The Destruction of Sennacherib describes how the Assyrian army was destroyed by plague as they fought Galilee. The poem contains several biblical allusions, that reflect the power that the of the Galileans believed God to have. The speaker begins by describing how “The Assyrians came down like the wolf on the fold” (1), referring to the Galileans as sheep, which are associated with innocence and Christ in the Bible. Referring to the Assyrians as a “wolf” also characterizes them as villains. The speaker also notes how “the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast” (9), referring to a supernatural power stopping the Assyrians in their attack on Galilee. The idea of this “Angel of Death” breathing in the faces of the Assyrians reflects the fact that plague is what destroyed them. This is powerful, because breathing is necessary for life, but can also kill if the air we breath is infected with plague. The poem also ends with the lines, “And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword, \ Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord!” (23-24). This simile reflects the power that the speaker believes God to have. The speaker claims that just the glance of the Lord has enough energy and power to easily melt an entire army, as if they were snow. Snow is delicate and small amounts easily melt heat, but large amounts of snow usually take a lot of time to melt. So the fact that just a mere glance from God could melt this entire army, reflects the power that the speaker believes God to have. The poem is also written in anapestic tetrameter, which makes it feel like it drags along. This reflects the dragging nature of illness, and reflects the exhaustion and incapability that illness brings. I think it is interesting that the speaker never discusses how the Galileans fought back, and attributes their survival completely to God’s power and will. To me, this reflects an attitude of non-violence and trust. However, this is somewhat ironic because even though no weapons were used against the Assyrians, the way the speaker describes how plague left them is gruesome.