That text states that a “large army” was at Jerusalem and another important force was with Sennacherib at Libnah (at least a day’s journey west of the capital). If, as Sennacherib says, the Assyrians attacked a total of 46 Judahite sites, it is likely that other military units were assigned elsewhere.11 Assyria’s multi-pronged offensive would have made it hard for disease to strike a crippling blow to the army as a whole.
