The miraculous downfall of a massive military power at the gates of Jerusalem stands as a defining moment of divine intervention. The primary approach among commentators is that this event captures the sudden and complete defeat of Sennacherib and his advancing army. After embarking on a relentless campaign of global conquest, Sennacherib was abruptly stopped and permanently crushed specifically in Jerusalem and its surrounding areas. This localized victory ultimately brought peace and quiet to the entire land [רש״י, מלבי״ם].
In this exact location, God permanently shattered the enemy's arsenal [רש״י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Every instrument of battle, from shields to swords, was completely neutralized [אבן עזרא, רד״ק]. A central focus of this military collapse involves the arrows shot from the enemy bows. Commentators offer different perspectives on how these weapons are characterized. One approach suggests a connection to fire, comparing the arrows to flying sparks and glowing coals. This is either because they fly with the blinding speed of fire sparks [אבן עזרא, ביאור שטיינזלץ], because their rapid movement through the air causes them to heat up and glow [מאירי], or because their polished iron tips flash like lightning and blazing torches [מצודת ציון, מאירי]. Relying on a subtle linguistic nuance, [רש״י] rejects the association with fire. Instead, he explains that the description relates to the concept of flight, portraying the arrows as moving swiftly through the air like darting birds [רש״י, מאירי, מנחת שי].
Beyond the literal military defeat, [אלשיך] introduces a deeply spiritual layer to the events. According to this view, the destruction is not just about enemy weapons, but about God pouring out His anger on the physical structures of Zion, specifically its wood and stones, to save the people of Israel from total annihilation. The flying arrows represent angels of destruction and strict divine judgment, which God ultimately broke and exhausted within the city limits. In this sense, Zion itself served as a protective shield, absorbing the devastating blows on behalf of the nation, even as the Israelites were forced to endure the harsh realities of sword and warfare.
Ultimately, the total destruction of these forces marks a final and absolute end to the conflict. The war was abolished forever, leaving the enemy with no hope of recovery [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].