Bible King Hezekiah Family Tree
King Hezekiah was a significant king of Judah, known for his religious reforms and efforts to defend Judah against the Assyrian invasion. He was a descendant of King David and is part of the royal family of Judah. Here is a basic outline of his family tree according to the Bible:
Father: King Ahaz
Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah and the 12th king of Judah. He reigned for 16 years and is generally portrayed negatively in the Bible due to his idolatry and failure to trust in God.
Ahaz was the son of Jotham, the previous king of Judah.
Mother: Abijah (also called Abi)
Abijah (sometimes called Abi) is identified as the mother of Hezekiah in the Bible. She is described as the daughter of Zechariah (2 Kings 18:2; 2 Chronicles 29:1). Not much else is known about her, but her role as the queen mother is significant, especially since her son became a notable king.
Hezekiah’s Family and Lineage
Hezekiah was a direct descendant of King David, making him part of the Davidic line, which was promised to be eternal (2 Samuel 7:16). The kings of Judah were typically descendants of David, and Hezekiah was no exception.
Hezekiah’s Sons:
Manasseh: Hezekiah’s son, who succeeded him as king. Manasseh’s reign was long (55 years), but he is depicted as a very wicked king, turning to idolatry and leading Judah astray. However, he later repented after being taken captive by the Assyrians.
Amon: The son of Hezekiah and the father of King Josiah. Amon’s reign was short (only two years), and like his father Manasseh, he was an evil king who did not repent.
Grandson: King Josiah
Josiah was Hezekiah’s grandson, the son of Amon. Josiah is remembered for his religious reforms and his efforts to restore the worship of the Lord in Judah. His reign is considered one of the most righteous among the kings of Judah. Josiah’s reforms were sparked by the discovery of the Book of the Law during the renovations of the Temple (2 Kings 22).
Hezekiah’s Other Children:
While the Bible specifically mentions Manasseh and Amon, it’s implied that Hezekiah may have had other sons, although they are not named in the texts. This is common in the Bible, as only the most significant heirs are often recorded.
Hezekiah’s reign is a pivotal moment in the history of Judah, as he attempted to restore true worship of God after the reign of his father Ahaz, who had been one of the most idolatrous kings of Judah. His efforts are chronicled in the books of 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and Isaiah, where Hezekiah is often portrayed as a faithful king who trusted in God, particularly during the Assyrian invasion.
Scriptures about King Hezekiah
Here are some key scriptures about King Hezekiah:
2 Kings 18:1-7: “In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. It was called Nehushtan. Hezekiah trusted 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. He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.”
2 Kings 18:13-16: “In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. So Hezekiah king of Judah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: ‘I have done wrong. Withdraw from me, and I will pay whatever you demand of me.’ The king of Assyria exacted from Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace.”
2 Kings 19:14-19: “Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, ‘Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God. It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God.'”
2 Kings 19:32-36: “Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria: ‘He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here. He will not come before it with a shield or build a siege ramp against it. By the way that he came he will return; he will not enter this city, declares the Lord. I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.’ That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.”
2 Kings 20:1-6: “In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, ‘This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’ Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, ‘Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: ‘Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, this is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.'”
2 Kings 20:12-18: “At that time, Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of Hezekiah’s illness. Hezekiah received the envoys and showed them all that was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices and the fine olive oil—his entire armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them. Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, ‘What did those men say, and where did they come from?’ ‘From a distant land,’ Hezekiah replied. ‘They came from Babylon.’ The prophet asked, ‘What did they see in your palace?’ ‘They saw everything in my palace,’ Hezekiah said. ‘There is nothing among my treasures that I did not show them.’ Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, ‘Hear the word of the Lord: The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your ancestors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.'”
Isaiah 38:9-20: “A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery: I said, ‘In the prime of my life I must go through the gates of death and be robbed of the rest of my years.’ I said, ‘I will not again see the Lord himself in the land of the living; no longer will I look on my fellow men or be with those who now dwell in this world. Like a shepherd’s tent my dwelling is pulled up and taken from me. Like a weaver I have rolled up my life, and he cuts me off from the loom; day and night you make an end of me. I waited patiently till dawn, but like a lion he broke all my bones; day and night you make an end of me. I cried like a swift or thrush, I moaned like a mourning dove. My eyes grew weak as I looked to the heavens. I am being threatened; Lord, come to my aid!’ But what can I say? He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this. I will walk humbly all my years because of this anguish of my soul. Lord, by such things people live; and my spirit finds life in them too. You restored me to health and let me live. Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back. For the grave cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness. The living, the living—they praise you, as I am doing today; parents tell their children about your faithfulness.”
