מלכים ב, פרק י״ט, פסוק ל״ה

A massive and sudden defeat strikes the Assyrian army at the gates of Jerusalem, mere moments before they can conquer the city. This dramatic event unfolds immediately after Isaiah delivers his prophecy of salvation, just as Sennacherib returns from his military campaign in Kush to renew his siege on the city [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ, רד״ק].

The miraculous rescue takes place on the exact night Isaiah speaks his prophecy, as the Assyrian forces advance as far as the nearby city of Nob [רש״י, רלב״ג]. According to tradition, this momentous event occurs on the night of Passover. It is also the third day of King Hezekiah's severe illness, and on this very night, the Israelites sing a song of thanksgiving to God [רד״ק].

During the night, an angel of God goes out and strikes the Assyrian camp. The devastation is staggering, leaving one hundred and eighty-five thousand dead. These casualties are not ordinary foot soldiers; every single one of the fallen is a troop commander, a high-ranking minister, or a crowned officer [רש״י, רד״ק]. The nature of their death is entirely miraculous. Similar to how Aaron's sons died, the soldiers' souls are burned away while their physical bodies and clothing remain completely intact [רד״ק].

When morning breaks, the awakening does not belong to the fallen army. Instead, it is Sennacherib and a small handful of survivors who wake up to find themselves surrounded by bodies in every direction [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The scene is filled with truly lifeless corpses, leaving no doubt that the men are actually dead, as opposed to merely unconscious or sleeping [רלב״ג]. Although the destruction feels absolute, it does not mean every single soldier is wiped out to the last man. Rather, the sweeping description of the fallen is a prophetic way of illustrating that the vast, overwhelming majority of the military camp has been destroyed, leaving only a tiny minority alive to witness the ruin [רלב״ג].