When Hosea was in his 3rd year as king of Israel Hezekiah became king of Judah at the age of 25, and he reigned for 29 years. Hezekiah was an exception in that he lived correctly before God and he removed the pagan high places, smashed the pagan sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He also destroyed the bronze snake that Moses had made because it had become a focal point of idolatry.
King Hezekiah trusted the Lord and was a supreme example of kingship in Judah. He remained faithful to God at all times and never gave up. So God was with Hezekiah at all times and his administration was completely successful. He resisted Assyria and defeated the Philistines in many places. In Hezekiah's 4th year was when the Israelites were deported to Assyria. However 10 years later Sennacherib king of Assyria captured all the fortified cities of Judah, so Hezekiah paid him in silver and gold to withdraw.
The paid deal between Hezekiah and Sennacherib didn't last long because soon Assyria's commanders were in Jerusalem pressurizing Judah into submission and ridiculing the power of God to be able to withstand the Assyrian army and ridiculing their pact with Egypt. The Assyrian commanders used a wide range of arguments to scare Hezekiah into surrender.
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