2 Kings 18 · Verse 1

2 Kings 18:1

Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
2 Kings 18:1, King James Version

2 Kings 18:1 in other translations

BSBIn the third year of the reign of Hoshea son of Elah over Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz became king of Judah.
WEBNow in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
ASVNow it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
YLTAnd it cometh to pass, in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, reigned hath Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah;
DARBYAnd it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea the son of Elah, king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign.
BBENow in the third year of Hoshea, son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, became king of Judah.
WebsterNow it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.

What does 2 Kings 18:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Kings 18:1-2
2Ki 18:1-3. Hezekiah's Good Reign. 1-2. Hezekiah ... began to reign. Twenty and five years old--According to this statement (compare 2Ki 16:2), he must have been born when his father Ahaz was no more than eleven years old. Paternity at an age so early is not unprecedented in the warm climates of the south, where the human frame is matured sooner than in our northern regions. But the case admits of solution in a different way. It was customary for the later kings of Israel to assume their son and heir into partnership in the government during their lives; and as Hezekiah began to reign in the third year of Hoshea (2Ki 18:1), and Hoshea in the twelfth year of Ahaz (2Ki 17:1), it is evident that Hezekiah began to reign in the fourteenth year of Ahaz his father, and so reigned two or three years before his father's death. So that, at the beginning of his reign in conjunction with his father, he might be only twenty-two or twenty-three, and Ahaz a few years older than the common calculation makes him. Or the case may be solved thus: As the ancient writers, in the computation of time, take notice of the year they mention, whether finished or newly begun, so Ahaz might be near twenty-one years old at the beginning of his reign, and near seventeen years older at his death; while, on the other hand, Hezekiah, when he began to reign, might be just entering into his twenty-fifth year, and so Ahaz would be near fourteen years old when his son Hezekiah was born--no uncommon age for a young man to become a father in southern latitudes [Patrick]. 2Ki 18:4-37. He Destroys Idolatry.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Hezekiah begins to reign; he removes the high places, breaks to pieces the brazen serpent, and walks uprightly before God, 2Kgs 18:1-6. He endeavors to shake off the Assyrian yoke, and defeats the Philistines, 2Kgs 18:7, 2Kgs 18:8. Shalmaneser comes up against Samaria, takes it, and carries the people away into captivity, 2Kgs 18:9-12. And then comes against Judah, and takes all the fenced cities, 2Kgs 18:13. Hezekiah sends a message to him at Lachish to desist, with the promise that he will pay him any tribute he chooses to impose; in consequence of which Shalmaneser exacts three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold; to pay which Hezekiah is obliged to take all his own treasures, and those belonging to the temple, 2Kgs 18:14-16. The king of Assyria sends, notwithstanding, a great host against Jerusalem; and his general, Rab-shakeh, delivers an insulting and blasphemous message to Hezekiah, vv. 17-35. Hezekiah and his people are greatly afflicted at the words of Rab-shakeh, 2Kgs 18:36, 2Kgs 18:37. Verse 1 Now - in the third year of Hoshea - See the note on 2Kgs 16:1 (note), where this chronology is considered.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 18:1-8
Hezekiah was a true son of David. Some others did that which was right, but not like David. Let us not suppose that when times and men are bad, they must needs grow worse and worse; that does not follow: after many bad kings, God raised one up like David himself. The brazen serpent had been carefully preserved, as a memorial of God's goodness to their fathers in the wilderness; but it was idle and wicked to burn incense to it. All helps to devotion, not warranted by the word of God, interrupt the exercise of faith; they always lead to superstition and other dangerous evils. Human nature perverts every thing of this kind. True faith needs not such aids; the word of God, daily thought upon and prayed over, is all the outward help we need.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Kings 18:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַֽיְהִי֙vay.Hiand it wasH1961
בִּשְׁנַ֣תbish.Natin yearH8141
שָׁלֹ֔שׁsha.LoshthreeH7969
לְהוֹשֵׁ֥עַle.ho.She.a'of HosheaH1954
בֶּן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
אֵלָ֖ה'e.LahElahH425
מֶ֣לֶךְMe.lekh[the] king ofH4428
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
מָלַ֛ךְma.Lakhhe became kingH4427
חִזְקִיָּ֥הchiz.ki.YahHezekiahH2396
בֶן\־ven-[the] son ofH1121
אָחָ֖ז'a.ChazAhazH271
מֶ֥לֶךְMe.lekh[the] king ofH4428
יְהוּדָֽה\׃ye.hu.DahJudahH3063

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 18:1

  • 2 Chronicles 28:27-29:1

    And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead. Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.

  • 1 Chronicles 3:13

    Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son,

  • Matthew 1:9-10

    And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;

  • 2 Kings 16:20-17:1

    And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead. In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.

  • 2 Kings 15:30

    And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.

  • 2 Kings 18:9

    And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.

  • 2 Kings 16:2

    Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord his God, like David his father.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 Hezekiah's good reign.
4 He destroys idolatry, and prospers.
9 The inhabitants of Samaria are carried captive for their sins.
13 Sennacherib invading Judah, is pacified by a tribute.
17 Rab-shakeh, by blasphemous persuasions, solicits the people to revolt.

A.M. 3278. B.C. 726. in the third.
9; 15:30; 17:1
Hezekiah.
16:20; 1Ch 3:13; 2Ch 28:27; 29:1; Mt 1:9,10
Ezekias.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Kings 18:1

    Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.

  • 2 Kings 18:2

    Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.

Read all of 2 Kings 18

2 Kings 18:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		EN el tercer año de Oseas hijo de Ela rey de Israel, comenzó á reinar Ezechîas hijo de Achâz rey de Judá.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		*Et il arriva, la troisième année d’Osée, fils d’Éla, roi d’Israël, qu’Ézéchias, fils d’Achaz, roi de Juda, commença de régner.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es geschah im dritten Jahre Hoseas, des Sohnes Elas, des Königs von Israel, da wurde Hiskia König, der Sohn Ahas, des Königs von Juda.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Anno tertio Osee filii Ela regis Israël, regnavit Ezechias filius Achaz regis Juda.