2 Kings 18:1–8

Hezekiah Reigns over Judah

¹Now it came about ^ain the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that ^bHezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king.

²He was ^atwenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.

^3aHe did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.

^4aHe removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the ¹Asherah. He also broke in pieces ^bthe bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called ²Nehushtan.

^5aHe trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; ^bso that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him.

⁶For he ^aclung to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.

Hezekiah Victorious

^7aAnd the Lord was with him; wherever he went he prospered. And ^bhe rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.

^8aHe ¹defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from ^bwatchtower to fortified city.