Hezekiah's So-called "problem of the 12 year gap" Resolved

"Hezekiah reversed the servitude to the Assyrian kings that his father Ahaz had begun (2 Kings 18:7). 

This alone was reason for retribution from Assyria, but Hezekiah went further and attacked the Philistines (2 Kings 18:8). 

Now, in this matter, we are led to believe that the Philistine rulers attacked were particularly vassals appointed by the Assyrians, no doubt by Sargon when he attacked Ashdod (Isaiah 20:1), whose ruler Azuri he removed and appointed Ahimiti his brother as a vassal, who then was soon deposed by the people for a man called Iamani (Luckenbill 1968, 31, §62). This latter fled to the Sudan (Meluhha-Ethiopia), but, according to the Tang-i-var Inscription, was surrendered up by Shebitku (707–705 B.C.) to Sargon just before 706 B.C.

*Sennacherib then informs us that Hezekiah had taken captive his pro-Assyrian vassal Padi of Ekron (Luckenbill 1968, 119–121, §240), no doubt as part of his attacks against the Philistines. 

*Sennacherib attacked (his third campaign; Hezekiah’s fourteenth year—701 B.C.), first conflicting with an Egyptian (no doubt Kushite) army near Eltekeh, which was most likely led by Shabaka (704–691 B.C.). 

*He then attacked Timnah and Ekron, as well as other Judean cities, causing Hezekiah to prepare for a siege. 

*When Sennacherib reached Lachish, Hezekiah conceded and “sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying I have offended; return from me: that which you put on me I will bear” (2 Kings 18:14). 

This was Sennacherib’s first attack on Judah. 

*Hezekiah then paid tribute. According to the Bible, this tribute was 300 talents of silver, 30 talents of gold, and all the gold found in the Temple and in the King’s house (2 Kings 18:14–16).

Now, Hezekiah had been warned by God of this coming storm in two oracles: “The Burden of the Desert of the Sea” (Isaiah 21) and “The Burden of the Valley of Vision” (Isaiah 22). 

Assyria was God’s instrument to discipline His people: “O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation” (Isaiah 10:5, KJV). 

This rod of anger was on the move: “A grievous vision is declared unto me; The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media” (Isaiah 21:2).

Merodach-baladan, son of Baladan, a Chaldean descendant of the

house of Jakin (Joktan, Bit Iakin), apparently had retaken the city of Babylon on Sargon’s death and called the Elamites to help against the coming attack from Sennacherib in 704/3 B.C., Sennacherib’s first campaign. 

All however was in vain, as Sennacherib retook Babylon (Luckenbill 1968, 116, §234). Isaiah 21:9 depicts this fall of Babylon: “And behold here comes a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen”.

On his way back, Sennacherib attacked Arab and Aramaic tribes: Isaiah 21:11 describes “the burden of Dumah” (an Arab descendant of Ishmael); 21:13 foretells “the burden upon Arabia”; v. 14 states that “the inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty” (a descendant of Ishmael); and v. 16 prophecies that “all the glory of Kedar shall fail” (another descendant of Ishmael). Sennacherib also mentions his attack upon the Arabs: Tu’muna (Tema), Damunu (Dumah), Hagarânu (descendants of Hagar), Nabatu (Arab descendants of Nebaioth, Ishmael’s firstborn) (Luckenbill 1968, 116, §234).

Now, however, in 701 B.C., after attacks across the Tigris, Sennacherib turned his attention to Palestine. God warned Hezekiah: “And it shall come to pass that thy choice valleys shall be full of

chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate” (Isaiah 22:7). In response, Hezekiah prepared for the attack: He “stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land”; he “built up the wall that was broken”; he “set captains of war over the people”; and famously, “This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David” (2 Chronicles 32:1–8, 30).

So, Isaiah stated:
On that day you looked to the weapons (stored) in the house of the Forest; and you filled the pools in the city of David, many as they were, diverting the waters which (once) flowed into the Lower Pool; and you surveyed the houses in Jerusalem and demolished the houses (condemned) to keep the wall clear; and you made a reservoir between the two walls for the water (brought) from the Old Pool. (Isaiah 22:8–11, as translated by Sir Godfrey Driver [1970])

But God pointed out a fatal flaw in Hezekiah’s actions: “But you have not looked to the Maker thereof, neither had respect unto Him who fashioned it long ago” (Isaiah 22:11). 

---This was all Hezekiah’s action without fully trusting God. The

result, as stated above, was capitulation and tribute to Sennacherib. 

---In the same year, 701 B.C., Hezekiah fell sick, and was warned of God to set his house in order. But in mercy after Hezekiah’s prayer, God gave him 15 more years (Isaiah 38:5). 

---But God stated clearly to Hezekiah: “And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city” (Isaiah 38:6). This was God’s battle, and Hezekiah was to trust Him!

The same year Merodach-baladan, now a Babylonian king in exile, with eyes still on the throne of Babylon sent his ambassadors.

So, 15 more years came to Hezekiah, but all was not well: “But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was lifted up” (2 Chronicles 32:25). 

Following God’s favor, Hezekiah became proud and backslidden. God responded: “Therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem” (2 Chronicles 32:25). 

Q: What was that wrath? 

A: Sennacherib’s second attack! 

Twelve years after the first attack, Sennacherib returned in 689 B.C., a year after a further destructive attack on Babylon the year before (Shea 1985, 401–418). This time, Sennacherib conquered and destroyed Lachish and other cities while an Egyptian/Sudanese army under Taharqah (690–664 B.C.) also began to mobilize; although, it never engaged. Sennacherib then arrogantly defied the God of Israel.

This time, Hezekiah humbled himself, and the story of God’s

miraculous delivery and the decimation of the Assyrian army is well known. As God several years before had said of His “rod of mine anger” (Isaiah 10:5): “Behold, the LORD, the LORD of Hosts shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled” (Isaiah 10:33).

Sennacherib returned home in shame, and, several years later in 681 B.C., two of his sons assassinated him (2 Chronicles 32:21). This is also recorded by Esarhaddon (Luckenbill 1968, 200–201, §502).

As a further note, in 701 B.C. with little time for preparation, Hezekiah diverted the pools of the city of David, down to a reservoir “between the two walls” (Isaiah 22:8–11). This was a quick action to keep the water from the Assyrians; but, over the next three years, he made the tunnel which brought the waters to the Siloam pool, a job which would have taken a considerably longer time. This has been confirmed by recent inscriptions (Eames 2022), indicating that the tunnel was completed in Hezekiah’s seventeenth year; whereas the first attack by Sennacherib was earlier, in Hezekiah’s fourteenth year (Isaiah 36:1).

Conclusion

The problem of the 12 year gap between the known chronology of the Assyrian kings with the Biblical chronology of the life of Hezekiah can be easily resolved using Theile’s (1983) solution modified by the proposals of McFall (2008). 

The accession of Hezekiah to the throne of Judah was thus in 715/16

BC during the reign of Sargon II of Assyria, several years after the end of the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C. 

The details of Hezekiah’s life follow seamlessly, from his good start through the first attack by Sennacherib in 701 B.C., his falling sick and God adding 15 years to his life, the second attack by Sennacherib in 689 B.C. whom God defeated miraculously, to Hezekiah’s death."
John M. Osgood/AIG