Isaiah 37:1-7: “When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the Lord. He sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. They told him, ‘This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the moment of birth and there is no strength to deliver them. It may be that the Lord your God will hear all the words of the field commander, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to ridicule the living God, and that he will rebuke him for the words the Lord your God has heard. Therefore pray for the remnant that still survives.’ When King Hezekiah’s officials came to Isaiah, Isaiah said to them, ‘Tell your master, this is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. Listen! When he hears a certain report, I will make him want to return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword.'”
Story of King Hezekiah in the Bible
King Hezekiah is one of the most notable kings of Judah in the Bible, known for his faithfulness to God and his efforts to reform Judah spiritually and politically. His story is primarily found in the Book of 2 Kings (18-20), 2 Chronicles (29-32), and mentioned briefly in the Book of Isaiah.
1. Early Reign and Religious Reforms
Hezekiah became king of Judah at the age of 25, after the death of his father, King Ahaz, who had been a wicked king. Ahaz had led Judah into idolatry, practicing various forms of pagan worship, and even making alliances with foreign nations like Assyria, which had detrimental consequences for Judah.
Hezekiah, in contrast, was deeply devoted to God and initiated sweeping reforms to restore proper worship of Yahweh. In the first year of his reign, he reopened the doors of the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, which had been shut by his father (2 Chronicles 29:3). He then cleansed and consecrated the temple, removing idols and restoring the sacred rituals, including the offering of sacrifices and the celebration of the Passover (2 Chronicles 29:15-36; 30:1-27). These actions were part of his broader effort to return the nation to the worship of the true God.
2. Hezekiah’s Trust in God
One of the most remarkable aspects of Hezekiah’s reign was his strong trust in God, especially when faced with dire circumstances. Hezekiah’s faith was most notably tested during his confrontation with the mighty Assyrian Empire, under King Sennacherib. In the 14th year of his reign, Hezekiah and Judah were threatened by the Assyrian army, which had already conquered many of Israel’s neighboring nations.
3. Assyrian Threat and Hezekiah’s Prayer
Sennacherib’s forces besieged Jerusalem, and Hezekiah received a letter from the Assyrian king mocking the God of Israel and claiming that Hezekiah’s trust in God would not save him from the Assyrian onslaught (2 Kings 19:10-13). The Assyrian king had already defeated many nations, and he ridiculed Hezekiah for thinking that the God of Judah was more powerful than the gods of the other nations he had conquered.
Faced with this dire threat, Hezekiah took the letter into the temple of God and spread it out before the Lord. Hezekiah prayed earnestly, acknowledging the power of God and asking for divine intervention to save Judah from the Assyrian army. His prayer was a powerful declaration of faith in God’s sovereignty (2 Kings 19:14-19).
In response to Hezekiah’s prayer, the prophet Isaiah delivered a message from God, assuring Hezekiah that the Assyrians would not conquer Jerusalem. God promised to defend the city for His own name’s sake and would cause Sennacherib to return to his land in shame (2 Kings 19:20-34; Isaiah 37:6-35).
That very night, an angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in their camp, and when Sennacherib awoke in the morning to find his army decimated, he withdrew. Hezekiah’s faith was rewarded with a miraculous deliverance from what seemed like certain destruction (2 Kings 19:35-37).
4. Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery
In addition to his political and military leadership, Hezekiah’s reign was marked by a personal crisis. He fell gravely ill and was on the verge of death. The prophet Isaiah visited him and told him that he would not recover and should prepare for death (2 Kings 20:1). However, Hezekiah prayed earnestly to God, pleading for healing and reminding God of his faithful service.
In response to Hezekiah’s prayer, God spoke through Isaiah, telling Hezekiah that He had heard his prayer and would add 15 years to his life (2 Kings 20:2-6). As a sign of this promise, God caused the shadow on a sundial to move backward as a miraculous confirmation of His healing power (2 Kings 20:8-11).
