According to the Bible (2 Kings 18–19), the Assyrian king Sennacherib (705 – 681 BC) besieged Jerusalem after having destroyed large parts of the Kingdom of Judah. Yet he was unable to take the city. In the biblical account, Jerusalem is miraculously saved by an angel who defeated the Assyrian army and forced Sennacherib to retreat.
This scene underscores that Sennacherib’s sin of hubris against the God of Israel led to his downfall.