II Kings 19:37 · Bible study
2 Kings 19:37 Commentary: The fall of Sennacherib
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Sennacherib, the Assyrian king who mocked Israel's God, is assassinated by his sons while worshiping his god Nisroch.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God judges those who mock Him and trust in false gods; His word is fulfilled to the letter.
- Key words: Nisroch (unknown god), Adrammelech and Sharezer (sons, murderers), Ararat (refuge region).
- Main debate: The identity of Nisroch, unknown deity, a corruption of Asshur, or the name of the temple itself (Barnes).
- Theological theme: God’s sovereignty over nations and their idols; the futility of opposing the Lord.
- Best use: Illustrating the certainty of God’s judgment and the emptiness of idolatry; a warning and a comfort.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer put him to the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And his son Esar-haddon reigned in his place.
WEB World English Bible 2000
As he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Esar Haddon his son reigned in his place.
KJV King James Version 1769
And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and it cometh to pass, he is bowing himself in the house of Nisroch his god, and Adramelech and Sharezar his sons have smitten him with the sword, and they have escaped to the land of Ararat, and Esar-Haddon his son reigneth in his stead.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch hisgod, that Adrammelech and Sharezer [his sons] smote him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And as he was worshipping in the temple of Nesroch, his god, Adramelech and Sarasar, his sons, slew him with the sword, and they fled into the land of the Armenians, and Asarhaddon, his son, reigned in his stead.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y aconteció que, estando él adorando en el templo de Nisroch su dios, Adramelech y Saresar sus hijos lo hirieron á cuchillo; y huyéronse á tierra de Ararat. Y reinó en su lugar Esar-hadón su hijo.
E aconteceu que, estando ele adorando no templo de Nisroque seu deus, Adrameleque e Sarezer seus filhos o feriram à espada; e fugiram-se à terra de Ararate. E reinou em seu lugar Esar-Hadom seu filho.
Or, comme il était prosterné dans la maison de Nisroc, son dieu, Adrammélec et Scharetser, ses fils, le frappèrent avec l’ épée, et s’ enfuirent au pays d’Ararat. Et Ésar-Haddon, son fils, régna à sa place.
Und da er anbetete im Hause Nisrochs, seines Gottes, erschlugen ihn mit dem Schwert Adrammelech und Sarezer, seine Söhne, und entrannen ins Land Ararat. Und sein Sohn Asar- Haddon ward König an seiner Statt.
Het geschiedde nu, als hij in het huis van Nisroch, zijn god, zich nederboog, dat Adramelech en Sarezer, zijn zonen, hem met het zwaard versloegen; doch zij ontkwamen in het land van Ararat; en Esar-Haddon, zijn zoon, werd koning in zijn plaats.
E avvenne che, mentr’egli stava adorando nella casa del suo dio Nisroc, i suoi figliuoli Adrammelec e Saretser lo uccisero a colpi di spada, e si rifugiarono nel paese di Ararat. Esarhaddon, suo figliuolo, regnò in luogo suo.
A gdy chwalił boga swego Nesrocha w domu, tedy Adramelech i Sarassar, synowie jego, zabili go mieczem, a sami uciekli do ziemi Ararat. I królował Assarhaddon, syn jego, miasto niego.
И когда он поклонялся в доме Нисроха, бога своего, то Адрамелех и Шарецер, сыновья его, убили его мечом, а сами убежали в землю Араратскую. И воцарился Асардан, сын его, вместо него.
一日 在他的神 尼斯洛 廟 裡叩拜，他兒子 亞得米勒 和沙利色 用刀 殺了他， 就逃 到亞拉臘 地。他兒子 以撒哈頓 接續他 作王。
And it came about, when he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer put him to death with the sword; and they went in flight into the land of Ararat. And Esar-haddon his son became king in his place.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Kings 19:37
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this verse records the fulfillment of God's prophecy through Isaiah (2 Kings 19:7): “I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.” Sennacherib, who had mocked the living God (2 Kings 18:30; 19:10), is killed by his own sons while bowing to his god Nisroch. Barnes notes that Nisroch has not been identified with any known Assyrian deity, and may instead be the name of the temple itself. The sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, escape to “the land of Ararat,” a region of Armenia that, as Barnes observes, was independent of Assyria and thus a safe refuge. Esarhaddon, another son, ascends the throne, a historical figure confirmed in Assyrian inscriptions. The bitter irony is not lost: the king who demanded trust in his gods (2 Chronicles 32:14, 19) dies in the act of worshiping one who could not save him.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Nisroch as an unknown deity: The name appears only here and in Isaiah 37:38. No corresponding Assyrian god is clearly identified.
