A powerful leader sweeps across regions, conquering nations and leaving destruction in his wake, entirely convinced that his own brilliance and might are the source of his success. In reality, he is nothing more than an instrument wielded by divine providence. The stark contrast between God's precise, limited plan and the boundless arrogance of the conqueror forms the core of this historical drama.
The leader in question is Sennacherib, the king of Assyria [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. The primary approach among commentators is that the Assyrian king completely misunderstands his true role. God sent him simply as a rod of anger to discipline the people, punish the wrongdoers, and collect spoils of war. However, Sennacherib does not view himself as an agent of God. Blinded by pride, he credits all his military triumphs to his own personal strength and bravery [רד״ק, אברבנאל, שטיינזלץ]. Even when his officials publicly claimed that God had sent them on their campaign, this was merely deceitful propaganda designed to break the spirit of the people of Jerusalem. Deep down, the king believed only in his own power [שד״ל].
The vast divide between the king's mindset and reality is emphasized on two levels. First, his imagination deceives him, leading him to picture himself as an independent, unstoppable force rather than a mere tool in God's hand. Second, his practical planning and strategic thoughts are entirely opposed to God's actual will [מלבי״ם].
This opposition is most evident in the ultimate goal of the conflict. While God intended only to discipline the nation and take their wealth, the king of Assyria plots total devastation [רש״י, אבן עזרא]. His plans for destruction are twofold. He aims to completely erase the nation's identity, religion, and honor, while also seeking the absolute physical annihilation of the people themselves [מלבי״ם].
Furthermore, Sennacherib possesses an insatiable ambition. God's design was to punish one specific, sinning nation. In stark contrast, the Assyrian king wishes to wipe out many large nations indiscriminately, boasting that his own officers are like kings because of the vast territories they have conquered [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל]. Alternatively, this boundless ambition points directly toward Jerusalem. Having already crushed massive empires, the king reasons that he will easily wipe out the small remnant that survives. He marches on Jerusalem with total confidence, certain that no force can possibly stand in his way [מצודת דוד, רד״ק].