A Journey through the Bible with Tiglath

68. The Second Book of Kings, chapter 17 v 24 to end chapter 19

In verse 24 the King of Assyria brings men from Babylon and placed them In

Samaritan cities from which the people of Israel had been taken into exile,

These newcomers did not fear God so he sent lions to eat some of them (v.

25). They complained to the King of Assyria who ordered that Israelite priests

should be taken back to Samaria to teach the people there how to fear God..

This did not seem to work, as v 29 — 31 tell us that the

people chose their own gods to worship.

Chapter 18 begins with the reign of Hezekiah,

King of Judah. He was a good king, reigning in

Jerusalem for 29 years. He would have nothing

to do with pagan worship and destroyed idols,

graven images, groves and serpents of brass. V.

7 states; ‘and the Lord was with him and he

prospered whithersoever he went’. Chapter 18

becomes very interesting from v. 13 onwards.

In the 14th year of Hezekiah’s reign

Sennacherib attacked Judah and captured its

fenced cities. He did this because Hezekiah was

plotting with Egypt against Assyria. Hezekiah apologised to Sennacherib who

rewarded him with gold and silver. The next event took place Hezekiah when

Sennacherib sent a mighty force to Jerusalem. The leaders of this force

accused Hezekiah of plotting with Egypt against Assyria. They also spoke to

the people of Jerusalem in their own language telling them that their city

would be destroyed. He invited the citizens to come out and be led and later

they would all be taken into exile a land of corn,

vines,bread and vineyards,

a land of olive oil and of

honey (v.32). The people

of Jerusalem did not

respond to either the threat

or the invitation.

We now travel through

chapter 19. Hezekiah is

deeply troubled by the Assyrians. His servants consulted Isaiah who sent a

message to the king. telling him not to worry as something will:

cause the Assyrians to return to their own country where Sennacherib will

fall by the sword. Before this happened! Hezekiah received news from

Tirhakah, King of Ethiopia advising him not to trust in God as he would not

be delivered by God. Hezekiah took no notice of this and instead prayed to

God, asking to be saved.

In v. 32 we find these words; ‘Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the King of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there nor come before it with shield., nor cast a siege ramp against it.’ That night the angel of the Lord smote the camp of the Assyrians and killed 185,000 of them, Sennacherib returned to Ninevah where, as he was worshipping in the temple of Nisroch, his god, his sons killed him with swords. Esarhaddon, his son then reigned in his place. In the next part of our journey Hezekiah has ‘his life lengthened and the sun goes ten degrees

backward”.