# Overview 2 Kings Chapter 18 introduces us to #Hezekiah, the son of #Ahaz, who becomes the king of #Judah. Hezekiah is noted for his righteousness and faithfulness to #God, walking in the ways of his ancestor #David. He removes the high places, breaks the sacred pillars, cuts down the Asherah poles, and destroys the bronze serpent that #Moses had made, because the people of #Israel were burning incense to it. This chapter emphasizes Hezekiah's trust in the Lord, as he clings to God and keeps His commandments, resulting in God being with him and granting him success in all his endeavors. Hezekiah's reign is marked by his rebellion against the king of #Assyria and his refusal to serve him, showcasing his reliance on divine rather than human power. The narrative shifts as #Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, comes against Judah and captures its fortified cities. In response, Hezekiah attempts to appease Sennacherib by sending him silver and gold from the temple and the royal treasury. Despite this, Sennacherib sends his military commander, the #Rabshakeh, to Jerusalem with a message of intimidation and blasphemy against God, demanding the city's surrender. The Rabshakeh challenges the people's trust in God, questioning their faith and the effectiveness of their king's leadership. This chapter sets the stage for the dramatic confrontation between Hezekiah's trust in God and the overwhelming military might of Assyria, highlighting the theme of faith in the face of adversity. ## Theological Insights 2 Kings 18 presents a significant turning point in the history of #Judah through the reign of King #Hezekiah. His leadership is portrayed as a return to the covenantal faithfulness exemplified by #David, highlighting the importance of fidelity to #God's commandments. Hezekiah's commitment to the Lord is demonstrated by his removal of high places, breaking of sacred pillars, and destruction of the bronze serpent made by #Moses (cf. [[Numbers/Numbers Chapter 21]]), which had become an object of idolatry. This act signifies a profound theological insight: the call to authentic worship and the rejection of idolatry, even those rooted in past divine acts. Hezekiah's reliance on God is further exemplified when faced with the threat of #Assyria. The narrative underscores the power of trust in God over political alliances or military might. The Assyrian king, #Sennacherib, attempts to undermine this trust by questioning the reliability of the Lord, yet Hezekiah stands firm, illustrating the biblical theme of God as the ultimate protector and source of deliverance (cf. [[Psalms/Psalms Chapter 46]]). The chapter also serves as a commentary on the consequences of apostasy. The fate of the northern kingdom, #Israel, which had fallen to the Assyrians due to their unfaithfulness to God, acts as a warning to Judah (cf. [[2 Kings/2 Kings Chapter 17]]). Hezekiah's reforms are a response to this lesson, emphasizing repentance and renewal in the light of God's covenantal promises. Furthermore, the chapter sets the stage for the miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem, reinforcing the idea that God hears the prayers of the righteous and acts in history to preserve His people. This anticipates the events of [[2 Kings/2 Kings Chapter 19]], where divine intervention is vividly demonstrated. In conclusion, 2 Kings 18 provides a rich tapestry of theological themes: the call to covenant faithfulness, the rejection of idolatry, the power of prayer, and the assurance of God's protection and deliverance for those who trust in Him. These insights call believers to a life of unwavering faith and devotion to God, mirroring the righteous leadership of Hezekiah. ## Thematic Connections ### Faithfulness to God In 2 Kings 18, #Hezekiah's reign is marked by his commitment to the Lord, contrasting with the idolatry of previous #Judah kings. This theme of faithfulness is reminiscent of the call to worship God alone seen in the commands given to #Israel in [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 20]], as well as King #David's devotion to God in [[1 Samuel/1 Samuel Chapter 13]]. Hezekiah's actions in removing high places, breaking sacred pillars, and cutting down the Asherah poles demonstrate his desire to purify Judah's worship, similar to the reforms initiated by #Josiah in [[2 Kings/2 Kings Chapter 23]]. ### Trust in God's Deliverance Hezekiah's reliance on God during the threat from #Assyria reflects the theme of trusting in divine deliverance. This trust is paralleled in stories such as #Moses leading the Israelites through the Red Sea in [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 14]] and #Daniel's faith in the lions' den in [[Daniel/Daniel Chapter 6]]. Hezekiah's prayer and trust in the Lord encourage believers