MPV Commentary

Sennacherib Slain.

37. As Sennacherib was worshiping in the temple of Nisroch, a god revered by the Assyrians as their chief deity, he met his demise. The statue of Nisroch depicted a winged figure surrounded by a circle, symbolizing the guardian deity of Assyria. In ancient Assyrian art, Sennacherib is often shown standing or kneeling beneath this image, with his hand raised in prayer.

His own sons turned against him and killed him with their swords. Sennacherib's brutal nature, fueled by his failures and likely exacerbated by his tyrannical rule over his subjects and slaves, ultimately led to his downfall. According to historical accounts, he intended to sacrifice two of his sons to appease the gods and restore prosperity to his kingdom. However, these sons fled to Armenia after committing parricide, and a third son, Esar-haddon, succeeded Sennacherib as king.