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Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 2 Kings 18:1–8. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have here a general account of the reign of Hezekiah. It appears, by comparing his age with his father's, that he was born when his father was about eleven or twelve years old, divine Providence so ordering that he might be of full age, and fit for business, when the measure of his father's iniquity should be full. Here is,
I.His great piety, which was the more wonderful because his father was very wicked and vile, one of the worst of the kings, yet he was one of the best, which may intimate to us that what good there is in any is not of nature, but of grace, free grace, sovereign grace, which, contrary to nature, grafts into the good olive that which was wild by nature (Rom 11:24), and also that grace gets over the greatest difficulties and disadvantages: Ahaz, it is likely, gave his son a bad education as well as a bad example; Urijah his priest perhaps had the tuition of him; his attendants and companions, we may suppose, were such as were addicted to idolatry; and yet Hezekiah became eminently good. When God's grace will work what can hinder it?
1.He was a genuine son of David, who had a great many degenerate ones (Kg2 18:3): He did that which was right, according to all that David his father did, with whom the covenant was made, and therefore he was entitled to the benefit of it. We have read of some of them who did that which was right, but not like David, Kg2 14:3. They did not love God's ordinances, nor cleave to them, as he did; but Hezekiah was a second David, had such a love for God's word, and God's house, as he had. Let us not be frightened with an apprehension of the continual decay of virtue, as if, when times and men are bad, they must needs, of course, grow worse and worse; that does not follow, for, after many bad kings, God raised up one that was like David himself.
2.He was a zealous reformer of his kingdom, and as we find (Ch2 29:3) he began betimes to be so, fell to work as soon as ever he came to the crown, and lost no time. He found his kingdom very corrupt, the people in all things too superstitious. They had always been so, but in the last reign worse than ever. By the influence of his wicked father, a deluge of idolatry had overspread the land; his spirit was stirred against this idolatry, we may suppose (as Paul's at Athens), while his father lived, and therefore, as soon as ever he had power in his hands, he set himself to abolish it (Kg2 18:4), though, considering how the people were wedded to it, he might think it could not be done without opposition.
(1.)The images and the groves were downright idolatrous and of heathenish original. These he broke and destroyed. Though his own father had set them up, and shown an affection for them, yet he would not protect them. We must never dishonour God in honour to our earthly parents.
(2.)The high places, though they had sometimes been used by the prophets upon special occasions and had been hitherto connived at by the good kings, were nevertheless an affront to the temple and a breach of the law which required them to worship there only, and, being from under the inspection of the priests, gave opportunity for the introducing of idolatrous usages. Hezekiah therefore, who made God's word his rule, not the example of his predecessors, removed them, made a law for the removal of them, the demolishing of the chapels, tabernacles, and altars there erected, and the suppressing of the use of them, which law was put in execution with vigour; and, it is probable, the terrible judgments which the kingdom of Israel was now under for their idolatry made Hezekiah the more zealous and the people the more willing to comply with him. It is well when our neighbours' harms are our warnings.
(3.)The brazen serpent was originally of divine institution, and yet, because it had been abused to idolatry, he broke it to pieces. The children of Israel had brought that with them to Canaan; where they set it up we are not told, but, it seems, it had been carefully preserved, as a memorial of God's goodness to their fathers in the wilderness and a traditional evidence of the truth of that story, Num 21:9, for the encouragement of the sick to apply to God for a cure and of penitent sinners to apply to him for mercy. But in process of time, when they began to worship the creature more than the Creator, those that would not worship images borrowed from the heathen, as some of their neighbours did, were drawn in by the tempter to burn incense to the brazen serpent, because that was made by order from God himself and had been an instrument of good to them. But Hezekiah, in his pious zeal for God's honour, not only forbade the people to worship it, but, that it might never be so abused any more, he showed the people that it was Nehushtan, nothing else but a piece of brass, and that therefore it was an idle wicked thing to burn incense to it; he then broke it to pieces, that is, as bishop Patrick expounds it, ground it to powder, which he scattered in the air, that no fragment of it might remain. If any think that the just honour of the brazen serpent was hereby diminished they will find it abundantly made up again, Joh 3:14, where our Saviour makes it a type of himself. Good things, when idolized, are better parted with than kept.
