Sharezer
Summary
A son of Sennacherib who, together with his brother Adrammelech, murdered their father in the temple of his god Nisroch.
☩The Assassination
Sharezer was a son of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, who ruled after the failed siege of Jerusalem. Together with his brother Adrammelech, he murdered their father while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch in Nineveh. This assassination fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy delivered to King Hezekiah that Sennacherib would 'fall by the sword in his own land.' The murder took place sometime after 711 BC, following Sennacherib's humiliating defeat when the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers.
☩Aftermath
After killing their father, Sharezer and Adrammelech fled to the land of Ararat (Armenia) to escape retaliation. According to Moses of Chorene's Armenian history, Sharezer (called Sanasar) was favorably received by the Armenian king and given a tract of country on the Assyrian frontier, where his descendants became numerous. Sennacherib was succeeded by another son, Esarhaddon, who was not involved in the conspiracy.
☩Another Sharezer
A different Sharezer is mentioned in Zechariah's prophecy as one sent by the returned exiles to inquire about continuing the fasts observed during the captivity. He was sent along with Regem-melech to consult the priests and prophets around 519 BC. Some scholars suggest textual corruption in this passage, with the name possibly being part of a longer Babylonian name like Bel-sharezer.
Related Verses5 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Sharezer," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Sharezer," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).
- 3.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Sharezer," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).