2 Kings. Bible Lesson 24
Just for your thoughts:
2 Kings. Bible Lesson 24
When Hezekiah was sick, the Lord added 15 years to his life (2 Kings 20).
According to 2 Kings 21:1 and 2 Chronicles 33:1, Manasseh became king when he was twelve years old.
2 Kings 18:2 says Hezekiah was 25 years old when he became king, and he reigned for 29 years. Therefore, he died at the age of 54.
Since Manasseh was 12 years old when Hezekiah died, it is generally considered that Manasseh was born when Hezekiah was 42 years old.
Based on this, many people say that Manasseh was born only after the Lord had added 15 years to Hezekiah’s life.
Their argument is this: if God had not extended Hezekiah’s lifespan, then Manasseh would not have been born. And if Manasseh had not been born, Judah would not have suffered under such a wicked king. Therefore, they claim it was wrong for Hezekiah to ask God to extend his life.
But—even if we accept their point at face value—Manasseh, in the end, repented and finished his course well.
“And when he prayed to Him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his supplication; so He brought him back to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.” (2 Chronicles 33:13)
So, it is the end of a matter that determines how we must view it.
Accordingly, there was no mistake in Hezekiah asking God to extend his life, nor was there any mistake in God granting his request.
We must not try to find fault with God’s decisions or His works.
This is one perspective.
There is also another view about the timing of Manasseh’s birth, and some Bible scholars have accepted this:
Historical Timeline:
715 BC → Hezekiah begins to reign
709 BC → Manasseh born
701 BC → Hezekiah’s illness and healing (15 years added)
697 BC → Manasseh becomes king at age 12
686 BC → Hezekiah dies
642 BC → Manasseh’s reign ends
According to Bible scholar Warren Wiersbe, when the 185,000 Assyrian soldiers were slain, Manasseh would have been about 8 years old.
Other historians note that Manasseh reigned as a coregent with his father Hezekiah for 10 years—from age 12 to 22.
Whichever way we look at it, there was no mistake in Hezekiah asking God to extend his life.
There was no mistake in God granting his request. God’s sovereignty is always right and beyond question, and above all, it is worthy of the highest honor.
Ezekiel Shanmugavel