stone them with them." Thus, "TERRIBLE AND DREADFUL" — this is Sennacherib. "HIS JUDGMENT AND HIS DIGNITY PROCEED FROM HIMSELF" — these are his sons. When he went up to destroy Jerusalem, it did not succeed in his hand, [as it is said]: "And the angel of the LORD went forth and struck in the camp of Assyria," etc. (II Kings 19:35). And it is written: "And he returned with shame of face to his own land, and entered the house of his god, and those who came out of his own bowels [there struck him down by the sword]" (II Chronicles 32:21). [He entered to pray before Nisroch his god. His sons said: This one is deceiving himself. He ought to have remained standing when all his troops were burned, and they were sickening, and they killed him], as it is said: "And it came to pass, as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons struck him down by the sword" (II Kings 19:37). Thus, "TERRIBLE AND DREADFUL" — this is Sennacherib; "HIS JUDGMENT AND HIS DIGNITY PROCEED FROM HIMSELF" — this is his sons.