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• The Assyrian empire had conquered everything else in the Middle East, and was at this time at the height of its power. The Assyrians would fight on, determined to conquer the last stronghold, Judah, with its capital at Jerusalem. But the God of Israel was mightier than the gods of the Assyrians, and Sennacherib would meet his end as foretold by the prophet Isaiah, and the kingdom of Assyria would have its capital city (Nineveh) destroyed as foretold by Nahum the prophet.
• Thus, the Assyrian empire has a long and intimate connection with the Bible, and the ancient Israelites. While the Israelites spoke Hebrew, the Assyrians spoke Aramaic, as we have already seen.