2 Kings 18 5

2 Kings 18:5 kjv

He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.

2 Kings 18:5 nkjv

He trusted in the LORD God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.

2 Kings 18:5 niv

Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him.

2 Kings 18:5 esv

He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him.

2 Kings 18:5 nlt

Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time.

2 Kings 18 verses

2 Kings 18 5 Meaning

2 Kings 18:5 describes King Hezekiah of Judah as a monarch of exceptional spiritual distinction. The verse specifically commends him for his profound and steadfast trust in the Lord, the God of Israel. This unshakeable reliance on Yahweh was so singular and complete that the Bible states no king of Judah, either before or after him, demonstrated an equal measure of trust in God. This superlative declaration establishes Hezekiah as an exemplary figure, whose faith drove his remarkable religious reforms and his courageous stand against formidable earthly powers.

2 Kings 18 5 Context

The immediate context of 2 Kings 18 introduces the reign of Hezekiah as a stark contrast to the widespread idolatry and political apostasy of his father, Ahaz. King Ahaz had actively promoted foreign religious practices, sacrificed his own son, and relied on the Assyrian Empire for security, desecrating the Jerusalem Temple in the process (2 Kgs 16). Against this backdrop, Hezekiah's reign signifies a remarkable turnaround for Judah. Historically, Judah was a small kingdom caught between the ambitions of powerful Mesopotamian empires, particularly Assyria. Hezekiah's trust in the Lord was profoundly tested during the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem by King Sennacherib (detailed in 2 Kings 18:13-19:37), where Judah's survival depended entirely on divine intervention rather than military or diplomatic strength. This historical pressure cooker makes Hezekiah's unwavering trust in God, despite overwhelming odds, the defining characteristic highlighted in this verse.

2 Kings 18 5 Word Analysis

• He trusted: From the Hebrew verb בָּטַח (bāṭaḥ), which signifies a deep and unwavering confidence, reliance, or security. It is more than just belief; it's an active resting in God, abandoning self-reliance or reliance on human strength or other deities. This kind of trust implies firm dependence and certainty in the object of trust, Yahweh.
• in the Lord: יהוה (YHWH), the sacred, personal, covenant name of God revealed to Israel. This specific designation emphasizes that Hezekiah's trust was not generic spirituality but an exclusive reliance on the one true God who had chosen Israel and entered into a covenant relationship with them. It underscores a personal relationship rather than adherence to a religious system.
• the God of Israel: אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (ʾĕlōhê yiśrāʾēl). This title reiterates YHWH's unique identity as the covenant-keeping, sovereign God of the nation of Israel. In a polytheistic ancient world, this stressed the distinctiveness of YHWH as opposed to the gods of surrounding nations, firmly rooting Hezekiah's faith within the exclusive parameters of the Abrahamic covenant.
• so that after him there was none like him: אֵין כָּמוֹהוּ אַחֲרָיו (ʾên kāmôhû ʾaḥărâw). This powerful superlative declaration ("none like him") highlights the unique and unprecedented nature of Hezekiah's trust among subsequent kings. It elevates him to an unparalleled position based on this specific quality.
• among all the kings of Judah: Specifies the lineage and realm over which Hezekiah is being compared. This refers to the monarchs who ruled the Southern Kingdom of Judah after the division of the united monarchy.
• nor among those who were before him: וַאֲשֶׁר הָיוּ לְפָנָיו (waʾăšer hāyû lĕp̄ānâw). This expands the superlative to include all previous kings of Judah, placing Hezekiah's trust above even kings like Asa or Jehoshaphat, who were also generally righteous but demonstrated some failings in trust (e.g., Asa relying on physicians instead of God, 2 Chr 16:12; Jehoshaphat making alliance with Ahaz, 2 Chr 18:1).

Words-group analysis:

• "He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel": This opening clause lays the theological foundation for Hezekiah's exceptional reign. His faith was anchored solely in the personal, covenant God of his people, indicating a conscious and complete turning away from the idolatry and pragmatic political alliances favored by his father, Ahaz. This highlights the purity and focus of his devotion, a virtue that permeates the rest of his story in Kings and Chronicles.
• "so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him": This serves as a grand theological verdict, positioning Hezekiah's trust as historically unparalleled. While King Josiah later receives similar praise for adhering to the law (2 Kgs 23:25), Hezekiah's distinction is explicitly tied to his "trust"—a deep reliance that empowered him to purge idolatry and resist imperial aggression. This superlative emphasizes that his faith transcended typical royal piety, demonstrating an active, unwavering, and radical dependence on God in the face of impossible human odds, which became the cornerstone of Judah's miraculous deliverance.

2 Kings 18 5 Bonus section

• The singular commendation for "trust" bestowed upon Hezekiah distinguishes him even from David, the standard of ideal kingship. While David was "a man after God's own heart," the narrative praises Hezekiah's trust in a unique way, especially given the increasingly desperate times of Judah. It suggests a qualitative peak in this specific aspect of piety among Judah's kings.
• The destruction of the bronze serpent, Nehushtan, which Moses had made, is recorded in 2 Kings 18:4, just before this verse. This audacious act symbolizes the profound and radical nature of Hezekiah's trust. It illustrates that his faith was so pure that he was willing to abolish even an ancient, divinely originated symbol if it had become an object of worship, demonstrating a total allegiance to YHWH alone, validating the superlative commendation of his trust.
• The phrase "God of Israel" is significant in its historical context, acting as a direct theological contrast to the polytheism and syncretism prevalent among Judah's neighbors and even within Judah itself before Hezekiah's reforms. His trust was exclusively in the one true covenant God, rather than incorporating elements of foreign worship, highlighting the depth of his monotheistic conviction.

2 Kings 18 5 Commentary

2 Kings 18:5 acts as the key interpretive lens for understanding Hezekiah's reign. It attributes his distinctiveness among Judah's kings directly to the quality and intensity of his trust in the Lord. In a lineage often marked by kings who wavered between God and idols, or relied on human might, Hezekiah’s unwavering dependence on Yahweh stands as an extraordinary counter-narrative. His trust was not a passive belief, but an active commitment demonstrated through daring religious reforms (like destroying the Nehushtan, the bronze serpent, which had become an idol) and his unyielding defiance of the Assyrian Empire—an act of faith when all logical options dictated surrender. This verse thus introduces a king whose reliance on divine power, rather than earthly strength, was truly unprecedented and became the catalyst for God’s miraculous intervention on Judah’s behalf, underscoring that genuine faith yields remarkable divine blessings and preservation.