CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE THE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE 2 Kings 18:1 to 2 Kings 20:21 Three Chapter s of Kings are devoted to the reign of good King Hezekiah. After a somewhat lengthy introduction to the reign of this king (2 Kings 18:1-12), the author discusses a political crisis (2 Kings 18:13 to 2 K... [ Continue Reading ]
III. HEZEKIAH'S PERSONAL CRISIS 20:1-19 The chronological placement of the episode related in chapter 20 is problematic. That the events of this chapter are earlier than the crushing defeat of Sennacherib's army is suggested by 2 Kings 20:6. Since fifteen years were added to the life of Hezekiah and... [ Continue Reading ]
B. HEZEKIAH'S FOOLISH MISTAKE AND SUBSEQUENT REBUKE 20:12-19 TRANSLATION (12) At that time Berodach-baladan the son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah, for he had heard that Hezekiah was sick. (13) And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and showed them all the house of h... [ Continue Reading ]
IV. CONCLUSION TO THE REIGN OF HEZEKIAH 20:20-21 TRANSLATION (20) And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and all of his might, and how he made a pool and a conduit that the water might come to the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? (21) And Hezekiah slept... [ Continue Reading ]