Judah’s King Hezekiah

18 In the third year of Israel’s King Hoshea(A) son of Elah, Hezekiah(B) son of Ahaz became king of Judah. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi[a] daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right in the Lord’s sight just as his ancestor David had done.(C) He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles.(D) He broke into pieces the bronze snake that Moses made,(E) for until then the Israelites were burning incense to it. It was called Nehushtan.[b]

Hezekiah relied on the Lord God of Israel;(F) not one of the kings of Judah was like him, either before him or after him.(G) He remained faithful to the Lord(H) and did not turn from following him but kept the commands the Lord had commanded Moses.

The Lord was with him, and wherever he went he prospered.(I) He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.(J) He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its borders,(K) from watchtower(L) to fortified city.

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Footnotes

  1. 18:2 = Abijah in 2Ch 29:1
  2. 18:4 = A Bronze Thing

Hezekiah King of Judah(A)(B)(C)

18 In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah(D) son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years.(E) His mother’s name was Abijah[a] daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right(F) in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David(G) had done. He removed(H) the high places,(I) smashed the sacred stones(J) and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake(K) Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.[b])

Hezekiah trusted(L) in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast(M) to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him; he was successful(N) in whatever he undertook. He rebelled(O) against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. From watchtower to fortified city,(P) he defeated the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 18:2 Hebrew Abi, a variant of Abijah
  2. 2 Kings 18:4 Nehushtan sounds like the Hebrew for both bronze and snake.