Sareser
Sanherib's Son and Murderer
Also known as: Sharezer, Shareser
Sareser was one of the sons of the Assyrian king Sanherib. Together with his brother Adrammelek, he killed his father while he was worshiping in his god's temple, and they then fled to the land of Ararat. This event fulfilled God's judgment against Sanherib after his mockery of Israel's God.
Family
Key events
Sanherib's Mockery of God
Sareser's father Sanherib sent threatening letters and messengers to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem and mocked the living God.
10"Say this to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you when he says, 'Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.'
כֹּ֣ה תֹאמְר֗וּן אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֤הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַל־יַשִּׁאֲךָ֣ אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֛ה בֹּטֵ֥חַ בּ֖וֹ לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹ֤א תִנָּתֵן֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם בְּיַ֖ד מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃
11You yourself have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered?
הִנֵּ֣ה ׀ אַתָּ֣ה שָׁמַ֗עְתָּ אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשׂ֜וּ מַלְכֵ֥י אַשּׁ֛וּר לְכָל־הָאֲרָצ֖וֹת לְהַֽחֲרִימָ֑ם וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּנָּצֵֽל׃
12Did the gods of the nations my fathers destroyed rescue them—Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar?
הַהִצִּ֨ילוּ אֹתָ֜ם אֱלֹהֵ֤י הַגּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שִׁחֲת֣וּ אֲבוֹתַ֔י אֶת־גּוֹזָ֖ן וְאֶת־חָרָ֑ן וְרֶ֥צֶף וּבְנֵי־עֶ֖דֶן אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּתְלַאשָּֽׂר׃
13Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, or of Hena and Ivvah?"
אַיּ֤וֹ מֶֽלֶךְ־חֲמָת֙ וּמֶ֣לֶךְ אַרְפָּ֔ד וּמֶ֖לֶךְ לָעִ֣יר סְפַרְוָ֑יִם הֵנַ֖ע וְעִוָּֽה׃
10"Say this to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you by saying, 'Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.'
כֹּ֣ה תֹאמְר֗וּן אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֤הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַל־יַשִּֽׁאֲךָ֣ אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתָּ֛ה בּוֹטֵ֥חַ בּ֖וֹ לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹ֤א תִנָּתֵן֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם בְּיַ֖ד מֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּֽׁוּר׃
11You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands, devoting them to destruction. And will you be delivered?
הִנֵּ֣ה ׀ אַתָּ֣ה שָׁמַ֗עְתָּ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשׂ֜וּ מַלְכֵ֥י אַשּׁ֛וּר לְכָל־הָאֲרָצ֖וֹת לְהַחֲרִימָ֑ם וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּנָּצֵֽל׃
12Did the gods of the nations my fathers destroyed rescue them—Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar?
הַהִצִּ֨ילוּ אוֹתָ֜ם אֱלֹהֵ֤י הַגּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִשְׁחִ֣יתוּ אֲבוֹתַ֔י אֶת־גּוֹזָ֖ן וְאֶת־חָרָ֑ן וְרֶ֥צֶף וּבְנֵי־עֶ֖דֶן אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּתְלַשָּֽׂר׃
13Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena and Ivvah?"
אַיֵּ֤ה מֶֽלֶךְ־חֲמָת֙ וּמֶ֣לֶךְ אַרְפָּ֔ד וּמֶ֖לֶךְ לָעִ֣יר סְפַרְוָ֑יִם הֵנַ֖ע וְעִוָּֽה׃
God's Judgment on the Assyrian Army
The angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp, forcing Sanherib to retreat to Nineveh.
35That night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When men rose early in the morning, there they were—all of them dead bodies.
וַיְהִי֮ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַהוּא֒ וַיֵּצֵ֣א ׀ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֗ה וַיַּךְ֙ בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה אַשּׁ֔וּר מֵאָ֛ה שְׁמוֹנִ֥ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אָ֑לֶף וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְהִנֵּ֥ה כֻלָּ֖ם פְּגָרִ֥ים מֵתִֽים׃
36So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.
וַיִּסַּ֣ע וַיֵּ֔לֶךְ וַיָּ֖שָׁב סַנְחֵרִ֣יב מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֑וּר וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בְּנִֽינְוֵֽה׃
36Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck down a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people rose early the next morning — there they all lay, dead bodies.
וַיֵּצֵ֣א ׀ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֗ה וַיַּכֶּה֙ בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה אַשּׁ֔וּר מֵאָ֛ה וּשְׁמֹנִ֥ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אָ֑לֶף וַיַּשְׁכִּ֣ימוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְהִנֵּ֥ה כֻלָּ֖ם פְּגָרִ֥ים מֵתִֽים׃
37So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.
וַיִּסַּ֣ע וַיֵּ֔לֶךְ וַיָּ֖שָׁב סַנְחֵרִ֣יב מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֑וּר וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בְּנִֽינְוֵֽה׃
The Murder of Sanherib
Sarezer and his brother Adrammelech killed their father Sennacherib with the sword while he was worshiping in the temple of Nisroch, his god, in Nineveh.
37While he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer cut him down with the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son became king in his place.
