Seraiah had arisen at the psychological moment.

Earlier the Jews would have been too critical to accept him readily; later they would have reviled him for coming too late.

Whatever his advent lacked in thunders, in darkness, voices, and shaking of the earth, had been passed by his miraculous work against the Romans.
Philadelphus, who had seen the fall of the tower, and had dropped down from the wall as soon as he had explained it all to himself, came upon new disorders.

Great concourses of awakened Jews were hurrying to the walls to see what had happened, or to behold the Roman army wiped out by the Angel of Death as the army of Sennacherib had perished.

Others collected at the end of the Tyropean Bridge and watched the pinnacle of the Temple for the miracle which should restore the city.