5. Hezekiah’s Later Years and Humbling
Though Hezekiah experienced significant victories, including the miraculous defeat of the Assyrians and his personal healing, his later years were marked by a moment of pride. After his recovery, Hezekiah received a visit from envoys sent by King Merodach-Baladan of Babylon. Instead of recognizing this as an opportunity to glorify God, Hezekiah showed the Babylonian ambassadors all his treasures and wealth in the palace (2 Kings 20:12-13).
The prophet Isaiah confronted Hezekiah about this act, declaring that the time would come when everything in Hezekiah’s palace, including his descendants, would be taken away to Babylon. Hezekiah, though remorseful, responded that this prophecy would not come during his lifetime (2 Kings 20:14-19).
6. Hezekiah’s Legacy
Hezekiah died after a reign of 29 years, and his son Manasseh succeeded him as king. Hezekiah’s reign is remembered as a period of spiritual revival and strong leadership, marked by his unwavering trust in God during a time of crisis. He is remembered as one of the few kings of Judah who truly sought to follow God’s will and lead his people in righteousness.
Hezekiah’s faith, particularly in the face of the Assyrian threat, and his prayer for healing, serve as powerful examples of the importance of trusting God in times of trouble. His story emphasizes the themes of repentance, prayer, and God’s faithfulness to deliver and restore His people.
King Hezekiah In The Bible Meaning
In the Bible, King Hezekiah is a significant figure who ruled as the King of Judah from approximately 715 to 686 BCE. His story is primarily found in the Books of 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and the Book of Isaiah. The name Hezekiah (חִזְקִיָּהוּ, Chizkiyahu) comes from the Hebrew root ḥ-z-k, meaning “to strengthen” or “to be strong.” Therefore, Hezekiah means “Yahweh strengthens” or “God strengthens.”
Symbolism of the Name “Hezekiah”
The meaning of Hezekiah’s name, “Yahweh strengthens,” is central to his character in the Bible. His reign and actions demonstrate that, despite facing overwhelming challenges, it is God who provides strength and deliverance. Hezekiah trusted in God for protection and healing, and his name serves as a reminder of the strength that comes from God in times of distress.
In summary, King Hezekiah’s name means “Yahweh strengthens,” reflecting the pivotal role that God’s strength played in his life and leadership. He is celebrated in the Bible for his faithfulness, reforms, and dependence on God during times of crisis.
FAQs About King Hezekiah
1. What was King Hezekiah known for?
King Hezekiah was known for his strong faith in God, his religious reforms, and his efforts to rid Judah of idolatry. He is remembered for his devotion to God, particularly in restoring proper worship, including reopening the Temple and reinstituting Passover celebrations. Hezekiah also prayed fervently when facing the threat of the Assyrian invasion, and God miraculously delivered Judah.
2. What does the Bible say about King Hezekiah?
The Bible describes Hezekiah as a good and righteous king, one of the few in Judah who truly followed God’s commandments. He removed idols, restored the Temple, and sought to re-establish the covenantal relationship between Israel and God. His reign was marked by prosperity and divine protection, particularly after he prayed to God during the Assyrian siege, leading to Judah’s miraculous deliverance.
3. What does the story of Hezekiah teach us?
The story of Hezekiah teaches the importance of trusting God in times of crisis, the power of prayer, and the value of obedience and repentance. Hezekiah’s faith and humility, especially when he prayed for healing and deliverance, demonstrate that God listens to sincere prayers and that repentance can lead to restoration. It also highlights God’s mercy and faithfulness to those who seek Him.
4. Why did God heal Hezekiah?
God healed Hezekiah in response to his sincere prayer and repentance when he faced a life-threatening illness. Hezekiah pleaded with God to remember his faithfulness and good deeds, and God, in His mercy, granted him 15 more years of life. This healing also served as a sign to Hezekiah and to others of God’s compassion and His ability to answer prayers.
5. What did King Hezekiah do that was bad?
Although Hezekiah was largely a good king, he made a serious mistake when he showed all the treasures of his kingdom to envoys from Babylon without consulting God. This act of pride and self-reliance led to the prophet Isaiah warning him that Babylon would one day invade Judah. This mistake was a significant flaw in his reign, reflecting a moment of weakness in his faith.