person · P0070
Chizkiyahu חזקיהו
Chizkiyahu is a reforming king of Judah whose reign is dominated by the Assyrian crisis. Kings praises his trust in God and describes his removal of cultic objects, including Moshe's bronze serpent after it became an object of worship. The biblical siege narrative is independently illuminated by Sennacherib's annals, which name Hezekiah and describe the Assyrian campaign in Judah.
I. Who
- Hebrew
- חזקיהו
- Also known as
- Hezekiah, King Hezekiah
- Era
- bible
- Parents
- Achaz
- Children
- Menashe
II. When
- Traditional
- 3199–3228 AM, twenty-nine years as king of Judah
- Academic
- c. 715–686 BCE.
- Lifespan (traditional)
- ≈29 years
- Precision
- approximate
III. Where
- Places
- Jerusalem
V. How do we know
| Claim | Evidence | Confidence | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chizkiyahu removed the high places, smashed pillars and the bronze serpent made by Moshe because Israelites had been offering incense to it, and is praised for exceptional trust in God.
Directly stated in the cited source. |
biblical | ★★★★★ | |
| Sennacherib invaded Judah and threatened Jerusalem, but Yeshayahu announced that the Assyrian king would not enter the city; the biblical account says the Assyrian force was struck and Sennacherib returned to Nineveh.
Directly stated in the cited source. |
biblical | ★★★★★ | |
| When Chizkiyahu became mortally ill, he prayed, received a promise of fifteen additional years, and was given the reversal of the shadow as a sign.
Directly stated in the cited source. |
biblical | ★★★★★ | |
| Sennacherib's royal prism names Hezekiah king of Judah, describes the conquest of fortified Judean cities and tribute from him, and boasts that he was confined in Jerusalem "like a bird in a cage."
The Assyrian account corroborates the campaign and Hezekiah's historical existence but interprets its outcome from Sennacherib's royal perspective. The British Museum collection page for the prism blocks automated access, so the URL points to an overview of Sennacherib's annals.
|
external archaeology | ★★★★★ | |
| Chizkiyahu was the son of King Achaz and Avi daughter of Zechariah; he became king at age twenty-five and reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem.
The parallel in Divrei HaYamim calls his mother Aviyah. |
biblical | ★★★★★ | |
| In his fourteenth regnal year, Sennacherib captured the fortified cities of Judah; Chizkiyahu sent to him at Lachish and paid three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
The tribute amount is the figure reported by Kings. |
biblical | ★★★★★ | |
| After Chizkiyahu's illness and recovery, Berodach-baladan of Babylon sent envoys and a gift, and Chizkiyahu showed them his treasuries.
The illness and diplomatic visit are narrated consecutively; Yeshayahu's rebuke follows.
|
biblical | ★★★★★ | |
| Kings credits Chizkiyahu with constructing the pool and conduit that brought water into Jerusalem; Divrei HaYamim similarly describes him blocking the upper outlet of the Gichon and channeling the water westward into the City of David.
The extant tunnel and ancient inscription are archaeological remains, although the Siloam inscription itself does not name Chizkiyahu.
|
biblical | ★★★★★ | |
| Divrei HaYamim says Chizkiyahu was buried in the ascent of the tombs of the descendants of David and received honor from Judah and Jerusalem at his death.
No individual tomb has been archaeologically identified as his. |
biblical | ★★★★★ | |
| The traditional placement 3199–3228 AM, twenty-nine years as king of Judah, is a schematic Mesorah Atlas reconstruction from Kings' synchronism and its statement that he reigned twenty-nine years; the cited sources do not state an absolute AM range.
The cited sources establish relative chronology or regnal duration; they do not state the absolute AM range.
|
tradition reconstruction | ★★☆☆☆ |