Hezekiah Becomes King of Judah^(A)

18 Now it happened that during the third year of the reign of^[a] Elah’s son Hoshea, king of Israel, that Ahaz’ son Hezekiah became king. ² He was 25 years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for 29 years. His mother was Zechariah’s daughter Abi. ³ He did what the Lord considered to be right, according to everything that his ancestor David had done.

Hezekiah’s Reforms^(B)

⁴ He removed the high places, demolished the sacred pillars, and tore down the Asherah poles. He also demolished the bronze serpent that Moses had crafted, because the Israelis had been burning incense to it right up until that time. Hezekiah^[b] called it a piece of brass.^{[c] 5} He trusted the Lord God of Israel, and after him there were none like him among all the kings of Judah, ⁶ because he depended on the Lord, not abandoning pursuit of him, and keeping the Lord’s commands that he had commanded Moses. ⁷ So the Lord was with him, and Hezekiah prospered wherever he went, even when he rebelled against the king of Assyria, refusing to serve him. ⁸ He attacked the Philistines, invading Gaza and its borders from watchtower to fortified garrison.