Reading for October 7th

2 Kings 18.1-8 In 18.1-19.37: Hezekiah and the invasion of Sennacherib. The invasion of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, which is recounted in these chapters, took place in 701 BCE and is documented both in the Bible and in Assyrian records. Similar versions of the story are found in 2 Chr 32 and Isa 36. The Assyrian version was recorded in Sennacherib's annals and in a famous relief of the defeat of Lachish on his palace wall in Nineveh. In 18.4: The high places were shrines other than the Jerusalem Temple. They could be used for the worship of the Lord or of the gods. Here it appears to be the latter that is envisioned, since pillars and sacred poles were used in the worship of Canaanite gods. The bronze serpent that Moses had made was to save the people from poisonous snakes (Num 21.6-9). In verse 5: Statements of incomparability like this one are made also for Moses as a prophet (Deut 34.10), for Solomon for wisdom (1 Kings 3.12), and Josiah for obedience (2 Kings 23.25). In verse 8: The Philistines had remained more or less indepenedent in their land since the time of David. Hezekiah subjugated them to Judah, probably to strengthen the resistence to the Assyrians. Comments or Questions..