The promised salvation for Jerusalem outlines the exact path to ruin for the mighty King of Assyria. Rather than a sudden collapse, his downfall unfolds through a calculated sequence of psychological intervention, geopolitical shifts, and ultimately, a tragic death at home. The divine plan begins within the king's own mind. God stirs a sudden urge within him [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, רלב״ג, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ], filling him with panic and dread [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This internal awakening drives him to react to incoming news that the King of Kush has set out to wage war against him [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, רד״ק].
Prompted by this rumor, the Assyrian king temporarily abandons his siege of Jerusalem to confront the King of Kush and his allies. He successfully defeats them, plunders their vast wealth, and then marches back to Jerusalem to resume his siege [רש״י, רלב״ג, רד״ק]. This detour raises a natural question: why does God orchestrate events so that the king leaves Jerusalem only to return, rather than striking him down immediately? One perspective suggests this temporary pause served a highly practical purpose, allowing the besieged residents of Jerusalem to safely exit the city walls and gather much-needed food [רלב״ג].
A broader approach views this strategic delay as serving a dual purpose. First, it was designed to enrich the people of Israel. When the Assyrian king returned to Jerusalem, he brought along all the massive spoils he had just looted from Kush and Egypt, intending to use the display of wealth to intimidate the city's residents. Upon his sudden defeat, all these treasures fell directly into the hands of the people of Jerusalem. Second, the events were orchestrated to send a resounding message to the surrounding nations. The world watched as a king who had effortlessly crushed mighty empires was miraculously defeated at the gates of Jerusalem, entirely without the use of human weapons [רד״ק, חומת אנך].
The conclusion of the Assyrian king's campaign is marked by deep humiliation. Following a miraculous plague brought upon his camp by an angel just outside Jerusalem, he is forced into a shameful and devastating retreat back to his homeland [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, רד״ק, חומת אנך]. God specifically decrees that the king will not die on the battlefield in Jerusalem. Instead, he is destined to meet a bitter end in his own country, where he is assassinated by the sword at the hands of his own sons [רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ].