ישעיהו, פרק ל׳, פסוק ל״ב

The dramatic downfall of the Assyrian empire is remembered as an extraordinary event where divine wrath and warfare miraculously intertwined with the sounds of song, joy, and musical instruments. When God revealed Himself to strike down the enemy, the devastating storm was accompanied by an unexpected melody [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Central to this event is a dramatic shift in power, often pictured as a mighty, foundational staff sweeping through the land. The primary approach among commentators is that this represents the Assyrian army itself and the places they marched through and devastated while acting as God's rod of anger. However, other scholars view this staff as God's own decree and the direct blow He was about to deliver upon the Assyrian king [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, אברבנאל]. Another perspective suggests the staff actually represents the tribe of Judah and its enduring fortresses [מלבי״ם].

As God strikes Assyria, the battlefield is filled with the sounds of drums and harps. Commentators offer several ways to understand how music fits into a scene of destruction. Many explain that the moment God delivers the crushing blow, all the nations previously oppressed under Assyria's rule will break into spontaneous song and music upon hearing the news of their tyrant's defeat [רש״י, מצודת דוד, שד״ל, אברבנאל]. A different approach suggests the music represents the striking angel, who carries out the mission effortlessly and joyfully. The victory is achieved without conventional weapons, reflecting the idea that the downfall of the wicked brings gladness, making the angel's actions resemble playing an instrument rather than fighting [רד״ק, אבן עזרא]. Another angle connects the music to the exact timing of the miracle. As the residents of Jerusalem joyfully sang the festive songs of the Passover holiday with their instruments, God simultaneously went out to destroy the Assyrian camp [מלבי״ם]. This timely rescue is also credited to the merit of the waving of the Omer offering that took place on that specific spring night [רש״י].

The battle itself is characterized by a sweeping, waving motion, which carries multiple layers of meaning. It mirrors the sweeping hand of a musician playing an instrument, blending the themes of war and song [רד״ק, אבן עזרא]. It also points to the sheer ease of the divine victory; God required no strenuous military effort, but simply waved the staff of His wrath, causing the enemy to instantly collapse [שד״ל]. Additionally, this sweeping action is compared to sifting grain through a sieve, symbolizing the total and absolute elimination of the Assyrian camp without leaving a single survivor [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, אברבנאל]. Finally, the very war Assyria launched against Jerusalem is seen as a sacrificial waving. By marching on the holy city, the Assyrian king unknowingly presented himself and his army as an offering waved before God, only to meet their ultimate end [שד״ל].