The conquest of the northern kingdom and the siege of Jerusalem plays a significant role in Jewish history. This history, especially the siege of Jerusalem by Assyrian king Sennacherib, is recorded in three Old Testament books, 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles and Isaiah. It is unusual in that all three books provide considerable historical detail, with significant similarities and differences. Indeed, the book of Isaiah follows 2 Kings closely, with some detail left out of 2 Chronicles.
These events (occurring around 700 BC) are recent enough that we have external histories and archaeological contributions to our knowledge of the time.
Let's begin with the Old Testament chronologies. As always, my highlighted links are set ip so that they will open in a separate window. This allows one, if they so desire, to open parallel passages at the same time and compare them. (A major source for these notes is A Synoptic Harmony of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, edited by James D. Newsome, Jr.)
The early reign of Hezekiah
2 Kings 18:1-3 and 2 Chronicles 29:1-3 introduce the reign of Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, in Jerusalem. Those passages are quite similar.
Then 2 Chronicles 29:3-30:27 describes Hezekiah's purification of the temple and renewal of worship, including the renewal of the Passover feast. His destruction of idols is described briefly in 2 Kings 18:4-8, while 2 Chronicles continues, in chapter 31, to describe other reforms of worship and the priesthood. As is typical, 2 Chronicles focuses on changes in worship in the temple while 2 Kings focuses more on dynastic histories.
Briefly 2 Kings 17:5-6 and 18:9-12 describes the capture of the northern kingdom by Shalmaneser of Assyria.
Sennacherib's siege and taunts
Sennacherib of Assyria suddenly appears (ten years later) in all three books, introduced briefly in 2 Kings 18:13, Isaiah 36:1 and 2 Chronicles 32:1. Although Assyria is east of Judah, Sennacherib advances from the southwest, first conquering the fortified town of Lachich.
2 Chronicles 32:2-8 describes Hezekiah's work on the water resources for the city. In contrast, 2 Kings 18:14-22 describes Hezekiah stripping gold from the temple doors and paying tribute to Sennacherib, while the Assyrian king was at Lachish. This does not mollify Sennacherib, for he then presses on to besiege Jerusalem, sending his lieutenants to taunt the people outside the city gates.
The Biblical Archaeology Society has an article on a wall probably built at this time. and another article on Sennacherib's siege camp.
All three books describe the taunts of Sennacherib's leaders. In Isaiah 36:2-7, the King of Assyria sends "the Rabshakeh" from Lachish to Jerusalem. II Chronicles 32:9-12 merely identifies the group from Lacish as "servants" of the king. In contrast 2 Kings 18:17-22 gives three titles, the Rabshakeh, the Rabsaris and the Tartan. The accounts of 2 Kings and Isaiah are the closest; both name Judean leaders and the location ("conduit of the upper pool on the highway to Fuller's Field") for the meeting between enemy leaders. In all three accounts the taunts include the claim that Hezekiah has already removed altars to the god of the Jews. 2 Kings 18:23-32 and Isaiah 36:8-18a include the "wager" on two thousand horses and the requests to converse in Aramaic, not Hebrew. A three accounts in 2 Kings 18:33-37, Isaiah 36:18b-22 and 2 Chronicles 32:13-19 include the claims all the other gods have been defeated by Sennacherib. The passage in 2 Chronicles is lengthier here as it includes accounts of both letters and loud shouts that taunt the faith of the people of Judah.
After the taunts, 2 Kings 19:1-13 and Isaiah 37:1-13 are almost identical (except for one small missing phrase in 2 Kings 19:9) in their description of Hezekiah's prayer before God in the temple, accompanied by other leaders. The prayer is then answered as Sennacherib's army is drawn away north of Lachish and Rabshakeh's final retreating taunts, on which he again reports that the gods of other countries have all failed.
God responds
In 2 Kings 19:14-34 and Isaiah 37:14-35, Hezekiah take's Rebshakeh's message into the temple and spreads it "before the LORD." Hezekiah then prays for salvation from the hand of Sennacherib. Isaiah reassures Hezekiah that his request is granted and that God has a message for the taunting king of Assyria. This includes the haunting passage,
‘But I know where you are
and when you come and go
and how you rage against me.
Because you rage against me
and because your insolence has reached my ears
I will put my hook in your nose
and my bit in your mouth,
and I will make you return
by the way you came.’
Leaving out many of the details of the Assyrian taunts, 2 Chronicles 32:20 reports on Hezekiah and Isaiah praying in the temple. Finally the destruction of the Assyrian army and the assassination of Sennacherib are described in 2 Kings 19:35-37, Isaiah 37:36-38 and 2 Chronicles 32:21-23.
Hezekiah's Illness
After Sennacherib is defeated, Hezekiah becomes deathly ill. His illness, prayer, answered prayer and the movement of the shadow ten steps are all described in both 2 Kings 20:1-11 and Isaiah 38:1-8, 21-22. Those passages are similar but are slightly different in places. The scroll of Chronicles covers all of this in one verse, 2 Chronicles 32:24 and then goes on (2 Chronicles 32:25-30) to describe both Hezekiah's pride and humility. In that passage Hezekiah's immense wealth and prosperity are described, along with a short comment about his diversion of the springs of Gihon.
Biblical archaeology has an article on the assassination of Sennacherib. (See also 2 Kings 19:37; 2 Chronicles 32:21.)
The Visit from Babylon
After recovering from his illness, Hezekiah is visited by Merodach-baladan, the son of a king of Babylon. That visit is described in 2 Kings 20: 12-19 and Isaiah 39:1-8, passages that are almost identical. 2 Chronicles mentions this visit briefly, in a single verse, 2 Chronicles 32:31, as a commentary on Hezekiah's devotion to wealth over YHWH.
The death of Hezekiah is then covered briefly in 2 Kings 20:20-21, 2 Chronicles 32:32-33. These accounts also mention Hezekiah's water tunnel.
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