3.Herein he was a nonesuch, Kg2 18:5. None of all the kings of Judah were like him, either before or after him. Two things he was eminent for in his reformation: - (1.) Courage and confidence in God. In abolishing idolatry, there was danger of disobliging his subjects, and provoking them to rebel; but he trusted in the Lord God of Israel to bear him out in what he did and save him from harm. A firm belief of God's all-sufficiency to protect and reward us will conduce much to make us sincere, bold, and vigorous, in the way of our duty, like Hezekiah. When he came to the crown he found his kingdom compassed with enemies, but he did not seek for succour to foreign aids, as his father did, but trusted in the God of Israel to be the keeper of Israel. (2.) Constancy and perseverance in his duty. For this there was none like him, that he clave to the Lord with a fixed resolution and never departed from following him, Kg2 18:6. Some of his predecessors that began well fell off: but he, like Caleb, followed the Lord fully. He not only abolished all idolatrous usages, but kept God's commandments, and in every thing made conscience of his duty.
II.His great prosperity, Kg2 18:7, Kg2 18:8.
He was with God, and then God was with him, and, having the special presence of God with him, he prospered whithersoever he went, had wonderful success in all his enterprises, in his wars, his buildings, and especially his reformation, for that good work was carried on with less difficulty than he could have expected. Those that do God's work with an eye to his glory, and with confidence in his strength, may expect to prosper in it. Great is the truth and will prevail. Finding himself successful,
1.He threw off the yoke of the king of Assyria, which his father had basely submitted to. This is called rebelling against him, because so the king of Assyria called it; but it was really an asserting of the just rights of his crown, which it was not in the power of Ahaz to alienate. If it was imprudent to make this bold struggle so soon, yet I see not that it was, as some think, unjust; when he had thrown out the idolatry of the nations he might well throw off the yoke of their oppression. The surest way to liberty is to serve God.
2.He made a vigorous attack upon the Philistines, and smote them even unto Gaza, both the country villages and the fortified town, the tower of the watchmen and the fenced cities, reducing those places which they had made themselves masters of in his father's time, Ch2 28:18. When he had purged out the corruptions his father had brought in he might expect to recover the possessions his father had lost. Of his victories over the Philistines Isaiah prophesied, Isa 14:28, etc.
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Summary
Second Kings 18:3 introduces King Hezekiah of Judah with a profound and immediate commendation, stating that he "did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did." This verse serves as a pivotal opening declaration, establishing Hezekiah's reign as one of the most righteous and significant in Judah's history. It underscores his deliberate adherence to divine standards and his commitment to reversing the widespread idolatry and moral decay that characterized the preceding reigns, particularly that of his father, Ahaz, thereby setting a hopeful and transformative tone for the narrative that follows.
Context
Literary Context
This verse marks a dramatic and hopeful turning point in the tumultuous narrative of the kings of Judah. Immediately preceding Hezekiah's ascension, the book of 2 Kings meticulously details the egregious wickedness of his father, King Ahaz, who engaged in rampant idolatry, including child sacrifice, and formed unholy alliances that brought Judah to the brink of ruin. The northern kingdom of Israel had just fallen to Assyria, a cataclysmic event detailed in 2 Kings 17, serving as a stark and recent warning to Judah regarding the consequences of covenant unfaithfulness. Against this backdrop of spiritual apostasy and national peril, the opening declaration about Hezekiah's righteousness is not merely a positive evaluation but a powerful literary contrast, signaling a new era of covenant faithfulness and divine favor. The subsequent verses immediately detail Hezekiah's radical reforms, demonstrating the tangible outworking of this initial assessment and validating the narrator's high praise.