to seek God's help in times of crisis, knowing that God is able to save His people from seemingly insurmountable threats. ### The Power of Prayer The chapter highlights the power of prayer as Hezekiah seeks the Lord's guidance and intervention against the Assyrian threat. This theme is consistent with other instances where prayer leads to divine action, such as #Elijah's prayer for rain in [[1 Kings/1 Kings Chapter 18]] and #Hannah's prayer for a son in [[1 Samuel/1 Samuel Chapter 1]]. It underscores the belief that prayer is a powerful tool for believers to communicate with God and seek His will in their lives. ### God's Sovereignty over Nations The events in 2 Kings 18 illustrate God's sovereignty over the nations, demonstrating that He is in control of world affairs. This theme is echoed in the prophecies throughout the #OldTestament, such as those found in [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 40]] and [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 10]], where God's authority over creation and the nations is proclaimed. The defeat of the Assyrian army by divine intervention in [[2 Kings/2 Kings Chapter 19]] further emphasizes that God holds ultimate power over the rise and fall of empires. ### The Role of Prophets The involvement of the prophet #Isaiah in Hezekiah's story highlights the important role prophets play in conveying God's messages to His people. This theme is seen throughout the Bible, with prophets like #Samuel in [[1 Samuel/1 Samuel Chapter 3]] and #Jeremiah in [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 1]] serving as God's spokespersons. The presence of prophets in the narrative underscores the belief that God communicates His will and guidance through chosen messengers. ## Prophetic Fulfillments ### The Righteous Reign of Hezekiah In 2 Kings 18, the reign of #Hezekiah is depicted as a time of religious reform and faithfulness to God, fulfilling the call for a king who would lead #Israel back to covenantal faithfulness. This chapter echoes the promises found in the #DavidicCovenant, emphasizing a king from #David’s line who would rule righteously and restore true worship, as seen in [[2 Samuel/2 Samuel Chapter 7|2 Samuel 7]]. Hezekiah’s actions in removing high places and idols align with prophetic expectations for a king who would uphold God’s law and lead the people in righteousness. ### The Deliverance from Assyria The chapter highlights the threat posed by #Assyria, and the miraculous deliverance of Judah from its hands, which resonates with the prophetic assurances of God's protection over #Jerusalem. This deliverance fulfills the prophetic words found in passages like [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 37|Isaiah 37]], where God promises to defend the city for His own sake and for the sake of David His servant. Hezekiah’s reliance on God in the face of Assyrian threats exemplifies the fulfillment of God’s promise to protect His chosen city and people. ### Trust in the Lord Hezekiah’s trust in the Lord, as noted in 2 Kings 18:5, fulfills the prophetic call for leaders and people to place their confidence in God rather than in foreign alliances or idols. This trust echoes the prophetic exhortations found in books like [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 30|Isaiah 30]], where God urges His people to rely on Him alone. Hezekiah’s faithfulness to God’s covenant serves as a fulfillment of the prophetic hope for a king who embodies complete trust in the Lord. ### The Role of Prophets The events in this chapter, including the interactions with the prophet #Isaiah, illustrate the vital role of prophets in guiding and affirming the king’s faithfulness to God’s will. This interaction fulfills the prophetic function described throughout the Old Testament, where prophets serve as God’s mouthpiece, delivering His messages to the leaders and the people. The assurance of God’s deliverance through Isaiah underscores the fulfillment of God’s promises through His prophetic servants. ## Verses - **2 Kings 18:1** - "Hezekiah son of Ahaz began to rule over Judah in the third year of King Hoshea’s reign in Israel." - Note: See [[2 Chronicles/2 Chronicles Chapter 29]] for more about #Hezekiah's reign. #Ahaz #Judah #Hoshea #Israel - **2 Kings 18:2** - "He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah." - Note: Compare with [[2 Chronicles/2 Chronicles Chapter 29]]. #Jerusalem #Abijah #Zechariah - **2 Kings 18:3** - "He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done." - Note: Reference to the righteous actions of #David. See also [[1 Kings/1 Kings Chapter 15]]. #Hezekiah - **2 Kings 18:4** - "He removed the pagan shrines, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of Israel had been offering sacrifices to it. The bronze serpent