2 Kings 18-20: King Hezekiah

Thoughts

Kings 18

* Isaiah 36–39 is almost word-for-word the same as 2 Kings 18–20.

Hezekiah began to reign in Judah in the third year of Hoshea, king of Israel. He reigned 29 years and did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, like David. He removed high places, smashed sacred stones, cut down Asherah poles.

He also broke into pieces the bronze serpent Moses had made [they worshiped it and called it Nehushtan (from root נחש neḥōsheth: means bronze, copper, brass)]

Verse 5 says: He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. 

He rebelled against the king of Assyria by stopping his tributes. 

He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza.

Mentioned again, Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, attacked Samaria and after three years, captured Israel (end of Northern Kingdom). Israelites exiled to Assyria for disobedience to God’s covenant.

In Hezekiah’s 14th year, Sennacherib of Assyria attacked Judah.Hezekiah sent tribute to appease him: silver and gold from the temple and palace treasuries.

One commander named Rabshakeh stood at the aqueduct and mocked Judah’s trust in Egypt and in God. He even spoke loudly in Hebrew so all the people on the wall could hear. He offered exile as a “better” option.

The people remained silent, obeying Hezekiah’s command not to answer.

Kings 19

When Hezekiah heard the threats, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went to the temple. He sent men to the prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah reassures them. God will cause Sennacherib to hear a rumor, return home, and be killed there.

Rabshakeh withdraws (man who mocked them), but Sennacherib sends a letter directly to Hezekiah. The letter mocks Judah’s trust in God.

Hezekiah spreads the letter before the Lord. His prayer acknowledges God as Creator and ruler of all kingdoms. He pleads for deliverance so all nations will know the Lord is the only God.

Isaiah responds saying Assyria will be turned back the way it came. God promises Jerusalem will not fall to Assyria.

A sign is given: Judah will eat volunteer crops this year and next, but in the third year will sow and reap again. God assures that a remnant will survive in Judah.

That night, the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 in the Assyrian camp. Sennacherib withdrew and returned to Nineveh.

Later, while worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, Sennacherib was assassinated by his sons, Adrammelek and Sharezer. His son Esarhaddon succeeded him.

Kings 20

Hezekiah becomes ill and Isaiah tells him he is going to die. 

Hezekiah prays to God for help, and God responds by promising 15 more years of life and deliverance from Assyria.

Isaiah instructs them to apply a cake of figs to the boil, and Hezekiah recovers.

However, Hezekiah asks for a sign to confirm the promise. saiah offers a choice: should the shadow move forward or backward? Hezekiah chooses backward (the harder one). The shadow then moves back ten steps. 

• In 2 Chronicles 32 it says that Hezekiah has pride in his heart after he is healed. 

Merodach-Baladan, king of Babylon, sends envoys with letters and a gift after hearing of Hezekiah’s illness. Hezekiah proudly shows them all his treasures, armory, and everything in his palace.

Isaiah confronts him: all these treasures will one day be carried off to Babylon, and some of Hezekiah’s descendants will be taken into exile.

Hezekiah responds “The word of the Lord is good … for there will be peace and security in my days”, which is probably not the best response.

The rest of Hezekiah’s deedsare recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.

Hezekiah dies, and his son Manasseh succeeds him.

Questions

“He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him.” Even more than David?

What was the rumor that Sennacherib heard that made him leave?

When it says the angel of the Lord went out and destroyed their army, was it more like immediate death or did He actually go out with a sword and fight and dominate?

Did the shadow move back everywhere or just in that spot?

Why was ‘moving the shadow’ chosen as the miracle?

Application

I love when my 3 chapters of the day fit really well together. Hezekiah is held up as one of Judah’s greatest kings: he trusted the Lord fully, tore down idols, prayed in desperation, and saw God deliver him in miraculous ways. Even though there was fear all around him, he trusted God to protect him. Yet even this “good king” wasn’t perfect. In chapter 20, he reveals his pride as he shows off for the other kings.  Then after Isaiah’s prophecy that future generations would go into exile, Hezekiah’s response is “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” for he thought, “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?” (20:19).  Pride can creep in subtly and create self-centeredness, no matter how strong your faith is. CHECK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YOURSELF.