Why did Adrammelech and Sharezer kill their father, Sennacherib, in 2 Kings 19:37? Historical Setting of 2 Kings 19:37 Sennacherib ruled Assyria c. 705–681 BC, a date that harmonizes with a Ussher-style chronology (creation c. 4004 BC, Flood c. 2348 BC, Abraham c. 1996 BC). Extra-biblical records such as the Taylor Prism, the Chicago Prism, and the Lachish reliefs independently verify Sennacherib’s western campaign of 701 BC—precisely the invasion described in 2 Kings 18–19. These artifacts corroborate the biblical picture of a proud monarch who boasted of shutting up Hezekiah “like a bird in a cage,” yet notably omit any conquest of Jerusalem, aligning with Scripture’s report that the city was spared. Immediate Biblical Context 1. Divine Rebuke Pronounced – “Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land” (2 Kings 19:7). 2. Divine Judgment Executed – “That night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians… So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp, withdrew, and returned to Nineveh” (2 Kings 19:35–36). 3. Assassination Recorded – “One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat. And his son Esarhaddon reigned in his place” (2 Kings 19:37; cf. Isaiah 37:38; 2 Chronicles 32:21). Who Were Adrammelech and Sharezer? Cuneiform sources identify them as Arda-Mullissu (Adrammelech) and Nabu-shar-usur (Sharezer), elder sons of Sennacherib by his chief wife. Assyrian succession was not strictly primogeniture; the king could name any son as crown prince. Political infighting was common (cf. Tiglath-pileser III’s overthrow of Ashur-nirari V). Esarhaddon and the Succession Crisis Esarhaddon, a younger son by another wife, was designated crown prince ca. 683 BC, eclipsing his elder brothers. Esarhaddon’s own inscriptions (e.g., Prism B, col. III, lines 35–40) confess: “My brothers—Arda-Mullissu and Nabu-shar-usur—plotted evil; they slew Sennacherib, their father.” This extrabiblical admission powerfully confirms the biblical narrative. Motives Behind the Murder 1. Dynastic Ambition – Being bypassed for the throne generated lethal jealousy (a behavioral dynamic mirrored in biblical examples such as Abimelech, Judges 9). 2. Political Expediency – By assassinating Sennacherib during worship, the conspirators exploited a moment of minimal guard presence and attempted to seize the palace. 3. Religious Retribution – Sennacherib’s humiliating retreat from Judah, blamed on the God of Israel, could have been construed by polytheistic princes as a sign of his weakened divine favor, justifying a coup. 4. Fulfillment of Prophecy – Ultimately, Scripture frames the event as God’s sovereign judgment (2 Kings 19:7), illustrating Proverbs 21:30: “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD” . Archaeological Corroboration • The Nineveh Southwest Palace reliefs abruptly cease grand victory narratives after 701 BC, hinting at an ignominious close to Sennacherib’s reign. • Ararat (Urartu) texts mention refugee Assyrian princes during the same period, echoing the biblical note that the murderers fled there. • Clay tablets from Kuyunjik reference court purges under Esarhaddon aimed at supporters of Arda-Mullissu—further evidence of a failed coup. Theological Significance 1. Sovereignty of Yahweh – The Angel’s deliverance and the prophesied death together declare that the true God, not Nisroch, governs history. 2. Vindication of Scripture’s Reliability – Convergence of biblical text, Assyrian records, and archaeology displays, as Jesus affirmed, “Your word is truth” (John 17:17). 3. Moral Lesson – Pride precedes destruction (Proverbs 16:18). Sennacherib’s hubris against Jerusalem led to divine humbling, warning nations and individuals alike. Why Did They Kill Him? — Summary Answer Adrammelech and Sharezer assassinated Sennacherib because their father had named Esarhaddon crown prince, threatening their aspirations to rule. Their act was the culmination of dynastic jealousy, political intrigue, and perceived divine disgrace—yet, above all, it fulfilled Yahweh’s prophetic judgment pronounced through Isaiah. Practical Reflection History vindicates faith: just as God defended Jerusalem and judged Sennacherib, He promises ultimate justice and salvation through the risen Christ. “Look to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:22). |
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