Take Sennacherib, the Assyrian king who dared to threaten Jerusalem. His story takes a wild turn after his army's miraculous defeat.
According to Legends of the Jews, Sennacherib, brimming with confidence, marched towards Jerusalem with an enormous army. His astrologers warned him that timing was crucial. He had to capture the city by a certain date, or he would fail. Making record time, he arrived at Nob, where a platform was set up for him to view Jerusalem.
Can you imagine the scene? Sennacherib, puffed up with pride, looks at Jerusalem and scoffs. "Is this the city I conquered nations for? It looks smaller, weaker!" He dismisses the Temple Mount with a wave. His warriors, eager for battle, urge him to attack. But Sennacherib, in a moment of fatal hubris, decides to wait until morning.
Big mistake.
As Ginzberg retells it, Sennacherib should have attacked immediately. You see, the sin of Saul against the priests at Nob hadn't been fully atoned for yet. Had Sennacherib attacked then, he might have succeeded. But that night, Passover night, as Hezekiah and the people sang the Hallel Psalms – hymns of praise – disaster struck the Assyrian camp.
The archangel Gabriel, usually tasked with ripening fruit, was given a new assignment: annihilate the Assyrians. And he did it with extreme prejudice. Of the millions in Sennacherib's army, only Sennacherib himself, his two sons, his son-in-law Nebuchadnezzar, and Nebuzaradan were spared. How? The angel allowed the Assyrians to hear the "song of the celestials." The sound was so powerful, it burned their souls, leaving their garments untouched.
But Sennacherib's story wasn't over. Death by celestial song was too merciful for him. A more humiliating fate awaited.
As Sennacherib fled Jerusalem, he encountered a divine apparition disguised as an old man. This "old man" questioned Sennacherib about what he would tell his allied kings about the fate of their sons. Terrified of facing them, Sennacherib confessed his fear. The old man suggested a disguise: cut off his hair to be unrecognisable. Sennacherib agreed, and the old man directed him to a nearby house for shears.
What happened next is almost comical. At the house, angels disguised as people were busy grinding grain. They offered Sennacherib the shears if he would grind a measure of grain for them. By the time he finished, it was late and dark. As he tried to light a fire to cut his hair, a spark singed his beard, forcing him to sacrifice that as well.
Talk about adding insult to injury!
Sennacherib eventually returned to Assyria, where he worshipped a plank he believed was part of Noah's Ark. He vowed to sacrifice his sons to this idol if his future ventures prospered. His sons overheard this vow and, understandably, weren't thrilled. So, they killed their father and fled to Kardu, releasing a large number of Jewish captives.
Here's where the story takes an even more surprising turn. These sons, now free from their father's influence, marched to Jerusalem with the freed captives and converted to Judaism. And who were their descendants? None other than the famous scholars Shemaiah and Abtalion.
So, the story of Sennacherib isn't just a tale of a boastful king brought low. It's a story of unexpected twists, divine intervention, and ultimately, redemption. It reminds us that even from the most unlikely sources, good can emerge. The very sons of the man who sought to destroy Jerusalem became pillars of the Jewish community. A humbling thought, isn't it?