Hezekiah

Hezekiah (Hebrew: חזקיה or חזקיהו, "whom God has strengthened") was king of Judah, the son of Ahaz and Abi (2 Kings 18:1-2) or Abijah (2 Chronicles 29:1). He reigned twenty-nine years (2 Kings 18:2). William F. Albright has dated his reign to 715 BCE-687 BCE, while E. R. Thiele offers the dates 716 BCE-687 BCE.

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The Biblical account of this king is contained in 2 Kings 18:20, Isaiah 36-39, and 2 Chronicles 29-32. These sources portray him as a great and good king, following the example of his great-grandfather Uzziah. He set himself to abolish idolatry from his kingdom, and among other things which he did for this end, he destroyed the "brazen serpent," which had been relocated at Jerusalem, and had become an object of idolatrous worship. A great reformation was wrought in the kingdom of Judah in his day (2 Kings 18:4; 2 Chronicles 29:3-36). The author of 2 Kings ends his account of Hezekiah with praise (18:5).

Hebrew: The word Hebrew can variously mean:...

Judah: Judah (יְהוּדָה "Praise", Standard Hebrew Yəhuda, Tiberian Hebrew Yəh?ḏāh) is the name of several Biblical and historical figures. The original Greek text of the New Testament makes no difference between the names "Judah", "Judas" ...

Ahaz: Ahaz (Hebrew "has held", short form of Jehoahaz: "God has held") was king of Judah, and the son and successor of Jotham. William F. Albright has dated his reign to 735 BC-715 BC, while E. R. Thiele offers the dates 732 BC-716 BC. His reign is described in 2 Kings 16; Isaiah 7-9; and 2 Chronicles 28....