Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz and the 13th king of Judah, is a prominent figure in the Hebrew Bible, known for his religious reforms and his reliance on God during times of national crisis. His reign is detailed in 2 Kings 18-20, 2 Chronicles 29-32, and Isaiah 36-39. Hezekiah's account is one of faith, reform, and divine deliverance, making him a significant model of godly leadership.

Reign and Religious Reforms

Hezekiah ascended to the throne of Judah around 715 BC and reigned for 29 years. His reign is marked by a return to the worship of Yahweh and a departure from the idolatrous practices that had been established by his father, Ahaz. Hezekiah is noted for his zealous reforms, which included the removal of high places, the destruction of sacred pillars, and the breaking of the bronze serpent that Moses had made, which had become an object of idolatry (2 Kings 18:4). Hezekiah's commitment to restoring proper worship is further evidenced by his reinstitution of the Passover, which had been neglected (2 Chronicles 30:1-5).

Trust in the LORD

Hezekiah is commended for his trust in the LORD, distinguishing him from many of his predecessors. 2 Kings 18:5-6 states, "Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. No king of Judah was like him, either before him or after him. He held fast to the LORD and did not cease to follow Him; he kept the commandments that the LORD had given Moses." This trust is exemplified during the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem, when King Sennacherib of Assyria threatened the city. Hezekiah sought the counsel of the prophet Isaiah and earnestly prayed for deliverance. In response, God sent an angel who struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, leading to the withdrawal of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:35-36).

Illness and Recovery

Hezekiah's life also includes a personal trial of illness. He became gravely ill, and the prophet Isaiah informed him that he would not recover. In response, Hezekiah prayed fervently, and God granted him an additional 15 years of life, as well as a miraculous sign: the shadow on the sundial of Ahaz moved backward ten steps (2 Kings 20:1-11). This event underscores Hezekiah's reliance on God and God's faithfulness to those who seek Him.

Legacy and Later Years

Despite his faithfulness, Hezekiah's later years were marred by a moment of pride. After his recovery, he showed the wealth of his kingdom to envoys from Babylon, prompting Isaiah to prophesy that all of it would eventually be carried off to Babylon (2 Kings 20:12-18). Nevertheless, Hezekiah's reign is largely remembered for his dedication to God and his efforts to lead Judah back to covenant faithfulness.

Hezekiah's legacy is one of spiritual renewal and divine intervention, serving as a testament to the power of faith and obedience to God. His life and reign continue to be a source of inspiration and instruction for believers seeking to live faithfully in challenging times.HEZEKIAH'S SICKNESS

See DIAL OF AHAZ.

21. Abi -- "my father," Hezekiah's mother
... "my father," Hezekiah's mother. Transliteration: Abi Phonetic Spelling: (ab-ee')
Short Definition: Abi. ... Abi. From 'ab; fatherly; Abi, Hezekiah's mother -- Abi. ...
/hebrew/21.htm - 6k

Hezekiah's Song; Or, Sickness and Recovery. Isa. 38:9Ff.
... HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS IN THREE BOOKS. HYMN 55 Hezekiah's song; or, Sickness
and recovery. Isa. ... CM Hezekiah's song; or, Sickness and recovery. Isa.38:9ff. ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/hymn 55 hezekiahs song or.htm

Sacrifice Renewed
... 'Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and ... Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and
gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the Lord.21. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/sacrifice renewed.htm

Where to Carry Troubles
... And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it: and
Hezekiah went up unto the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/where to carry troubles.htm

The Triumph of Faith
... THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH. 'And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers,
and read it: and ... And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying, 16. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the triumph of faith.htm

'He Uttered his Voice, the Earth Melted'
... THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 'HE UTTERED HIS VOICE, THE EARTH MELTED'. 'Then Isaiah
the son of Amos sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/he uttered his voice the.htm

The Invasion of the Assyrians
... And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest
between the cherubims, thou art the Lord, even thou alone, of all the ...
/.../kingsley/town and country sermons/sermon xxvii the invasion of.htm

A Loving Call to Reunion
... THE SECOND BOOK OF CHRONICLES A LOVING CALL TO REUNION. 'And Hezekiah sent to all
Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/a loving call to reunion.htm

A Godly Reformation
... REFORMATION. 'Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years
old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/a godly reformation.htm

Matthew xxii. 32
... And how very strong to the same point are the words of Hezekiah's prayer, "The grave
cannot praise thee, Death cannot celebrate thee; they that go down into ...
/.../arnold/the christian life/lecture xix matthew xxii 32.htm

The Greater Prophets.
... The invasion of Judah by the allied kings of Israel and Syria, in the reign of Ahaz,
and by Sennacherib king of Assyria, in the reign of Hezekiah, furnished an ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxii the greater prophets.htm

Hezekiah's (9 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia HEZEKIAH'S SICKNESS. See DIAL OF AHAZ.
Multi-Version Concordance Hezekiah's (9 Occurrences). 2 ...
/h/hezekiah's.htm - 9k

Jehieli (2 Occurrences)
... where Qere is yechu'el, the Revised Version (British and American) "Jehuel," a
Hermanite Levite who took part in cleansing the temple in Hezekiah's reign. ...
/j/jehieli.htm - 9k

Jehiel (17 Occurrences)
... 21:2). (6.) One of the Levites of the family of Heman who assisted Hezekiah
in his work of reformation (2 Chronicles 29:14). (7.) A ...
/j/jehiel.htm - 16k

Dial (2 Occurrences)
... di'-al, a'-haz: 1. Hezekiah's Sickness and the Sign 2. The Sign a Real Miracle 3.
The "Dial" a Staircase 4. Time of Day of the Miracle 5. Hezekiah's Choice of ...
/d/dial.htm - 19k

Kings (350 Occurrences)
... Thus, eg, there is a question as to the date of the close of Ahaz' reign. According
to 2 Kings 18:10, Samaria fell in the 6th year of Hezekiah's reign. ...
/k/kings.htm - 61k

Hezekiah (124 Occurrences)
... On the death of Sargon and the accession of his son Sennacherib to the throne of
Assyria, Hezekiah refused to pay the tribute which his father had paid, and ...
/h/hezekiah.htm - 72k

Mahath (4 Occurrences)
... Grasping. (1.) A Kohathite Levite, father of Elkanah (1 Chronicles 6:35). (2.) Another
Kohathite Levite, of the time of Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29:12). Int. ...
/m/mahath.htm - 9k

Shiloah (1 Occurrence)
... that time conducted by a rock-cut aqueduct along the side of the Kidron valley
(see JERUSALEM, VII, 5). It was not, however, till the days of Hezekiah that the ...
/s/shiloah.htm - 17k

Boil (29 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary (rendered "botch" in Deuteronomy 28:27, 35), an aggravated
ulcer, as in the case of Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:7; Isaiah 38:21) or of the ...
/b/boil.htm - 23k

Siloah (1 Occurrence)
... that time conducted by a rock-cut aqueduct along the side of the Kidron valley
(see JERUSALEM, VII, 5). It was not, however, till the days of Hezekiah that the ...
/s/siloah.htm - 17k

Who was Hezekiah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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