열왕기하 19:37의 미드라쉬

V) And Adrammelekh and Śaretser [his sons] struck him down with the sword (II Kings 19:37). What is written within, but not read on the margin: And Adrammelekh and Śaretser struck him down. But that does not let us know who had struck him down, whether their sons or others, so his sons is suspended on the margins to let all those on earth know the vengeance of God against him, and to fulfill regarding him Behold I will raise a great evil against you from your own house (II Samuel 12:11).

[Another interpretation] (of Hab. 1:7): TERRIBLE AND DREADFUL. This refers to Sennacherib, since it is stated (in II Kings 19:24): WITH THE SOLE OF MY FEET I HAVE DRIED UP ALL THE STREAMS OF EGYPT. He also said (in II Kings 18:35 = Is. 36:20 // II Chron. 32:14): WHO ARE THERE AMONG ALL THE GODS OF THE LANDS WHICH HAVE SAVED THEIR LAND FROM MY HAND, < THAT THE LORD SHOULD SAVE JERUSALEM FROM MY HAND >? [But it says this] (in Is. 8:8): AND THE RADIAL BONES⁴⁷For this translation of muttah, see Jastrow, s.v. In the context of Scripture, a more normal translation of muttah would be “spread.” OF HIS WINGS (i.e., the army of Sennacherib) SHALL < FILL THE BREADTH OF YOUR LAND, O IMMANUEL >.⁴⁸Cf. M. Pss. 79:1. One sixtieth of the troops⁴⁹Gk.: ochlos. had been sufficient for the land of Israel, since it is stated (ibid.): AND THE RADIAL BONE OF HIS WINGS. This radial bone of a cock is one sixtieth of its wings. When he came to enter Jerusalem, he said to his troops: You sleep, and in the morning we shall throw our rings into its midst and stone them with them.⁵⁰In other words, Sennacherib believed that his army was so large and Jerusalem so small that his army could bury the city in their rings. Cf. Sanh. 95a, according to some renderings of which, each soldier would use as much mortar as necessary to seal a letter with a signet ring. So Levi, in his Talmud and Midrash lexicon, s.v., gulmohrag. See also Rashi on this passage, according to whom the army would use stones easily dislodged from the wall of Jerusalem. Ergo (in Hab. 1:7): TERRIBLE AND DREADFUL. This refers to Sennacherib. (Ibid., cont.): HIS JUSTICE AND HIS DIGNITY PROCEED FROM HIMSELF. These refer to his children. When he went up to destroy Jerusalem, he did not succeed. [It is so stated] (in II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36): THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WENT OUT AND SMOTE < ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-THOUSAND > IN THE CAMP OF ASSYRIA…. It is also written (in II Chron. 32:21): < THEN THE LORD SENT AN ANGEL, WHO DESTROYED EVERY MIGHTY WARRIOR, COMMANDER, AND OFFICER IN THE CAMP OF THE KING OF ASSYRIA. > SO HE RETURNED SHAMEFACED TO HIS OWN LAND. THEN WHEN HE CAME INTO THE HOUSE OF HIS GOD, [SOME OF] THOSE WHO CAME OUT OF HIS OWN BELLY {SMOTE HIM WITH THE SWORD} [STRUCK HIM DOWN THERE WITH THE SWORD]. [When he went in to pray before his god Nisroch, his children spoke thus: This one is deceiving himself. They had been a pillar for him. When all his troops were burned, they were pining away.⁵¹Gk.: nosoi. So they killed him.] It is so stated (in II Kings 19:37): AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT, AS HE WAS WORSHIPING IN THE HOUSE OF HIS GOD NISROCH, HIS SONS ADRAMMELECK AND SAREZER SMOTE HIM WITH THE SWORD. Ergo (in Hab. 1:7): TERRIBLE AND DREADFUL. This refers to Sennacherib. (Ibid., cont.): HIS JUSTICE AND HIS DIGNITY PROCEED FROM HIMSELF. This refers to his children.

Another matter, “wisdom is better” – this is the wisdom of Hezekiah king of Judah, “than instruments of battle” – of Sennacherib. Rabbi Levi said: Sennacherib exiled three exiles: The first time, he exiled the tribes of Reuben and Gad; second, [he exiled] the [rest of the] ten tribes; third, he came against [the kingdom of] Judah. Immediately, Hezekiah stood and armed them with weapons on the inside and dressed them in white garments on the outside, and he prepared himself for three matters, for prayer, for a gift, and for war. For prayer, as it is written: “Hezekiah prayed to God…” (Isaiah 37:15). For a gift, as it is written: “At that time Hezekiah stripped the doors of the Sanctuary and the omenot” (II Kings 18:16). What are omenot? Rabbi Levi said hoops, and the Rabbis say hinges. For war, as it is stated: “He made weapons in abundance and shields” (II Chronicles 32:5). He inserted a sword at the entrance of the study hall and said: ‘Anyone who does not engage in Torah study, let this sword pass over his neck.’¹²²Torah study is also comparable to warfare (Etz Yosef; see, e.g., Megilla 15b) and its merit can bring success in war. “Elyakim son of Hilkiya, who was in charge of the palace” (II Kings 18:37) – of the courts and administering punishment, “came, and Shevna the scribe” (II Kings 18:37) – in charge of the officials, “and Yoaḥ son of Asaf the secretary” (II Kings 18:37) – he was the elder of the house. “And one sinner destroys much good” – this is Sennacherib, as it is stated: “He returned in shame [to his land]” (II Chronicles 32:21), “and Esar Ḥadon his son reigned in his stead” (II Kings 19:37).