Historical & Cultural Context
Hezekiah's reign (c. 715-686 BC) occurred during a period dominated by the formidable Assyrian Empire, which was rapidly expanding its dominion across the Near East. The fall of Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, in 722 BC, underscored the existential threat Judah faced from this superpower. Culturally, Judah was deeply influenced by the religious practices of its neighbors, and under Ahaz, pagan worship, including the veneration of Baal and Molech, had infiltrated Jerusalem and even the Temple itself. The phrase "in the sight of the LORD" is crucial, indicating that Hezekiah's actions were judged by divine standards, not by the prevailing political or cultural norms of his day, which often involved syncretism and compromise to appease powerful empires or local deities. His commitment to exclusive Yahweh worship stood in stark opposition to the prevailing religious landscape and the pressures of the time.
Key Themes
The immediate commendation of Hezekiah in this verse introduces several pivotal themes that will define his reign and resonate throughout the biblical narrative. Firstly, it emphasizes righteous leadership as essential for national well-being and divine blessing. Hezekiah's personal piety and commitment to God's law directly influenced his governance, leading to significant spiritual reforms throughout the land. Secondly, the comparison to "David his father" establishes the enduring theme of the Davidic covenant and the ideal of kingship. David served as the benchmark for faithfulness and obedience, and Hezekiah's adherence to this standard signifies a return to the foundational covenant relationship between God and His people, as seen in David's devotion and God's promise to him outlined in 2 Samuel 7:12-16. This theme underscores the importance of a king's heart and actions aligning with God's will, distinguishing Hezekiah from many of his unfaithful predecessors. Finally, the verse implicitly highlights covenant loyalty and the consequences of obedience. Hezekiah's commitment to doing "that which was right" was an active pursuit of covenant faithfulness, leading to divine intervention and protection for Judah against overwhelming odds, a pattern seen throughout the book of 2 Kings during the Assyrian invasion.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root signifies "to do" or "to make" in its broadest sense, encompassing action, accomplishment, and performance. In the context of 2 Kings 18:3, it denotes Hezekiah's active and deliberate engagement in righteous conduct. It implies that his alignment with God's standards was not passive or merely aspirational, but manifested in concrete actions, decisions, and reforms that shaped his reign and the spiritual landscape of Judah.
Derived from a root meaning "straight," this term denotes moral rectitude, integrity, and uprightness. When applied to human conduct, especially a king's rule, it signifies actions that are just, correct, and in strict adherence to God's revealed law. To do "that which was right in the sight of the LORD" means to act in accordance with divine standards, rather than conforming to human expediency, political pressures, or the corrupt practices prevalent in the surrounding culture. It implies a deliberate choice to align one's will and actions with God's commands.
Literally meaning "eye," this word is used figuratively here to denote perspective, presence, or judgment. "In the sight of the LORD" means that Hezekiah's actions were evaluated and approved from God's divine perspective. It emphasizes that the ultimate arbiter of his conduct was not human opinion or political success, but the all-seeing, righteous God of Israel. This phrase underscores the theological framework of the books of Kings, where the divine assessment is the definitive measure of a monarch's reign.
Verse Breakdown
"And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD"
This opening clause immediately establishes Hezekiah's moral and spiritual character from God's perspective. It highlights that his actions and policies were not merely politically astute or socially acceptable, but were divinely approved and aligned with God's revealed will. This phrase is a recurring theological judgment in the books of Kings, serving as the ultimate criterion for evaluating a monarch's reign. For Hezekiah, it means his rule was characterized by active obedience to God's commandments, a stark contrast to the widespread apostasy of his immediate predecessors.
