And the Lord sent an angel,.... The Targum is,"the Word of the Lord sent Gabriel;''Josephus takes this angel, or messenger sent of God, to be the pestilence; and others suppose it to be a hot pestilential wind, common in the eastern countries, called "Samiel", or the poison wind, by which multitudes are sometimes destroyed at once; of which Thevenot and other travellers make mention, See Gill on "Job 27:21",See Gill on "Ps 91:6", but be it as it may, it was sent of God, was under his direction, and by his power and providence did the execution according to his prediction:which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria; the generals and officers of his army, with the common soldiers, to the number of 185,000, Isa 36:1, among these, no doubt, were the three generals sent with railing letters to Hezekiah, particularly Rabshakeh,See Gill on "Isa 37:36"so he returned with shame of face to his own land; Assyria, particularly to Nineveh, the metropolis of it, Isa 37:37and when he was come into the house of his god; the temple of his idol, whose name was Nisroch:they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword; his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer, Isa 37:38.
Antiqu. l. 10. c. 1. sect.