Hezekiah Destroys Idolatry in Judah

Hezekiah's reign is dated, his family line is named, and he is introduced as a king who does what is right in the LORD's sight, in the pattern of David.

I¹n the third year of the reign of Hoshea son of Elah over Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz became king of Judah. ²He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abi, the daughter of Zechariah. ³And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done.

Hezekiah removes Judah's idolatrous practices, even destroying the bronze serpent once made by Moses because it has become an object of worship. His trust and obedience bring strength, so he prospers, resists Assyria, and strikes the Philistines.

⁴He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He also demolished the bronze snake called Nehushtan that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had burned incense to it. ⁵Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. No king of Judah was like him, either before him or after him. ⁶He remained faithful to the LORD and did not turn from following Him; he kept the commandments that the LORD had given Moses. ⁷And the LORD was with Hezekiah, and he prospered wherever he went. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and refused to serve him. ⁸He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its borders, from watchtower to fortified city.

The account turns to Samaria's siege and fall under Assyria, ending with Israel's exile. The reason is stated plainly: they broke the LORD's covenant and would not listen or obey.

⁹In the fourth year of Hezekiah’s reign, which was the seventh year of the reign of Hoshea son of Elah over Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and besieged it. ¹⁰And at the end of three years, the Assyrians captured it. ¹¹So Samaria was captured in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel. The king of Assyria exiled the Israelites to Assyria and settled them in Halah, in Gozan by the Habor River, and in the cities of the Medes. ¹²This happened because they did not listen to the voice of the LORD their God, but violated His covenant— all that Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded — and would neither listen nor obey.