After him was none like him - The same is said of Josiah (marginal reference). The phrase was probably proverbial, and was not taken to mean more than we mean when we say that such and such a king was one of singular piety. read more
Other good kings, as Solomon, Jehoshaphat, Joash, and Amaziah, had fallen away in their later years. Hezekiah remained firm to the last. The phrase “cleaving to God” is frequent in Deuteronomy, but rare elsewhere. read more
2 Kings 18:5-6 . He trusted in the Lord God of Israel In abolishing idolatry, there was danger, as has been intimated, of disobliging his subjects, and provoking them to rebel; but he trusted in the Lord to bear him out, and defend him in what he did. When he came to the crown, he found his kingdom encompassed with enemies; but he did not apply to foreign and heathenish powers for aid or succour, as his father Ahaz had done, but trusted in the God of Israel to be the keeper of Israel, and... read more
18:1-25:30 HISTORY TO THE FALL OF JUDAHNew policies under Hezekiah (18:1-12)With the destruction of the kingdom of Israel in the north and the disastrous reign of Ahaz in the south, Assyrian influence in Palestine was at its peak. In spite of this, the young king Hezekiah set out on the bold task of reforming Judah’s religion and freeing Judah from Assyrian power. He destroyed all the local idolatrous shrines (something that no king since David had been able to do), and because of this the... read more
trusted = confided. Hebrew. batah. App-69 . God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 . none like him: i.e. for trust in Jehovah. Same praise given of Josiah (2 Kings 23:25 ), but in a different respect. read more
and. This "and" is contained in some codices, two early printed editions, Syriac, and Vulgate. The Figure of speech Polysyndeton ( App-6 ) emphasizing the Figure of speech Synonymies, by which the phrases are heaped up to express Hezekiah's goodness, read more
2 Kings 18:5. After him was none like him, &c.— This same commendation is given to Josiah, chap. 2Ki 23:25 so that it must relate to some particular virtue wherein Hezekiah stood distinguished from the rest of the kings of Judah; and that this was his trusting in the Lord God of Israel, as it is in the beginning of the verse, and not in the help of any foreign forces, as all the other kings, even the most renowned for their piety, are known to have done in some measure. See Calmet.... read more
5, 6. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel—without invoking the aid or purchasing the succor of foreign auxiliaries like Asa (1 Kings 15:18; 1 Kings 15:19) and Ahaz (2 Kings 16:17; Isaiah 7:1-25). so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah—Of course David and Solomon are excepted, they having had the sovereignty of the whole country. In the petty kingdom of Judah, Josiah alone had a similar testimony borne to him (2 Kings 16:17- :). But even he was surpassed by Hezekiah,... read more
1. Hezekiah’s goodness 18:1-12Hezekiah began reigning as his father Ahaz’s vice-regent in 729 B.C. and ruled as such for 14 years. In 715 B.C. he began his sole rule over Judah that lasted until 697 B.C. (18 years). He then reigned with his son Manasseh who served as his vice-regent for 11 more years (697-686 B.C.). His 29-year reign (2 Kings 18:2) was from 715-686 B.C. [Note: See J. Barton Payne, "The Relationship of the Reign of Ahaz to the Accession of Hezekiah," Bibliotheca Sacra 125:501... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 18:6
For he clave to the Lord —rather, and he clave to the Lord ; i.e. he persevered through the whole of his life; he did not fall into sins at the last, like Asa and Azariah (see 2 Chronicles 16:7-12 ; 2 Chronicles 26:1-23 .' 16-21)— and departed not from following him. The writer probably considers "the princes of Judah" answerable for the embassy to Egypt mentioned in Isaiah 30:4 , and excuses Hezekiah's ostentatious display of his treasures to the ambassadors of Merodach-Baladan... read more