HEZEKIAH BECOMES MORTALLY ILL BUT IS HEALED BY ISAIAH IN ANSWER TO PRAYER (2 KINGS 20:1). Hezekiah's illness is now mentioned, not because it was important in itself, but because in different ways it revealed the power of YHWH. It would appear that he was mortally ill, but that on his crying to YHW... [ Continue Reading ]
HEZEKIAH RECEIVES A REMARKABLE SIGN CONFIRMING THAT YHWH WILL DO ALL THAT HE HAS SAID (2 KINGS 20:8). Prior to his healing in 2 Kings 20:7 a concerned Hezekiah asked for a sign that he would be healed so that he could go up to the house of YHWH on the third day. This was probably a day on which he... [ Continue Reading ]
THE VISIT OF THE BABYLONIAN AMBASSADORS (2 KINGS 20:12). News of Hezekiah's sickness had reached Babylon, who may already have been in negotiations with him, and the consequence was that the king of Babylon sent ambassadors to Hezekiah in order to wish him well. Proud to think that he was of some im... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FINAL COMMENTS ON THE REIGN OF HEZEKIAH (2 KINGS 20:20). The great act for which Hezekiah was remembered was that of ensuring the supply of water for the city in the time of siege. That is thus referred to in the final mention of his acts. This involved cutting through the rock a long tunnel (ov... [ Continue Reading ]