Hezekiah
| Hezekiah | |
|---|---|
King Hezekiah on a painting by unknown artist in the choir of St. Mary's Church, Åhus, 17th century | |
| King of Judah | |
| Reign | Uncertain, reign ended c. 687 BC |
| Predecessor | Ahaz |
| Successor | Manasseh |
| Born | c. 739/41 BC probably Jerusalem |
| Died | c. 687 BC (aged 51–54) probably Jerusalem |
| Burial | Jerusalem |
| Spouse | Hephzibah |
| Issue | |
| House | House of David |
| Father | Ahaz |
| Mother | Abijah (also called Abi) |
Hezekiah (/ˌhɛzɪˈkaɪ.ə/; Biblical Hebrew: חִזְקִיָּהוּ, romanized: Ḥizqiyyāhū), or Ezekias (born c. 741 BC, sole ruler c. 716/15–687/86), was the son of Ahaz and the thirteenth king of Judah according to the Hebrew Bible.
In the Biblical narrative, Hezekiah witnessed the destruction of the northern Kingdom of Israel by the Neo-Assyrian Empire under Sargon II in c. 722 BC. He was king of Judah during the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib in 701 BC.
The historical accuracy of King Hezekiah’s reign is a topic of academic discussion, with scholars debating the reforms and Assyrian events based on textual, archaeological, and external evidence. He is considered a very righteous king in both the Second Book of Kings and the Second Book of Chronicles. He is also one of the more prominent kings of Judah mentioned in the Bible and is one of the kings mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. "No king of Judah, among either his predecessors or his successors, could [...] be compared to him", according to 2 Kings 18:5. Isaiah and Micah prophesied during his reign.