2 Kings 18:2

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 18:1-8

We have here a general account of the reign of Hezekiah. It appears, by comparing his age with his father?s, that he was born when his father was about eleven or twelve years old, divine Providence so ordering that he might be of full age, and fit for business, when the measure of his father's iniquity should be full. Here is, I. His great piety, which was the more wonderful because his father was very wicked and vile, one of the worst of the kings, yet he was one of the best, which may... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 18:2

Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign ,.... Now as Ahaz his father began to reign at twenty, and reigned sixteen, he must die at thirty six; so that this son of his must be born to him when at eleven years of age, for only so many years there be between twenty five and thirty six, which may seem wonderful; but, as Grotius observes, Hezekiah had now entered into the twenty fifth year, and he might be just turned of twenty four, and so his father might be twelve years of age... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 18:1-8

THE EARLY YEARS Or HEZEKIAH . From his narrative of the destruction of the kingdom of Samaria, the writer turns, with evident relief, to the accession of the good king Hezekiah in Judah, and to a brief account of The narrative is still exceedingly brief, and has to be filled out from the Second Book of Chronicles, where the religious reformation of Hezekiah is treated with great fullness (2 Kings 29-31.). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 18:1-8

The secret of a successful fife; or, trust in God, and its results. What a refreshing contrast to some of the lives we have been considering, is this description of the life of Hezekiah! How pleasant it is to read of such a life as his, after we have read of so many kings of Judah and Israel, that "they did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin"! It is a pleasant contrast even to the life of Hezekiah's own father Ahaz. It... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 18:1-8

Hezekiah the good . It is with a sense of relief that we emerge from the dark and oppressive atmosphere of the time of Ahaz into the "clear shining" ( 2 Samuel 23:4 ) of a reign like that of Hezekiah. Once more Divine mercy gave Judah a king in whom the best traditions of the theocracy were revived. I. RIGHT CONDUCT . 1. An evil upbringing belied . As if to set laws of heredity at defiance, the worst King of Judah hitherto is succeeded by one of the best—the best after... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 18:1-37

A striking reformation, a ruthless despotism, and an unprincipled diplomacy. "How it came to pass," etc. Amongst the incidents recorded and the characters mentioned in this chapter, there stand out in great prominence three subjects for practical contemplation: The many strange and somewhat revolting historic events that make up the bulk of this chapter will come out in the discussion of these three subjects. I. A STRIKING REFORMATION . Hezekiah, who was now King of Judah, and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 18:2

Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign (on the difficulties connected with this statement, and the best mode of meeting them, see the comment upon 2 Kings 16:1 ); and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. So Josephus ('Ant. Jud.,' 10.3. § 1), and the author of Chronicles ( 2 Chronicles 29:1 ). He reigned fourteen years before his severe illness, and fifteen afterwards. His mother's name also was Abi. Abi , "my father," is scarcely a possible name. We... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Kings 18:2

Twenty and five years old was he - This statement, combined with that of 2 Kings 16:2, would make it necessary that his father Ahaz should have married at the age of 10, and have had a child born to him when he was 11 years of age. This is not impossible; but its improbability is so great, that most commentators suggest a corruption in some of the numbers.The Zachariah here mentioned was perhaps one of the “faithful witnesses” of Isaiah Isaiah 8:2. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 2 Kings 18:1-2

2 Kings 18:1-2. In the third year of Hoshea, Hezekiah began to reign Namely, in the third of those nine years, mentioned 2 Kings 17:1; of which see the note there, and below, 2 Kings 18:10. Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign To this it is objected, that Ahaz his father lived only thirty-six years, and therefore, according to this account, begat Hezekiah when he was but eleven years old, which seems incredible. Various explications of this difficulty have been given;... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 18:1-12

18:1-25:30 HISTORY TO THE FALL OF JUDAHNew policies under Hezekiah (18:1-12)With the destruction of the kingdom of Israel in the north and the disastrous reign of Ahaz in the south, Assyrian influence in Palestine was at its peak. In spite of this, the young king Hezekiah set out on the bold task of reforming Judah’s religion and freeing Judah from Assyrian power. He destroyed all the local idolatrous shrines (something that no king since David had been able to do), and because of this the... read more

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