"according to all that David his father did"
This second clause provides the specific benchmark for Hezekiah's righteousness. It signifies that Hezekiah emulated the exemplary faithfulness and devotion of King David, who, despite his personal sins, was remembered as the king whose heart was wholly committed to the LORD and who established the true worship of God in Israel. This comparison is the highest praise a king of Judah could receive, indicating a return to the foundational spiritual principles of the Davidic covenant and a rejection of the idolatrous innovations of previous kings. It positions Hezekiah as a restorer of true worship and a champion of covenant fidelity.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices to convey its powerful message. Comparison is central, as Hezekiah's reign is explicitly measured against the ideal standard of King David. This comparison immediately elevates Hezekiah's status among the kings of Judah, placing him in a select group of righteous monarchs who upheld the Davidic ideal. Simultaneously, there is a strong implicit Contrast with Hezekiah's immediate predecessor, King Ahaz, whose reign was marked by profound wickedness and idolatry, making Hezekiah's righteousness even more striking and a testament to God's grace. The verse also functions as Foreshadowing, hinting at the extensive religious reforms and the divine favor that will characterize Hezekiah's rule, setting the stage for the dramatic events of his reign, including the cleansing of the temple and the miraculous deliverance from the Assyrians. The concise, declarative nature of the statement also lends it an air of Authority, immediately establishing the divine verdict on Hezekiah's character and reign.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This verse underscores the profound biblical truth that true leadership, particularly in a covenant community, is defined by alignment with God's will and standards, not by human wisdom or political expediency. Hezekiah's choice to do "right in the sight of the LORD" demonstrates the power of individual conviction to reverse generations of spiritual decline and to restore a nation to covenant faithfulness. His adherence to the "Davidic standard" highlights the enduring nature of God's covenant promises and the expectation that those in authority would uphold divine law and promote true worship. This commitment to righteousness is presented as the foundation for divine blessing and protection, a theme consistently woven throughout the historical books of the Old Testament, illustrating that obedience to God is the ultimate path to flourishing for both individuals and nations.
Reflection and Application
Hezekiah's immediate and unequivocal commitment to doing "that which was right in the sight of the LORD," despite the pervasive wickedness of his father and the surrounding culture, offers a powerful testament to the possibility of personal and spiritual transformation. His example challenges believers today to consider whose "sight" they prioritize in their own lives: the fleeting approval of the world, or the enduring standard of God's righteousness. It reminds us that our spiritual heritage, whether positive or negative, does not dictate our personal choices for faithfulness; we are always accountable for our own obedience. Like Hezekiah, we are called to look to godly examples—supremely, to Christ—and to the unchanging principles of God's Word as our benchmark for living. His reign, marked by a courageous return to true worship and a dismantling of idolatry, illustrates that genuine faith is not passive but active, leading to tangible reforms in our lives and spheres of influence, and ultimately bringing God's favor and blessing.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is King David set as the benchmark for Hezekiah's righteousness?
King David is consistently presented in the Old Testament as the paradigmatic king of Israel, the ideal against whom all subsequent kings of Judah were measured. This is primarily because of God's unconditional covenant with David, promising an eternal dynasty and a throne that would endure forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16). While David was not without personal sin, his defining characteristic was his heart's devotion to God; he was described as "a man after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14). He sought God's will in all things, established Jerusalem as the spiritual and political capital, and brought the Ark of the Covenant there, centralizing true worship. Therefore, for Hezekiah to be compared to David signifies that Hezekiah embodied the spirit of covenant faithfulness, sought to restore pure Yahweh worship, and relied on God for his kingdom's security, distinguishing him from the many kings who "did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD."
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Hezekiah, though a righteous king who admirably strove to do "that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did," ultimately serves as a foreshadowing of the perfect, eternal King, Jesus Christ. While Hezekiah's reign was marked by significant reforms and divine deliverance, it was still subject to the limitations of human kingship and ultimately ended with the eventual exile of Judah. Jesus, however, is the true and ultimate Son of David (Matthew 1:1), the only King who perfectly fulfilled the Davidic ideal without blemish or failure. He perpetually did "that which was right in the sight of the LORD" because He always did what pleased the Father (John 8:29) and perfectly embodied divine righteousness. Unlike Hezekiah, whose righteousness was a personal striving and always imperfect, Christ is the very embodiment of righteousness, and His perfect obedience and atoning sacrifice provide the basis for our own righteousness before God (2 Corinthians 5:21). He is the one who establishes an eternal kingdom (Luke 1:32-33) that will never pass away, and through Him, believers are made righteous and brought into fellowship with the God whom He perfectly pleased.