Literary Context Of ' King Hezekiah Of Judah '

In both the Taylor Prism of Sennacherib and 2 Kings 18-19, the event of Judah attacked by Sennacherib is described. However, as both are compared Sennacherib’s story is more boastful and feels to be less truthful because of its boastful nature. They do share components and allow the study of the people, but both stories differ as well. The one thing that could help decide the truthfulness of each story is to know what really happened that night.

early church.” 1 And though the Temple was rebuilt it never returned to the splendor of the first. It could not because Israel had lost the treasures of the Frist Temple that God had bestowed upon them, namely the Ark of the Covenant. Israel stayed a part of the Persian Empire for over two hundred years and during this time the people saw Gods hand moving in their history.

During Hezekiah’s reign, he joined in a rebellion against king Sargon of Assyria, but the alliance suffered defeat (Wilcox, 2014). Fast forward, and king Sargon had died leaving the throne to his son Sennacherib, this transition provided the opportunity for another revolt against the Assyrians. Moreover, both the Egyptians and Babylonians requested Hezekiah’s support in the forthcoming rebellion. Meanwhile, the prophet Isiah warned against joining either kingdom in the insurgency, but Hezekiah disregarded Isiah’s counsel.

It is noted that a man named Hosea foresaw the exile. Research shows that Hosea had warned the Northern Kingdom of Israel of impending disaster if the northerners continued to play the harlot with foreign gods” (Glass 39). However no one took him seriously as that had never happened before and sounded outrageous. Despite this, “Mere decades after Hosea 's warnings, however, the Kingdom of Israel’s population was exiled by the Assyrian Empire. This foreshadowing would play a role later on as to t (More needed)

In Fall 539 B.C, Cyrus II, the Persian king, defeated the Babylonians and attained the whole Mesopotamian region. About a year before, he

After Solomon died, the kingdom was divided into two: the Northern Kingdom, called Israel and the Southern Kingdom, called Judah. Common elements of two nations are that both the kings of Israel and Judah practiced idolatry. One of the most terrible king of Israel is king Ahab who ignores the God and spread idol worship of Baal. Although many of the kings served idols, a few kings of Judah served the God faithfully. One of the good kings of Judah is king Jehoshaphat who worshiped the God and educate his people do so too.

Hezekiah prepared for a possible invasion by the Assyrians during Sennacherib's reign by preparing a sheltered water supply (Tullock & McEntire, 2012). He created a pool of water by digging a 1700 foot long tunnel (Tullock & McEntire, 2012). The pool of water did little to hold off Sennacherib, as the Assyrians conquered and retrieved Hezekiah’s treasures and gold (Tullock & McEntire, 2012). Hezekiah also prayed at the temple (Tullock & McEntire, 2012).

Under the reign of Solomon, Israel reached great economic and political heights along with its security and prosperity. Solomon was renowned for his wisdom, wealth and building projects, but with these projects came heavy taxes and harsh labour on his people. After his death, the kingdom was divided into two separate kingdoms, north and south. The biblical record accounts for the division as a consequence for him staying from God, but his tax and labour laws and new administrative districts also lead to friction within his people. The immature leader that followed him amplified this friction.

With the fall of Samaria a couple of years before Hezekiah progressed toward becoming ruler of Judah, the call to change was considered

Each kingdom has their own upper hand on different assets that made them stand out from one another. It was impossible for these kingdoms to ever unite. The northern kingdom was known as Israel. In most circumstances, Israel was considered the stronger kingdom. Israel held a higher population of people and guarded all the dominant roads that surrounded the kingdom.

I believe that in this instance Hezekiah has lost all faith and he did not want to give up his dignity. He sent a message to the King of Assyria telling him how he had done wrong, to turn away from him and whatever he had in store for him that he would pay him off. The he gave him all of the silver that he found in the house of the Lord. He stripped all the gold from the doors of the temple and pillars, then gave it to the King of Assyria. (Guzik, 2015)

The nation of Israel was set apart as holy to the LORD. But they When the children of Israel demanded a king, they did so to be like the other nations. The first three kings were Saul, (outwardly tall, handsome and strong—a seemingly good choice for a king, but inwardly arrogant, proud and unrepentant—not God’s choice), David (a man after God’s own heart who repented of his sins and as such was God’s choice), and Solomon (the wisest man who ever lived, but because of covenant disobedience became the catalyst for the division and ultimate exile of Israel.

Possible evidence found to confirm Hezekiah’s reform was evidenced by the Lord’s spokesman (Tullock & McEntire, 2012). Isaiah reassured Hezekiah that Jerusalem would never fall to Sennacherib (Tullock & McEntire, 2012). Isaiah also told Hezekiah the Sennacherib would return to his home only to be assassinated (Tullock & McEntire, 2012). Hezekiah also encountered a dilemma involving his health and the face of death (Tullock & McEntire, 2012). Hezekiah pled for a longer life in which fifteen more years was granted (Tullock & McEntire, 2012).

The preamble of a Hittite treaty between Muršilis and Duppi-Tešub illustrates this idea well: “These are the words of the Sun18 Muršilis, the great king, the king of the Hatti land, the valiant, the favorite of the Storm-god, the son of Šuppiluliumas, the great king, the king of the Hatti land, the valiant.”19 Other Hittite treaties (e.g., the one between Tudh}aliya IV and Kurunta of Tarh}untašša) are analogous to this one,20 and in them one usually finds, as is characteristicof Hittite royal edicts, the king imposing his covenant on the vassal.21 Unlike parity treaties, suzerainty treaties are not between equals. Even if both are kings, they do not have equal status, and that is reflected in the

2 Chronicles was written around 430 B.C. The major argument is Yahweh will recompense kings and people according to their obedience to his covenant and the Mosaic Law as evidence by spiritual worship and obedience in the temple. The main purpose is to encourage restored remnant to obey Yahweh covenant Mosaic Law through pure worship and in restored temple. The key verse is 2 Chronicles 7:14. The key people are Solomon, the queen of Sheba, Rehoboam, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Joash, Uzziah (Azariah), Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, and Josiah. The major themes are Temple, peace, prayer, reform, National collapse, success, failure of Kings impact on the nation, obedience to God's law, kings that did evil in God's sight, deliverance,