- Nisroch as a corruption of Asshur: Jamieson-Fausset-Brown and others link it to the chief Assyrian deity, often depicted as a winged figure. The Hebrew may have altered the name.
- Nisroch as a temple name: Barnes and Josephus understand the word as the name of the sacred building, not the god himself. Assyrian temples had distinct names.
What is clear: God’s sovereignty is demonstrated in the fulfillment of the prophecy that Sennacherib would fall by the sword in his own land, and the impotence of false gods is starkly portrayed.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of Nisroch | The god is not clearly identified in known Assyrian sources; the name is obscure. | Some see Nisroch as a personal deity (perhaps Asshur), while Barnes and others suggest it may be the name of the temple rather than the god. Josephus uses a different name ('Arasce') for the temple. |
| Timing of the assassination | The event occurred after Sennacherib's return to Nineveh, following the destruction of his army. | The biblical narrative places the account immediately after the angel's visit, but Assyrian inscriptions indicate the assassination took place years later, around 681 BC. The text telescopes events for theological emphasis. |
| Motivation of the sons | Adrammelech and Sharezer struck their father with the sword. They then fled. | Rabbinic tradition (cited by Clarke) claims Sennacherib planned to sacrifice his sons to his god, which motivated the murder. No other source confirms this; the Bible gives no motive. |
| Location of Ararat | It refers to a mountainous region of Armenia, outside Assyrian control. | Some identify it specifically with the mountains where Noah's ark landed (Genesis 8:4). Others see it as a broader region (the central province of Armenia, per Cambridge). |
| Textual inclusion of 'his sons' | Many translations include 'his sons' describing Adrammelech and Sharezer. | The Masoretic Text in 2 Kings 19:37 omits the consonants for 'his sons' (the word is present only in the vowel pointing), while the parallel in Isaiah 37:38 has the full phrase. Some manuscripts add it explicitly. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The events leading to this verse begin in 2 Kings 18, 19. Sennacherib, king of Assyria, had invaded Judah, taunting Hezekiah and the God of Israel. In response, the prophet Isaiah declared that God would “put a spirit in him” and cause him to fall by the sword in his own land (2 Kings 19:7). That very night, the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers (2 Kings 19:35). Sennacherib withdrew to Nineveh, his capital (19:36).
The assassination recorded here likely occurred several years later, around 681 BC, as Barnes notes from Assyrian inscriptions. Sennacherib was worshiping “in the house of Nisroch his god.” The name Nisroch is mysterious. Cambridge points out that the LXX gives “Meserach,” and Josephus records “Arasce” as the temple name. Barnes suggests that Nisroch may not be a personal deity at all but the name of the temple, a known practice in Assyrian religion. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown identifies the god with Asshur, often depicted as a winged figure in a circle. The Hebrew verb for “worshiping” (mish.tachaveh, H7812) means to bow down prostrate, the same word used of worshiping the true God.
The assassins, Adrammelech and Sharezer, are named as Sennacherib’s sons in several translations (KJV, BSB). They fled to “the land of Ararat”, the mountainous region also known as Armenia, where Noah’s ark came to rest (Genesis 8:4). This was outside Assyrian control, providing refuge. Esarhaddon, another son, took the throne. Assyrian records confirm his reign and his building projects, including thirty temples (Cambridge). The irony is absolute: the king who asked “Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people out of my hand?” (2 Chronicles 32:14) is killed in the presence of his own powerless god.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant variant affecting the meaning. The name Nisroch appears differently in the LXX (Μεσεράχ) and Josephus ('Arasce'), suggesting the Hebrew may be a corruption or alternate tradition. In the Masoretic Text of 2 Kings 19:37, the phrase 'his sons' is present only in the vowel pointing; the consonants are omitted, but they are written in full in the parallel at Isaiah 37:38. These are minor textual details; the verse is textually stable.
Reception History
Christians have read this verse as a vivid demonstration of divine justice and the fulfillment of prophecy. Matthew Henry emphasizes the irony that Sennacherib was killed while worshiping his god, showing the helplessness of idols. The early reception includes the apocryphal book of Tobit (1:21), which mentions the assassination and Esarhaddon's succession. The rabbinic tradition embellished the story by suggesting Sennacherib intended to sacrifice his sons, a detail rejected by Clarke as a fanciful attempt to explain the murder. Across traditions, the verse has been used to warn against trusting in false gods and to comfort the faithful that God’s enemies will not last.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s word is unerring. The prophecy of 2 Kings 19:7 is literally fulfilled. Sennacherib falls by the sword in his own land. God’s promises and warnings come to pass exactly as spoken.
- Idols cannot save. Sennacherib dies in the act of worshiping his god. The very place of supposed protection becomes the place of his death. False gods offer no deliverance, while the God of Israel defends Jerusalem.
