2 Kings 18:1-12

2 Kings 18:1-12

[1] Now it came to pass in the third  year  of Hoshea  son  of Elah  king  of Israel,  that Hezekiah  the son  of Ahaz  king  of Judah  began to reign.  [2] Twenty  and five  years  old  was he when he began to reign;  twenty  and nine  years  in Jerusalem.  His mother's  name  also was Abi,  the daughter  of Zachariah.  [3] And he did  that which was right  in the sight  of the LORD,  according to all that David  his father  did.  [4] He removed  the high places,  and brake  the images,  and cut down  the groves,  and brake in pieces  the brasen  serpent  that Moses  had made:  for unto those days  the children  of Israel  did burn incense  to it: and he called  it Nehushtan.  [5] He trusted  in the LORD  God  of Israel;  so that after  him was none like him among all the kings  of Judah,  nor any that were before  [6] For he clave  to the LORD,  and departed  not from following  him, but kept  his commandments,  which the LORD  commanded  Moses.  [7] And the LORD  was with him; and he prospered  whithersoever he went forth:  and he rebelled  against the king  of Assyria,  and served  [8] He smote  the Philistines,  even unto Gaza,  and the borders  thereof, from the tower  of the watchmen  to the fenced  city.  [9] And it came to pass in the fourth  year  of king  Hezekiah,  which was the seventh  year  of Hoshea  son  of Elah  king  of Israel,  that Shalmaneser  king  of Assyria  came up  against Samaria,  and besieged  [10] And at the end  of three  years  they took  it: even in the sixth  year  of Hezekiah,  that is the ninth  year  of Hoshea  king  of Israel,  Samaria  was taken.  [11] And the king  of Assyria  did carry away  Israel  unto Assyria,  and put  them in Halah  and in Habor  by the river  of Gozan,  and in the cities  of the Medes:  [12] Because they obeyed  not the voice  their God,  but transgressed  his covenant,  and all that Moses  the servant  commanded,  and would not hear  them, nor do  them.

What does 2 Kings 18:1-12 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Hezekiah began reigning as his father Ahaz"s vice-regent in729 B.C. and ruled as such for14years. In715 B.C. he began his sole rule over Judah that lasted until697 B.C. (18 years). He then reigned with his son Manasseh who served as his vice-regent for11more years (697-686 B.C.). His29-year reign ( 2 Kings 18:2) was from715-686 B.C. [1]
The writer recorded that only three other kings did right as David had done: Asa ( 1 Kings 15:11), Jehoshaphat ( 2 Chronicles 17:3), and Josiah ( 2 Kings 22:1-2). These were the other three of Judah"s four reforming kings. The only other king, beside Hezekiah, that the writer said removed the high places ( 2 Kings 18:4), was Jehoshaphat ( 2 Chronicles 17:6). Someone must have rebuilt them after Hezekiah removed them. Nehushtan ( 2 Kings 18:4) was the name that someone had given to Moses" bronze serpent. This word in Hebrew sounds similar to the Hebrew words for bronze, snake, and unclean thing. The Israelites had come to worship the object that had been a symbol of Yahweh"s healing grace.
Regarding his faith, Hezekiah was the greatest Judahite king ( 2 Kings 18:5). He did not depart from Yahweh later in life ( 2 Kings 18:6). Consequently God"s blessing rested on him ( 2 Kings 18:7; cf2Chronicles29-31). His rebellion against Sennacherib ( 2 Kings 18:7) precipitated Assyria"s invasion of Judah ( 2 Kings 18:3 to 2 Kings 19:36). This was a reversal of his father Ahaz"s policy of allying with Assyria ( 2 Kings 16:7-9). God gave him consistent victory over the Philistines ( 2 Kings 18:8).
2 Kings 18:9-12 serve a double purpose. They relate the Assyrian defeat of Samaria to Hezekiah"s reign, and they explain again the spiritual reason for that defeat ( 2 Kings 18:12). Hezekiah"s fourth year ( 2 Kings 18:9) was725 B.C, the fourth year of his coregency with Ahaz.