Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Whom Jehovah has strengthened. ) Son of Ahaz (2 Kings 18:1; 2 Chr. 29:1), whom he succeeded on the throne of the kingdom of Judah. C. 726-697). The history of this king is contained in 2 Kings 18:20, Isa. 36-39, and 2 Chr. 29-32. He is spoken of as a great and good king. In public life he followed the example of his great-granfather 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 removed to Jerusalem, and had become an object of idolatrous worship (Num. 21:9).
A great reformation was wrought in the kingdom of Judah in his day (2 Kings 18:4; 2 Chr. 29:3-36). On the death of Sargon and the accession of his son Sennacherib to the throne of Assyria, Hezekiah refused to pay the tribute which his father had paid, and “rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not,” but entered into a league with Egypt (Isa. 30; 31; 36:6-9). This led to the invasion of Judah by Sennacherib (2 Kings 18:13-16), who took forty cities, and besieged Jerusalem with mounds.
Hezekiah yielded to the demands of the Assyrian king, and agreed to pay him three hundred talents of silver and thirty of gold (18:14). But Sennacherib dealt treacherously with Hezekiah (Isa. 33:1), and a second time within two years invaded his kingdom (2 Kings 18:17; 2 Chr. 32:9; Isa. 36). This invasion issued in the destruction of Sennacherib’s army. ” Sennacherib fled with the shattered remnant of his forces to Nineveh, where, seventeen years after, he was assassinated by his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer (2 Kings 19:37).
) The narrative of Hezekiah’s sickness and miraculous recovery is found in 2 Kings 20:1, 2 Chr. 32:24, Isa. 38:1. Various ambassadors came to congratulate him on his recovery, and among them Merodach-baladan, the viceroy of Babylon (2 Chr. 32:23; 2 Kings 20:12). He closed his days in peace and prosperity, and was succeeded by his son Manasseh. He was buried in the “chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David” (2 Chr. 32:27-33). He had “after him none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him” (2 Kings 18:5).
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(the might of Jehovah).
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898)
HEZEKI'AH (strength of Jehovah). A distinguished king of Judah, the son and successor of the apostate Ahaz. c. c. 697. He was one of the three best kings of Judah, and an eminently godly man. 2 Kgs 18:5; 2 Chr 29:2. He restored the Mosaic institutions to honor. He accomplished the abolition of idolworship in his kingdom, 2 Kgs 18:4, 2 Kgs 18:22, and tore down the high places, which had been dedicated to idolatry. He also broke in pieces the brazen serpent of Moses, which had become the object of idolatrous regard, 2 Kgs 18:4.
, and the Passover celebrated with festivities that had not been equalled for magnificence and solemnity since the days of Solomon and David, 2 Chr 30:26. A proclamation was sent from Dan to Beersheba inviting the tribes to come to Jerusalem to keep the Passover, 2 Chr 30:5, and as a result of the convocation a national religious zeal broke out, 2 Chr 31:1. Another illustration of Hezekiah's godly zeal in the cause of religion is found in the high esteem in which he held Isaiah the prophet, whom he frequently consulted, 2 Kgs 19:3; Isa 37:2. The political career of Hezekiah was an active one.
He warred against the Philistines, and regained what his father had lost, 2 Kgs 18:8. He rebelled against the domination of Assyria, 2 Kgs 18:7. In the fourteenth year of his reign Sennacherib invaded his kingdom with an immense army. Rabshakeh was sent out in advance, and endeavored to intimidate Hezekiah into submission, and insolently insulted him under the walls, 2 Kgs 18:19 sqq. Hezekiah had recourse to Isaiah, who gave assurance of the assistance of the Lord, 2 Kgs 19:6.
The prediction came true, and by a sudden judgment of the Almighty the Assyrian host was decimated and put to flight, 2 Kgs 19:35. This event is referred to by the three historians of Hezekiah's reign as a supernatural event. 2 Kgs 19:35; 2 Chr 32:21; Isa 37:36. Hezekiah formed an alliance with Egypt, 2 Kgs 18:21, and was rich and prosperous. 2 Kgs 18:7; 2 Chr 32:27-29. In the events of his private life, one is noted of peculiar significance. The king became sick unto death, and Isaiah uttered his doom in the words, "Thou shalt die, and not live," 2 Kgs 20:1.
Turning his face to the wall, he lamented the event and prayed God to avert it. Isaiah, passing out into the court, was checked by the word of the Lord, and commanded to return and to announce the prolongation of the king's life 15 years, 2 Kgs 20:5. As a sign of the cure the dial was made to go back ten degrees, 2 Kgs 20:10. Another event of note in Hezekiah's life was the punishment pronounced upon his house by Isaiah, 2 Kgs 20:17, for the display he made of his riches to the messengers of the king of Babylon, who had come to congratulate him upon his recovery.
Hezekiah died in honor and was buried in the "highest of the sepulchres of the sons of David," 2 Chr 32:33. A descendant of the royal house of Judah, 1 Chr 3:23. Ezr 2:16; Neh 7:21. See Ater.
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
strength of the Lord
Schaff's Bible Dictionary
HEZEKI'AH (strength of Jehovah). The political career of Hezekiah was an active one. He warred against the Philistines, and regained what his father had lost, 2 Kgs 18:8. He rebelled against the domination of Assyria, 2 Kgs 18:7. In the fourteenth year of his reign Sennacherib invaded his kingdom with an immense army. Rabshakeh was sent out in advance, and endeavored to intimidate Hezekiah into submission, and insolently insulted him under the walls, 2 Kgs 18:19 sqq. Hezekiah had recourse to Isaiah, who gave assurance of the assistance of the Lord, 2 Kgs 19:6.
The prediction came true, and by a sudden judgment of the Almighty the Assyrian host was decimated and put to flight, 2 Kgs 19:35. This event is referred to by the three historians of Hezekiah's reign as a supernatural event. 2 Kgs 19:35; 2 Chr 32:21; Isa 37:36. Hezekiah formed an alliance with Egypt, 2 Kgs 18:21, and was rich and prosperous. 2 Kgs 18:7; 2 Chr 32:27-29. In the events of his private life, one is noted of peculiar significance. The king became sick unto death, and Isaiah uttered his doom in the words, "Thou shalt die, and not live," 2 Kgs 20:1.
Turning his face to the wall, he lamented the event and prayed God to avert it. Isaiah, passing out into the court, was checked by the word of the Lord, and commanded to return and to announce the prolongation of the king's life 15 years, 2 Kgs 20:5. As a sign of the cure the dial was made to go back ten degrees, 2 Kgs 20:10. Another event of note in Hezekiah's life was the punishment pronounced upon his house by Isaiah, 2 Kgs 20:17, for the display he made of his riches to the messengers of the king of Babylon, who had come to congratulate him upon his recovery.
Hezekiah died in honor and was buried in the "highest of the sepulchres of the sons of David," 2 Chr 32:33. A descendant of the royal house of Judah, 1 Chr 3:23. Ezr 2:16; Neh 7:21. See Ater.