- Human schemes are under God’s sovereignty. The assassination plot and the escape to Ararat are not outside God’s control. He uses even the rebellion of sons to accomplish His purposes. Esarhaddon’s reign is part of God’s plan for history.
Five-point outline
- God’s word is unerring. (as above)
- Idols cannot save. (as above)
- Human schemes are under God’s sovereignty. (as above)
- The futility of pride. Sennacherib’s arrogance (“by the multitude of my chariots” and his taunts) ends in a violent death. Pride goes before a fall.
- A reminder of judgment and comfort. This verse warns that those who oppose God and His people will ultimately face judgment. It also comforts believers that God is just and faithful.
Illustration hooks
- The schoolyard bully who finally gets caught: after years of intimidation, his own actions bring him down. Sennacherib’s blasphemy led to his downfall.
- A person who trusts in a “lucky charm” or a career for security, only to find it fails in a crisis. The thing they worship cannot help them when it counts.
- The fall of a dictator who thought himself invincible, a pattern of pride preceding destruction that repeats through history.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Why did God allow Sennacherib to be killed while he was worshiping? What does that say about idolatry?”
- “If God is in control, why does evil sometimes seem to succeed for so long before judgment falls?”
- “How can I trust in God’s protection when I see the wicked prosper?”
Leading a Discussion
This verse shows the end of a man who defied the living God. It invites us to examine where we place our trust and to marvel at God’s faithfulness to His promises. As you discuss, consider how this ancient story still speaks to our lives today.
Discussion questions
- What happens in this verse? Describe the scene in your own words.
- What did Sennacherib do just before his death? Why is that detail important?
- How does this verse fulfill the prophecy of 2 Kings 19:7? What does that tell you about God’s reliability?
- Sennacherib trusted in his gods, yet they could not save him. The God of Israel saved Jerusalem without a single Israelite warrior. What do these contrasting outcomes reveal about the nature of God?
- The sons of Sennacherib killed him and fled. Their names are recorded in Scripture. Why do you think the Bible includes these names and details?
- What “Nisrochs” do people trust in today, things that promise security but cannot deliver? How can we guard our hearts from false trust?
- In what areas of your life do you need to remember that God’s word is certain and His sovereignty is complete?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 8:4 | The ship rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on Ararat’s mountains. |
| Deuteronomy 32:31 | For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves concede. |
| II Kings 18:5 | He trusted in Yahweh, the God of Israel, so that after him was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among them that were before him. |
| II Kings 18:30 | Don’t let Hezekiah make you trust in Yahweh, saying, “Yahweh will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” |
| II Kings 19:7 | Behold, I will put a spirit in him, and he will hear news, and will return to his own land. I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.”’” |
| II Kings 19:10 | “Tell Hezekiah king of Judah this: ‘Don’t let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. |
| II Chronicles 32:14 | Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand? |
| II Chronicles 32:19 | They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men’s hands. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke dismisses the rabbinic story that Sennacherib’s sons killed him to prevent his sacrificing them to Nisroch. His point is that when Jewish rabbis cannot explain a biblical difficulty, they simply cut the knot with an invented fiction rather than admit ignorance.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the death of Sennacherib happened years after his campaigns, placed here as a divine sequel. He highlights that Nisroch may not be a god but the temple's name, and observes that the killers escaped to Armenia, then independent of Assyria and thus a safe refuge.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the name Nisroch is uncertain, possibly a corruption or a mistaken Hebrew connection to the word for eagle based on Assyrian eagle-headed figures. The commentator suggests the Jews may not have learned the name correctly, and Josephus gives a different name for the temple.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight the grim irony: Sennacherib, who mocked the living God, is struck down while bowing to a lifeless idol. His own sons become the instruments of divine judgment, showing how God humbles the proud and vindicates His name.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB identifies Nisroch as Asshur, the winged guardian deity of Assyria, depicted on monuments with kneeling worshippers. Sennacherib’s cruelty grew so extreme after his defeats that his two sons assassinated him, reportedly because he planned to sacrifice them to regain divine favor.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stress that the destruction of 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night cannot be explained by natural means, not even the worst plague. They insist this was a supernatural act by the same angel who struck Egypt’s firstborn, and that the text’s silence on the army’s location only highlights the miracle’s central point.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry stresses that God acted instantly and supernaturally, sending a single angel to destroy 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night without any human weapon. The scale and speed of the slaughter displayed divine power directly, not through battle. He also notes Josephus suggested a pestilence.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws attention to the man's willful persistence in idolatry despite undeniable evidence that the God of Israel alone is real. His death while sacrificing to idols is therefore just: he refused to be convinced by a costly demonstration of divine power.