was called Nehushtan." - Note: For the bronze serpent, see [[Numbers/Numbers Chapter 21]]. #Moses #Nehushtan #Asherah - **2 Kings 18:5** - "Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time." - Note: See [[2 Chronicles/2 Chronicles Chapter 31]] for his trust in #God. #Judah - **2 Kings 18:6** - "He remained faithful to the Lord in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the Lord had given Moses." - Note: Compare with the commands given in [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 20]]. #Moses #Faithfulness - **2 Kings 18:7** - "So the Lord was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did. He revolted against the king of Assyria and refused to pay him tribute." - Note: See [[2 Kings/2 Kings Chapter 19]] for more on the conflict with #Assyria. #Success - **2 Kings 18:8** - "He also conquered the Philistines, as far distant as Gaza and its territory, from their smallest outpost to their largest walled city." - Note: See [[Judges/Judges Chapter 1]] for more on the #Philistines. #Gaza - **2 Kings 18:9** - "During the fourth year of Hezekiah’s reign, which was the seventh year of King Hoshea’s reign in Israel, King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked the city of Samaria and began a siege against it." - Note: See [[2 Kings/2 Kings Chapter 17]] for more on the siege of #Samaria. #Shalmaneser #Hoshea - **2 Kings 18:10** - "Three years later, during the sixth year of King Hezekiah’s reign and the ninth year of King Hoshea’s reign in Israel, Samaria fell. At that time the people of Israel were exiled to Assyria." - Note: Reference [[2 Kings/2 Kings Chapter 17]] for the #Exile. #Assyria - **2 Kings 18:11** - "The king of Assyria deported the Israelites to Assyria and settled them in Halah, along the banks of the Habor River in Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes." - Note: See [[1 Chronicles/1 Chronicles Chapter 5]] for more on the #Deportation. #Halah #Medes - **2 Kings 18:12** - "For they refused to listen to the Lord their God and obey him. Instead, they violated his covenant—all the laws that Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded them to obey." - Note: Reference [[Deuteronomy/Deuteronomy Chapter 28]] for the laws given by #Moses. #Covenant - **2 Kings 18:13** - "In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, King Sennacherib of Assyria came to attack the fortified towns of Judah and conquered them." - Note: See [[2 Kings/2 Kings Chapter 19]] for the continuation of #Sennacherib's campaign. #Judah - **2 Kings 18:14** - "King Hezekiah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: 'I have done wrong. I will pay whatever tribute money you demand if you will only withdraw.' The king of Assyria then demanded a settlement of more than eleven tons of silver and one ton of gold." - Note: Reference [[2 Chronicles/2 Chronicles Chapter 32]]. #Lachish #Tribute - **2 Kings 18:15** - "To gather this amount, King Hezekiah used all the silver stored in the Temple of the Lord and in the palace treasury." - Note: See [[1 Kings/1 Kings Chapter 7]] for the Temple's wealth. #Temple - **2 Kings 18:16** - "Hezekiah even stripped the gold from the doors of the Lord’s Temple and from the doorposts he had overlaid with gold, and he gave it all to the Assyrian king." - Note: Reference the construction of the Temple in [[1 Kings/1 Kings Chapter 6]]. #Gold - **2 Kings 18:17** - "Nevertheless, the king of Assyria sent his commander in chief, his field commander, and his chief of staff from Lachish with a huge army to confront King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. The Assyrians took up a position beside the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed." - Note: See [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 36]] for a parallel account. #Aqueduct #Jerusalem - **2 Kings 18:18** - "They summoned King Hezekiah, but the king sent these officials to meet with them: Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator; Shebna the court secretary; and Joah son of Asaph, the royal historian." - Note: Compare with [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 36]]. #Eliakim #Shebna #Joah - **2 Kings 18:19** - "Then the Assyrian king’s chief of staff told them to give this message to Hezekiah: 'This is what the great king of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you so confident?'" - Note: See [[2 Chronicles/2 Chronicles Chapter 32]] for #Hezekiah's response. #Confidence - **2 Kings 18:20** - "'Do you think that mere words can substitute for military skill and strength? Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me?'" - Note: Reference #Hezekiah's reliance on God in [[2 Kings/2 Kings Chapter 19]]. #Rebellion - **2 Kings 18:21** - "'On Egypt? If you lean on Egypt, it will be like a reed that splinters beneath your weight and pierces your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is completely unreliable!'" - Note: Reference #Egypt's role in [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 30]]. #Pharaoh - **2 Kings 18:22** - "'But perhaps you will say to me, ‘We are trusting in the Lord our God!’ But isn’t he the one who was insulted by Hezekiah? Didn’t Hezekiah tear down his shrines and altars and make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem worship only at the altar here in Jerusalem?'" - Note: See [[2 Chronicles/2 Chronicles Chapter 31]] for #Hezekiah's reforms. #Altar - **2 Kings 18:23** - "'I’ll tell you what! Strike a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you two thousand horses if you can find that many men to ride on them!'" - Note: The challenge to #Hezekiah's military strength. #Assyria - **2 Kings 18:24** - "'With your tiny army, how can you think of challenging even the weakest contingent of my master’s troops, even with the help of Egypt’s chariots and charioteers?'" - Note: Reference the comparison to #Egypt's military. #Chariots - **2 Kings 18:25** - "'What’s more, do you think we have invaded your land without the Lord’s direction? The Lord himself told us, ‘Attack this land and destroy it!’'" - Note: A claim of #divine sanction for the invasion. #Invasion - **2 Kings 18:26** - "Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the Assyrian chief of staff, 'Please speak to us in Aramaic, for we understand it well. Don’t speak in Hebrew, for the people on the wall will hear.'" - Note: The use of #Aramaic and #Hebrew languages. #Eliakim #Shebna #Joah - **2 Kings 18:27** - "But Sennacherib’s chief of staff replied, 'Do you think my master sent this message only to you and your master? He wants all the people to hear it, for when we put this city under siege, they will suffer along with you. They will be so hungry and thirsty that they will eat their own dung and drink their own urine.'" - Note: See the threat of #siege warfare tactics. #Sennacherib - **2 Kings 18:28** - "Then the chief of staff stood and shouted in Hebrew to the people on the wall, 'Listen to this message from the great king of Assyria!'" - Note: The use of #Hebrew to intimidate the people. #Assyria - **2 Kings 18:29** - "This is what the king says: 'Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you. He will never be able to rescue you from my power.'" - Note: Reference to [[2 Chronicles/2 Chronicles Chapter 32]] for #Hezekiah's faith. #Deception - **2 Kings 18:30** - "'Don’t let him fool you into trusting in the Lord by saying, “The Lord will surely rescue us. This city will never fall into the hands of the Assyrian king!”'" - Note: Contrast with [[2 Kings/2 Kings Chapter 19]]. #Trust - **2 Kings 18:31** - "'Don’t listen to Hezekiah! These are the terms the king of Assyria is offering: Make peace with me—open the gates and come out. Then each of you can continue eating from your own grapevine and fig tree and drinking from your own well.'" - Note: The offer of #peace in exchange for surrender. #Assyria - **2 Kings 18:32** - "'Then I will arrange to take you to another land like this one—a land of grain and new wine, bread and vineyards, olive groves and honey. Choose life instead of death! Don’t listen to Hezekiah when he tries to mislead you by saying, “The Lord will rescue us!”'" - Note: Compare with #Exile promises in [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 36]]. #Deception - **2 Kings 18:33** - "'Have the gods of any other nations ever saved their people from the king of Assyria?'" - Note: Reference to the #Assyrian conquest of other nations. #Gods - **2 Kings 18:34** - "'What happened to the gods of Hamath and Arpad? And what about the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Did any god rescue Samaria from my power?'" - Note: See [[2 Kings/2 Kings Chapter 17]] for the fate of #Samaria. #Hamath #Arpad - **2 Kings 18:35** - "'What god of any nation has ever been able to save its people from my power? So what makes you think that the Lord can rescue Jerusalem from me?'" - Note: The #challenge to the power of the #Lord. #Jerusalem - **2 Kings 18:36** - "But the people were silent and did not utter a word because Hezekiah had commanded them, 'Do not answer him.'" - Note: See [[Proverbs/Proverbs Chapter 26]] on the wisdom of silence. #Silence - **2 Kings 18:37** - "Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator, Shebna the court secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the royal historian, went back to Hezekiah. They tore their clothes in despair and went in to see the king and told him what the Assyrian chief of staff had said." - Note: See [[2 Kings/2 Kings Chapter 19]] for the continuation. #Despair #Eliakim #Shebna #Joah