ישעיהו, פרק ל״ז, פסוק י״ט

The destruction of a conquered nation's idols by the Assyrian army might appear to be a triumphant display of dominance over higher powers. In truth, this sweeping destruction merely exposes the complete worthlessness of the idols themselves. The Assyrians actively cast the gods of the defeated nations into the fire [שד״ל]. This specific act raises a question about the invaders' motives, as conquering empires typically allowed defeated populations to maintain their traditional worship.

One approach suggests that the Assyrians burned the idols to ensure they could not provide any further assistance to the conquered nations. Another perspective views the burning as an act of cruel revenge. If a city stubbornly resisted the invasion, causing the Assyrian forces heavy casualties and frustrating delays, the conquerors unleashed their wrath on both the residents and their gods. They destroyed the idols as a direct retaliation, punishing the false gods for giving their worshipers the misplaced confidence to rebel [שד״ל].

Ultimately, the primary approach among commentators is that the Assyrians only succeeded in this destruction because the idols possessed no actual divinity or power. Being nothing more than lifeless objects of wood and stone crafted by human hands, they were entirely incapable of protecting themselves from the Assyrian king, allowing him to wipe them out with ease.