Hezekiah
Sign in to saveHezekiah (; ), or Ezekias (born , sole ruler ), was the son of Ahaz and the thirteenth king of Judah according to the Hebrew Bible. He is described as "the best-attested figure in biblical history," due to the extensive documentation of his reign in biblical texts and external sources (notably Assyrian inscriptions). His reign was marked by his significant religious reforms and his revolt against the Assyrian Empire. He witnessed the destruction of the northern Kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians under Sargon II in and later faced the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem by King Sennacherib in 701
AI overview
Hezekiah was the thirteenth king of Judah whose reign, documented extensively in biblical texts and Assyrian records, is considered one of the best-attested periods in biblical history. He is remembered for implementing major religious reforms and leading a revolt against Assyrian rule, including surviving a crucial siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrian king Sennacherib around 701 BCE.
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Key facts
- Royalty.name
- Hezekiah
- Royalty.image
- Åhus kyrka-10.jpg
- Royalty.caption
- King Hezekiah on a painting by unknown artist in the choir of , 17th century
- Royalty.succession
- King of Judah
- Royalty.reign
- Uncertain, reign ended c. 687 BC
- Royalty.birth_place
- probably Jerusalem
- Royalty.death_date
- (aged 51–54)
- Royalty.death_place
- probably Jerusalem
- Royalty.burial_place
- Jerusalem
- Royalty.predecessor
- Ahaz
- Royalty.successor
- Manasseh
- Royalty.spouse
- Hephzibah
Article
27 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Biblical narrative
- Dating of Biblical chronology
- Family and life
- Reign over Judah
- Restoration of the Temple
- Assyrian invasion
- Hezekiah's construction
- Battle with Sennacherib's army
- Death of Sennacherib
- Later illness
- Extra-biblical records
- Archaeological record
- Increase in the power of Judah
- Siloam inscription
- Lachish relief
- Sennacherib's Prism of Nineveh
- Other records
- Historicity
- Rabbinic literature
- Chronological interpretation
- Academic debate
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Sources
- External links
Hezekiah (; ), or Ezekias (born , sole ruler ), was the son of Ahaz and the thirteenth king of Judah according to the Hebrew Bible. He is described as "the best-attested figure in biblical history," due to the extensive documentation of his reign in biblical texts and external sources (notably Assyrian inscriptions). His reign was marked by his significant religious reforms and his revolt against the Assyrian Empire. He witnessed the destruction of the northern Kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians under Sargon II in and later faced the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem by King Sennacherib in 701 BC.
Hezekiah's changes to the official Yahweh worship, especially his centralization of worship in Jerusalem and his efforts to rid Judah of the worship of other cult gods and goddesses, are a major focus of biblical accounts. He is considered a very righteous king in both the Second Book of Kings and the Second Book of Chronicles. His efforts to consolidate worship around the God of Israel and his destruction of other cult objects, such as the bronze serpent made by Moses, are seen as his way of consolidating power and temple resources during a turbulent time. His reign was marked by prophetic activity, with prophets such as Isaiah and Micah delivering their messages during his time.