The Gemara tells us that Sanheriv mixed all the populations which makes it impossible to recognize them. Why doesn't the same principle apply to the Jewish people?
Thank u in advance,
David S., France
In fact, Sancheriv almost succeeded in eliminating the Jewish people. His predecessor, Shalmaneser, had already exiled the ten tribes of Shomron off to the Near East and settled the Kusim in Eretz Yisrael in their stead. Then Sancheriv attempted to do the same thing to Yehudah. He conquered most of the fortified cities of Yehudah and laid seige to Yerushalayim, but was turned back by a miraculous plague that wiped out his army (see Kings II, Chapters 17-19). Therefore not all the Jews were subject to Sancheriv's policy of population mixing and retained their identity.
Kol Tuv,
Yonasan Sigler