Hezekiah

Hezekiah (Hebrew: Chizkiyahu) was a king of the southern Kingdom of Judah who ruled in Jerusalem from approximately 715 to 686 BCE. He was the son of Ahaz and the father of Manasseh. In biblical and historical tradition, Hezekiah is portrayed as a reforming sovereign who sought to consolidate royal power and redirect religious practice toward the Temple in Jerusalem.

His reign is best known for religious reforms and temple restoration. He centralized worship in Jerusalem, purged idolatrous practices, and restored the Levitical priesthood and proper temple service. Hezekiah also undertook major infrastructure projects, most famously the Siloam Tunnel, a water conduit carved to bring fresh water into the city during sieges. The Siloam Inscription, found at the tunnel's entrance, records the completion of the work.

The era was marked by conflict with the Assyrian empire. In 701 BCE, Sennacherib’s forces invaded Judah and besieged Jerusalem. The biblical account presents divine deliverance as the turning point, while the Assyrian records attribute the campaign to other objectives and note the withdrawal of their forces. The historical details of the siege and Hezekiah’s response are the subject of ongoing scholarly discussion, with archaeology and Assyrian texts providing partial corroboration.

Hezekiah’s legacy in biblical literature presents him as a model of faith and reform. His reign is situated in the late First Temple period and was followed by the long reign of his son Manasseh. His depiction varies between sources but remains central to discussions of Judah’s late 8th century BCE history.