Study Desk

In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah^(d) son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.

He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years.^(e) His mother's name was Abijah^[a] daughter of Zechariah.

He did what was right^(f) in the eyes of the Lord , just as his father David^(g) had done.

He removed^(h) the high places,⁽ⁱ⁾ smashed the sacred stones^(j) and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake^(k) Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.^[b])

Hezekiah trusted^(l) in the Lord , the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him.

He held fast^(m) to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses.

And the Lord was with him; he was successful⁽ⁿ⁾ in whatever he undertook. He rebelled^(o) against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.

From watchtower to fortified city,^(p) he defeated the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory.