Comparisons between Hezekiah and Josiah texts

 

by

 

Damien F. Mackey

 

 

 

"There was no one like him [Hezekiah] among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him."  2 Kings 18:5 (NIV?)

"Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him ..."  2 Kings 23:25 (NIV?)

 

 

 

 

Previously in this series, I wrote:

 

“The reigns of the goodly, reforming kings Hezekiah and Josiah are so alike - with quite an amazing collection of same-named officials - that I had actually once begun a series (but then scrapped it) in which I had attempted an identification of Hezekiah with Josiah.

But, given this new blueprint, there must have been a serious overlap between the two”.

Since writing this I have stumbled (again) on The Domain of Man’s Chart 37, which shows up some striking comparisons between Hezekiah and Josiah (though this rather extreme site may need double checking in some cases): http://www.domainofman.com/book/chart-37.html

 

 

Comparison of Hezekiah and Josiah Narratives

 

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Hezekiah Narrative 2 Chron. 29-32 2 Kings 18-20 Book of Isaiah	Josiah Narrative 2 Chron. 34-35 2 Kings 22-23 Book of Jeremiah
Hezekiah, "son" of Ahaz mother:  Abijah daughter of Zechariah	Josiah, "son" of Amon mother:  Jedidah daughter of Adaiah
25 years at ascension, reigned 29 years	8 years at ascension, reigned 31 years
"There was no one like him [Hezekiah] among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him."  2 Kings 18:5 (NIV?)	"Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him ..."  2 Kings 23:25 (NIV?)
Jerusalem to be spared destruction in his lifetime 2 Kings 19:1; 20:2-19; 2 Chron. 32:20,26	Jerusalem to be spared destruction in his lifetime (2 Kings 22:14-20; 2 Chron. 34:22-28)
Revival of Laws of Moses "according to what was written" 2 Chron. 30:5,16, 18; 31:2-7,15	Discovery of the Book of the Law (of Moses) 2 Kings 22:8-10; 2 Chron. 34:14-15
Passover Celebration	Passover Celebration
"For since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem." 2 Chron. 30:26	"Not since the days of the Judges (Samuel) who led Israel, nor throughout the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah, had any such Passover been observed."  2 Kings 23:22
Year not given 14th day of the second month	Year 18 14th day of the first month
17,000 sheep and goats, 1,000 bulls (not including the sacrifices of the first seven days)  (1 Chron. 30:24)	30,000 sheep and goats, 3,000 cattle
Participating tribes:  Judah and Benjamin, Manasseh, Ephraim, Asher, Zebulun & Issachar (2 Chron. 31:1)	Participating tribes: Judah and Benjamin, Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon & Naphtali (2 Chron. 34:9,32)
Temporary priests consecrated for service	Employed "lay people" 2 Chron. 35:5
". smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles"  2 Kings 18:4; 2 Chron. 31:1	". smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles"  2 Kings 23:14
High places and altars torn down	High places and altars torn down
". broke into pieces the bronze snake"	". burned the chariots dedicated to the sun"
Name Comparisons
Hezekiah Narrative	Josiah Narrative
Sennacherib oppresses Jerusalem	Assyrian oppression omitted
Name of High Priest omitted	Hilkiah, "High Priest"
Eliakim son of Hilkiah, palace administrator	Eliakim "son" (?) of Josiah (future Jehoiakim)
Zechariah (descendant of Asaph) Azariah, the priest (from family of Zadok)	Zechariah Zechariah (variant of Azariah)
Shaban/Shebna/Shebniah, scribe	Shaphan, scribe (son of Azaliah son of Meshullam) Hashabiah/Hashabniah  (2 Chron. 35:9)
Jeshua Isaiah son of Amoz, prophet	Joshua, "city governor" Hoshaiah (Jer. 42:1; 43:2) Asaiah, "king's attendant" Ma'aseiah, "ruler of the city"
Jerimoth	Jeremiah son of Hilkiah
Conaniah and his brother Shemei, supervisors (2 Chron. 31:12)	Conaniah/Cononiah, along with his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel (2 Chron. 35:9) Hananiah the prophet, son of Azzur/Azur (Azariah)  (Jer. 28)
Nahath	Nathan-el/Nathan-e-el/El-Nathan/Nathan-Melech  2 Kings 23:11
Mattaniah, Mahath	Mattaniah (future Zedekiah)
Jehiel	Jehiel, "administrator of God's temple"
Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun 2 Chron. 29:13-14	Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun (2 Chron. 35:15)
Shallum/Meshillemoth (reign of Ahaz)	Meshullam (the Kohathite) Shellemiah son of Cushi (Jer. 36:14)
No mention of a prophetess [Mackey: What about Judith?]	Huldah, wife of Shallam/Meshullam, prophetess (spokeswoman of the "Lord")
Shemaiah	Shemaiah
Jozabad	Jozabad
Jeiel	Jeiel
Joah son of Zimmah ("wicked") Joah son of Asaph, recorder	Joah son of "wicked" Jo-Ahaz (King Ahaz)/ Imnah?
Obed, prophet (reign of Ahaz), Abde-el, Tabeel	Obadiah