“As the king of Assyria and his armies moved southward, they first destroyed Carchemish, then Calno, then Arpad, and finally conquered Samaria in 721 B.C. The newly conquered cities paid deference, taxes, and tribute to Assyria’s king … .
“The proud king glorifies himself by proclaiming that he has founded a kingdom of people who produce and worship idols that are even superior to those found in Israel (Samaria) and Judah (Jerusalem) … .
“Assyria destroyed the Northern Kingdom of Israel and prepared to destroy Judah, represented here by her capital city, Jerusalem” (Parry et al., Understanding Isaiah, 105).