2 Kings 18:2

Contextual Overview

¹In the third year of Israel’s King Hoshea son of Elah, Hezekiah son of Ahaz became king of Judah. ¹ Now it happened in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Yisra'el, that Hizkiyahu the son of Achaz king of Yehudah began to reign. 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. ¹ In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. ¹ Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah became king during the third year Hoshea son of Elah was king of Israel. ¹ In the third year of the reign of Israel's King Hoshea son of Elah, Ahaz's son Hezekiah became king over Judah. ¹Now it came about in the third year of Hoshea the son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. ¹ Now it came about in the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. ¹ Now it happened in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. ¹ Now in the third yeere of Hoshea, sonne of Elah King of Israel, Hezekiah the sonne of Ahaz king of Iudah began to reigne.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Twenty and five years old: As Ahaz was 20 years old when he began to reign, and died when he had reigned 16 years, his whole age only amounted to 36 years; and as Hezekiah was, at least, entering on his 25th year when he began to reign, then Ahaz must have been under 12 years of age when his son was born! This is not at all impossible, and there are well-attested facts of men having children at as early a period, especially in eastern countries., am 3278-3306, bc 726-698

Abi: 2 Chronicles 29:1, Abijah

Reciprocal: Isaiah 8:2 - Uriah

Cross-References

Genesis 18:3
and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don't go away from your servant.

Genesis 18:3
And said, My Lord , if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

Genesis 18:3
And he said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your eyes do not pass by your servant.

Genesis 18:3
and said, "Sir, if you think well of me, please stay awhile with me, your servant.

Genesis 18:3
He said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant.

Genesis 18:3
and Abraham said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass by your servant [without stopping to visit].

Genesis 18:3
and said, "My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not pass Your servant by.

Genesis 18:3
And he said, Lord, if I haue now founde fauour in thy sight, goe not, I pray thee, from thy seruant.

Genesis 18:3
and he said, "My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not pass Your servant by.

Genesis 18:3
and said, "Please come to my home where I can serve you.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign,.... Now as Ahaz his father began to reign at twenty, and reigned sixteen, he must die at thirty six; so that this son of his must be born to him when at eleven years of age, for only so many years there be between twenty five and thirty six, which may seem wonderful; but, as Grotius observes, Hezekiah had now entered into the twenty fifth year, and he might be just turned of twenty four, and so his father might be twelve years of age at his birth: besides, as it is usual for the divine historian to take away or add the incomplete years of kings, Ahaz might be near twenty one when he began to reign, and might reign almost seventeen, which makes the age of Ahaz to be about thirty eight; and Hezekiah being but little more than twenty four, at his death there were thirteen or near fourteen years difference in their age, and which was an age that need not be thought incredible for begetting of children. Bochart f and others g have given many instances of children begotten by persons under that age, even at ten years of age h: four years after his birth, the famous city of Rome began to be founded i, A. M. 3256, and before Christ 748, as commonly received, though it is highly probable it was of a more early date; according to Dionysius Halicarnassensis, it was founded in the first year of the seventh Olympaid, in the times of Ahaz, A. M. 3118 k:

and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem; so that he reigned twenty three years or more after the captivity of the ten tribes:

his mother's name also was Abi the daughter of Zachariah; perhaps the daughter of the same that was taken by Isaiah for a witness, Isaiah 8:3 who very probably was a very good woman, and took care to give her son a religious education, though he had so wicked a father.

f Ep. Carbonell. tom. 1. oper. p. 920. g Vid. Hieronymi Opera, tam. 3. Ep. Vital. fol. 25. C. h T. Bab. Avodah Zarah, fol. 44. 1. i Usser. Annal. p. 86, 87. k Vid. Breithaupt. Not. in Hist. Gorion. Heb. l. 5. c. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Twenty and five years old was he - This statement, combined with that of 2 Kings 16:2, would make it necessary that his father Ahaz should have married at the age of 10, and have had a child born to him when he was 11 years of age. This is not impossible; but its improbability is so great, that most commentators suggest a corruption in some of the numbers.

The Zachariah here mentioned was perhaps one of the “faithful witnesses” of Isaiah Isaiah 8:2.