וַיְהִי֩ ה֨וּא מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֜ה בֵּ֣ית ׀ נִסְרֹ֣ךְ אֱלֹהָ֗יו וְֽאַדְרַמֶּ֨לֶךְ וְשַׂרְאֶ֤צֶר **בָּנָיו֙ הִכֻּ֣הוּ בַחֶ֔רֶב וְהֵ֥מָּה נִמְלְט֖וּ אֶ֣רֶץ אֲרָרָ֑ט וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֵֽסַר־חַדֹּ֥ן בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ
38One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer cut him down with the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king.
וַיְהִי֩ ה֨וּא מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֜ה בֵּ֣ית ׀ נִסְרֹ֣ךְ אֱלֹהָ֗יו וְֽאַדְרַמֶּ֨לֶךְ וְשַׂרְאֶ֤צֶר בָּנָיו֙ הִכֻּ֣הוּ בַחֶ֔רֶב וְהֵ֥מָּה נִמְלְט֖וּ אֶ֣רֶץ אֲרָרָ֑ט וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֵֽסַר־חַדֹּ֥ן בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ ס
Flight to the Land of Ararat
After killing their father, Sarezer and Adrammelech fled to the land of Ararat, and their brother Esarhaddon became king instead.
37While he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer cut him down with the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son became king in his place.
וַיְהִי֩ ה֨וּא מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֜ה בֵּ֣ית ׀ נִסְרֹ֣ךְ אֱלֹהָ֗יו וְֽאַדְרַמֶּ֨לֶךְ וְשַׂרְאֶ֤צֶר **בָּנָיו֙ הִכֻּ֣הוּ בַחֶ֔רֶב וְהֵ֥מָּה נִמְלְט֖וּ אֶ֣רֶץ אֲרָרָ֑ט וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֵֽסַר־חַדֹּ֥ן בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ
38One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer cut him down with the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king.
וַיְהִי֩ ה֨וּא מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֜ה בֵּ֣ית ׀ נִסְרֹ֣ךְ אֱלֹהָ֗יו וְֽאַדְרַמֶּ֨לֶךְ וְשַׂרְאֶ֤צֶר בָּנָיו֙ הִכֻּ֣הוּ בַחֶ֔רֶב וְהֵ֥מָּה נִמְלְט֖וּ אֶ֣רֶץ אֲרָרָ֑ט וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֵֽסַר־חַדֹּ֥ן בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ ס
Fulfillment of Isaiah's Prophecy
The killing of Sennacherib was a fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah's words that God would protect Jerusalem and judge the Assyrian king.
6and Isaiah said to them, "Tell your master this: 'This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid of the words you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ יְשַֽׁעְיָ֔הוּ כֹּ֥ה תֹאמְר֖וּן אֶל־אֲדֹנֵיכֶ֑ם כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אַל־תִּירָא֙ מִפְּנֵ֤י הַדְּבָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁמַ֔עְתָּ אֲשֶׁ֧ר גִּדְּפ֛וּ נַעֲרֵ֥י מֶלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֖וּר אוֹתִֽי׃
7I am going to put a spirit in him, so that when he hears a report he will return to his own land, and there in his own land I will make him fall by the sword.'"
הִנְנִ֨י נוֹתֵ֥ן בּוֹ֙ ר֔וּחַ וְשָׁמַ֥ע שְׁמוּעָ֖ה וְשָׁ֣ב אֶל־אַרְצ֑וֹ וְהִפַּלְתִּ֥יו בַּחֶ֖רֶב בְּאַרְצֽוֹ׃
33Therefore this is what the LORD says about the king of Assyria: He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here. He will not come before it with a shield or build a siege ramp against it.
לָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר לֹ֤א יָבוֹא֙ אֶל־הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את וְלֹֽא־יוֹרֶ֥ה שָׁ֖ם חֵ֑ץ וְלֹֽא־יְקַדְּמֶ֣נָּה מָגֵ֔ן וְלֹֽא־יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ עֳלֶ֖יהָ סֹלְלָֽה׃
34By the way he came he will return; he will not enter this city, declares the LORD.
בַּדֶּ֥רֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֖א בָּ֣הּ יָשׁ֑וּב וְאֶל־הָעִ֥יר הַזֹּ֛את לֹ֥א יָב֖וֹא נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃
35I will defend this city and save it, for my own sake and for the sake of David my servant.
וְגַנּוֹתִ֛י עַל־הָעִ֥יר הַזֹּ֖את לְהֽוֹשִׁיעָ֑הּ לְמַֽעֲנִ֔י וּלְמַ֖עַן דָּוִ֥ד עַבְדִּֽי׃ ס
38One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer cut him down with the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king.
וַיְהִי֩ ה֨וּא מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֜ה בֵּ֣ית ׀ נִסְרֹ֣ךְ אֱלֹהָ֗יו וְֽאַדְרַמֶּ֨לֶךְ וְשַׂרְאֶ֤צֶר בָּנָיו֙ הִכֻּ֣הוּ בַחֶ֔רֶב וְהֵ֥מָּה נִמְלְט֖וּ אֶ֣רֶץ אֲרָרָ֑ט וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֵֽסַר־חַדֹּ֥ן בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ ס