- 43rd of the Biblical Patriarchs
- 12th King of Judah (r. 715-686 B.C.)
- Major Biblical figure
Biography
Hezekiah -A righteous king of the nation of Judah in the Old Testament. He reigned for twenty-nine years, during the time that Isaiah was the prophet in Judah (2 Kgs. 18–20; 2 Chr. 29–32; Isa. 36–39). Isaiah assisted him in reforming both church and state. He suppressed idolatry and reinstated the temple services. Hezekiah’s life was extended fifteen years through prayer and faith (2 Kgs. 20:1–7). The early part of his reign was prosperous, but his rebellion against the king of Assyria (2 Kgs. 18:7) resulted in two Assyrian invasions: the first is described in Isaiah 10:24–32, the second in 2 Kings 18:13–19:7. In the second invasion, Jerusalem was saved by an angel of the Lord (2 Kgs. 19:35).
Hezekiah (/ˌhɛzɪˈkaɪ.ə/)[a] was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the son of Ahaz and the 13th king of Judah.[1] Archaeologist Edwin Thiele has concluded that his reign was between c. 715 and 686 BC.[2] He is considered a very righteous king by the author of the Books of Kings.[3] He is also one of the most prominent kings of Judah mentioned in the Bible and is one of the kings mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.
According to the Bible, Hezekiah witnessed the destruction of the northern Kingdom of Israel by Sargon's Assyrians in c. 722 BC and was king of Judah during the siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib in 701 BC.[5] Hezekiah enacted sweeping religious reforms, including a strict mandate for the sole worship of Yahweh and a prohibition on venerating other deities within the Temple of Jerusalem.[1] Isaiah and Micah prophesied during his reign.
Marriage and Family
Hezekiah was the son of King Ahaz and Abijah. His mother, Abijah (also called Abi),[8] was a daughter of the high priest Zechariah. Based on Thiele's dating, Hezekiah was born in c. 741 BC. He was married to Hephzi-bah. (2 Kings 21:1) He died from natural causes at the age of 54 in c. 687 BC, and was succeeded by his son Manasseh (2 Kings 20:21).
Siblings
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Hezekiah of Judah | Israel (Land of Canaan) | 686 Land of Canaan | Hephzi-bah |
Children
Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
Manasses of Judah | 709 Israel (Land of Canaan) | 642 Land of Canaan | Meshullemeth, daughter of Haruz of Jotbah |
Hezekiah of Judah
43rd Biblical Patriarch | ||
Regnal titles | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Ahaz |
12th King of Judah Coregent: 729 – 716 BC Sole reign: 716 – 697 BC Coregent: 697 – 687 BC |
Succeeded by Manasses |
References
- 2 Chr 28 - Biblical Record of the Reign of King Ahaz
- Gospel of Matthew Ch 1
- Gospel of Luke Ch 3
- Hezekiah - LDS Bible Dictionary
- Hezekiah - Wikipedia
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Footnotes (including sources)
Ω Birth |
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