The Rescue of Jerusalem: The Alliance Between Hebrews and Africans in 701 BC

by Henry T. Aubin

In Deuteronomy 7, Moses tells his followers that because they are a Chosen People they have certain obligations and, if they are obedient, will win rewards. He therefore tells the Hebrews that when they enter the Promised Land they must destroy pagan temples (7:5). In the Second Kings’ story, in remarkably similar descriptive language, Hezekiah does precisely that after he becomes king (18:4). In Deuteronomy, Moses stresses that Yahweh is loyal to those who “keep his commandments” (7:9); in Second Kings, Hezekiah “kept the commandments that the Lord had commanded Moses” (18:6). In Deuteronomy, Moses says that Yahweh will remove all sickness from those who are loyal to him (7:15); in Second Kings, Yahweh cures Hezekiah precisely because the desperately ill king has been so faithful (20:1-7). As well, Deuteronomy warns that Yahweh does not delay in paying back those who reject him (7:10). Sure enough, Second Kings conforms to this idea of speedy justice, making Sennacherib’s death appear as though it occurred right after his retreat from Jerusalem (19:36-37). As we’ve seen earlier, however, he in fact died about 20 years later.