2Ki 18:1-10 | HCSB | STEP | In the third year of Israel’s King Hoshea son of Elah , Hezekiah son of Ahaz became king of Judah .

2 Kings 18:1-10

1 In the third year of Israel’s King Hoshea ^a son of Elah, Hezekiah ^b son of Ahaz became king of Judah. 2 He was 25 years old when he became king and reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi ^{▼▼= Abijah in 2Ch 29:1} daughter of Zechariah. 3 He did what was right in the Lord’s sight just as his ancestor David had done. ^d 4 He removed the ^{▼▼high place(s): An ancient place of worship most often associated with pagan religions, usually built on an elevated location}high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the ^{▼▼Asherah(s): A Canaanite fertility goddess, who was the mother of the god Baal; also the wooden poles associated with the worship of her}Asherah poles. ^g He broke into pieces the bronze snake that Moses made, ^h for the Israelites burned incense to it up to that time. He called it Nehushtan. ^{▼▼= A bronze thing}

5 Hezekiah trusted in the Lord God of Israel; ^j not one of the kings of Judah was like him, either before him or after him. ^k 6 He remained faithful to ^{▼▼Yahweh/Yah: Or The Lord; the personal name of God in Hebrew; "Yah" is the shortened form of the name.}Yahweh ^m and did not turn from following Him but kept the commands the Lord had commanded Moses.

7 The Lord was with him, and wherever he went he prospered. ⁿ He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. ^o 8 He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its borders, ^p from watchtower ^q to fortified city.

Review of Israel’s Fall

9 In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Israel’s King Hoshea son of Elah, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and besieged it. ^r 10 The Assyrians captured it at the end of three years. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Israel’s King Hoshea, Samaria was captured.