The Reign of Hezekiah

Abstract

John F. Brug’s essay addresses the complex chronological challenges surrounding the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah. Biblical data and Assyrian records appear to conflict, particularly regarding Hezekiah’s accession and Sennacherib’s invasion of Judah. Brug surveys various scholarly solutions, including Edwin Thiele’s widely accepted chronology and E.W. Faulstich’s two-campaign theory, but finds both lacking. He proposes a coregency model in which Hezekiah began ruling alongside his father Ahaz around 728 B.C., with sole rule beginning in 715 B.C. This dual dating system reconciles biblical synchronisms with external historical records, including the fall of Samaria (722 B.C.) and Sennacherib’s campaign (701 B.C.). Brug traces coregencies through preceding reigns, showing how political instability and factionalism influenced dating methods. While acknowledging the model’s complexity and assumptions, Brug argues it best preserves the integrity of biblical data and aligns with Near Eastern chronology. Abstract prepared by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4).