Historical Context:
Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, reigned from 705 to 681 BC. His invasion of Judah is one of the most significant military campaigns recorded in the Old Testament, illustrating the tension between the Assyrian Empire and the Kingdom of Judah during the late 8th century BC. This event is documented in several biblical passages, including 2 Kings 18-19, 2 Chronicles 32, and Isaiah 36-37.

Biblical Account:
The narrative begins with Sennacherib's campaign against the fortified cities of Judah during the reign of King Hezekiah. The Assyrian king had already captured several cities, and his forces laid siege to Jerusalem. In 2 Kings 18:13 , it is recorded, "In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them."

Hezekiah's Response:
King Hezekiah initially sought to appease Sennacherib by paying a substantial tribute, stripping the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD and from the pillars (2 Kings 18:14-16). Despite this, Sennacherib sent his field commander, the Rabshakeh, to Jerusalem with a message of intimidation, questioning Hezekiah's reliance on God and urging the people to surrender (2 Kings 18:19-25).

Prophetic Assurance:
In response to the Assyrian threat, Hezekiah sought the counsel of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah assured Hezekiah that God would defend the city. Isaiah 37:6-7 states, "Isaiah said to them, 'Tell your master that this is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid of the words you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land, where I will cause him to fall by the sword.'"

Divine Intervention:
The climax of the narrative is the miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem. As recorded in 2 Kings 19:35 , "That night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies!" This divine intervention forced Sennacherib to withdraw and return to Nineveh.

Aftermath:
Sennacherib's retreat marked a significant moment of divine deliverance for Judah. The biblical account concludes with the assassination of Sennacherib by his own sons while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch (2 Kings 19:36-37). This event fulfilled the prophecy given by Isaiah and demonstrated the sovereignty of God over the nations.

Archaeological Corroboration:
The historical account of Sennacherib's invasion is corroborated by archaeological findings, including the Taylor Prism, which records Sennacherib's own account of the campaign. While the Assyrian records boast of trapping Hezekiah "like a bird in a cage," they notably do not mention the capture of Jerusalem, aligning with the biblical narrative of divine intervention and deliverance.

Theological Significance:
Sennacherib's invasion of Judah serves as a powerful testament to God's protection and faithfulness to His covenant people. It underscores the futility of human arrogance against divine sovereignty and the importance of trusting in God's promises, as exemplified by Hezekiah's reliance on the prophetic word of Isaiah.