Hezekiah King of Judah

18:2–4pp—2Ch 29:1–2; 31:1
18:5–7pp—2Ch 31:20–21
18:9–12pp—2Ki 17:3–7

18 In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiahp son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years.q His mother’s name was Abijaha daughter of Zechariah. 3 He did what was rightr in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Davids had done. 4 He removedt the high places,u smashed the sacred stonesv and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snakew Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.b)

5 Hezekiah trustedx in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. 6 He held fasty to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. 7 And the Lord was with him; he was successfulz in whatever he undertook. He rebelleda against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. 8 From watchtower to fortified city,b he defeated the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory.