Bible Commentaries

With the accession of Hezekiah a great change came over the life of Judah. Among all the reformers he was perhaps the most remarkable. That this was so in spite of the fact that he was the son of Ahaz is interesting, and leads to inquiry as to the reason. The answer is not far to seek. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah, probably the person mentioned by the prophet Isaiah (8:2) as a "faithful witness." This possible friendship, of his mother for the prophet, combined with the certainty that up to this time he had been under the influence of Isaiah's ministry, may account for Hezekiah's action on coming to the throne. A man brought up in the atmosphere of the wonderful teaching of Isaiah would naturally inaugurate his reign along lines diametrically opposed to those followed by his father.

The reformation began in Hezekiah's deep consciousness of the wretched condition of the people, and the reason thereof. This is most graphically set forth in his words to the priests and Levites when he called them together. He made no attempt to blame on God the calamities which had overtaken the nation. On the other hand, he traced the story of their sin, and declared that the result was the wrath of God, which had expressed itself in their disasters. He then commenced the work of restoring the order of worship, the first business of which was to cleanse the house. Some idea of the condition of things may be gathered from the fact that the Levites were occupied sixteen whole days in carrying out the accumulated filth from the sacred precincts. This being done, the great ceremony of rededication followed. The consciousness of the true order is manifest in Hezekiah's words, "Now ye have consecrated yourselves . . . bring sacrifices and thank-offerings." The New Testament parallel is found in the words of the apostle to the Corinthians, "First they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us by the will of God."