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Jehizkiah

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleLeader

Jehizkiah, an Ephraimite leader, opposed taking Judean captives during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah.

Jehizkiah illustration
Jehizkiah

Biography

Jehizkiah son of Shallum was a prominent leader of the tribe of Ephraim who appears in a striking episode recorded in 2 Chronicles 28:12. When the Israelite army returned from war against Judah during the reign of the wicked King Ahaz, bringing with them 200,000 Judean captives, Jehizkiah stood among the tribal leaders who confronted the troops at the gate of Samaria. Heeding the prophetic rebuke of Oded, he and his colleagues refused to allow the captives to be enslaved, arguing that such an action would compound Israel's own guilt before God. He then personally oversaw the captives' clothing, provisioning, anointing of the wounded, and return to Jericho, an act of extraordinary compassion from a tribal leader toward former enemies.

Significance

Jehizkiah's intervention represents a remarkable moment of moral courage and humanitarian concern within the turbulent era of the Divided Monarchy. By appealing to the prophetic word and acting decisively to protect kinsmen from enslavement, he demonstrated that God's law transcended political and tribal divisions. His actions anticipate broader biblical themes of mercy, solidarity, and protection of the vulnerable. Theologically, his story affirms that even amid widespread apostasy, God raises up individuals who respond to the prophetic word with obedience. His compassionate response to captives stands as a counter-witness to the violent norms of ancient Near Eastern warfare and previews the ethics of the kingdom of God.

Verse Appearances (1)

References

  1. Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
  2. Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
  3. Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
  4. Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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