2 Kings 18 2

2 Kings 18:2 kjv

Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.

2 Kings 18:2 nkjv

He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.

2 Kings 18:2 niv

He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah.

2 Kings 18:2 esv

He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah.

2 Kings 18:2 nlt

He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.

2 Kings 18 verses

2 Kings 18 2 Meaning

Second Kings 18:2 introduces Hezekiah, king of Judah, by stating he began his reign at the age of twenty-five and reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. It also records his mother's name as Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. This verse establishes the fundamental chronological and familial details of a monarch whose rule would be characterized by significant religious and political reform in Judah.

2 Kings 18 2 Context

Chapter 18 opens the account of King Hezekiah of Judah. He is introduced as the son of Ahaz, a king infamous for his profound idolatry and apostasy, including offering his son in fire to pagan deities. Against this backdrop of spiritual decay, 2 Kings 18:2 immediately shifts focus to Hezekiah's personal details. Historically, this period in Judah was one of immense political and spiritual turmoil. The northern kingdom of Israel was on the verge of collapsing under Assyrian conquest, a fate that Judah itself faced multiple threats from. Jerusalem, as the capital, was the center of religious life and the target of imperial aggression. The mention of his age and reign length establishes a timeframe for the subsequent events, notably his extensive religious reforms, the Sennacherib invasion, and divine interventions.

2 Kings 18 2 Word analysis

• He: Refers to Hezekiah (חִזְקִיָּהוּ - Ḥizqîyyāhû), whose name means "Yahweh strengthens" or "Yahweh is my strength." This is profoundly significant given the widespread idolatry during his father Ahaz's reign and Hezekiah's own commitment to Yahweh. The name itself anticipates the divine empowerment he would experience.
• was twenty-five years old: This age marks a young accession, implying personal conviction and vigor for leadership and reform rather than merely being influenced by elders. Contrast this with his father Ahaz who reigned 16 years (2 Kgs 16:2) and died young, possibly 36 (assuming 20+16). Hezekiah, at 25, would be a young adult with agency.
• when he began to reign: (בְּמָלְכוֹ - bə-māləḵô, "in his reigning/when he became king"). This phrase formally inaugurates his kingship, indicating the start of a new, distinct era.
• and he reigned: (מָלַךְ - malakh, "to reign," "to be king"). The repeated verb emphasizes his active exercise of kingly authority.
• twenty-nine years: This indicates a substantial period of rule, allowing for long-term policy implementation, religious reforms, and military confrontations, particularly with Assyria. A long reign was often seen as a sign of divine blessing for a righteous king (cf. Prov 10:27).
• in Jerusalem: (בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם - bîrûšālayim, "in Jerusalem"). This specifies the legitimate seat of the Davidic monarchy. Jerusalem was the designated city of David, housing the Temple, and therefore central to Judah's religious and political identity, distinguishing Judah from the now fallen Northern Kingdom whose kings reigned in Samaria.
• His mother's name was Abijah: Recording the mother's name (and often her father's) was standard for Judean kings, a practice not consistently followed for Israelite kings. This likely reflected the matrilineal emphasis on the royal line, particularly important in maintaining the Davidic covenant through turbulent times.
• Abijah: (אֲבִיָּה - ’Avivyah, "My father is Yah" or "Yahweh is my father"). This name's meaning itself, unlike many pagan-sounding names from Ahaz's time, strongly suggests piety and a connection to Yahweh within his mother's lineage, potentially influencing Hezekiah positively from his early life despite his father's wickedness. In 2 Chron 29:1, she is called Abi, a shorter form of Abijah.
• the daughter of Zechariah: (בַּת-זְכַרְיָהוּ - bat Zəḵaryāh, "daughter of Zechariah"). The name Zechariah means "Yahweh remembers" or "Yahweh has remembered." This further reinforces the religious background of Hezekiah's mother. While the Bible does not explicitly identify this Zechariah, some scholars have suggested he could be the prophet Zechariah mentioned in Isa 8:2, who served as a faithful witness, thus providing a godly heritage for Hezekiah. This specific mention suggests Zechariah was a notable figure of his time, further highlighting the positive influence Hezekiah could have received.

2 Kings 18 2 Bonus section

The specific age of 25 for Hezekiah's ascension is often noted as relatively young for significant reforms. This suggests his actions stemmed from personal conviction rather than simply adhering to tradition or political expediency. The length of his reign (29 years) enabled him to be a contemporary of major prophets like Isaiah and Micah, whose ministries profoundly influenced and guided his rule and the nation's spiritual direction during times of crisis. The details provided in this introductory verse, seemingly mundane, set the stage for one of the most significant and positively depicted reigns in the Books of Kings, highlighting God's sovereignty in raising up a righteous leader even after a wicked one. The continuous reign "in Jerusalem" reaffirms the theological significance of the city as chosen by God for the Davidic dynasty and the Temple worship.

2 Kings 18 2 Commentary

2 Kings 18:2 lays the foundational biographical data for Hezekiah's reign, emphasizing chronological details (age, length of reign) and his maternal lineage. The mention of his mother, Abijah, daughter of Zechariah, with their "Yahweh"-centered names, offers a subtle but significant hint regarding Hezekiah's potential for piety. This verse contrasts sharply with the records of many previous kings, especially his own father Ahaz, known for gross apostasy. By beginning his rule at the young age of twenty-five and reigning for twenty-nine years, Hezekiah demonstrated both youthful dynamism for radical religious reform and the longevity required to consolidate Judah's identity and power in the face of Assyrian imperial threats. His long reign facilitated the purification of the land from idolatry and the strengthening of Judah's devotion to Yahweh, marking a pivotal period in the history of Judah, aligning with the standards of righteousness expected of a true Davidic king.