Index 


Heshmon Fatness, a town in the south of Judah (Jos 15:27).

Heth Dread, a descendant of Canaan, and the ancestor of the Hittites (Gen 10:18; Deu 7:1), who dwelt in the vicinity of Hebron (Gen 23:3, Gen 23:7). The Hittites were a Hamitic race. They are called "the sons of Heth" (Gen 23:3, Gen 23:5, Gen 23:7, Gen 23:10, Gen 23:16, Gen 23:18, Gen 23:20).

Hethlon Wrapped up, a place on the north border of Palestine. The "way of Hethlon" (Eze 47:15; Eze 48:1) is probably the pass at the end of Lebanon from the Mediterranean to the great plain of Hamath (q.v.), or the "entrance of Hamath."

Hezekiah Whom Jehovah has strengthened. (1.) Son of Ahaz (Kg2 18:1; Ch2 29:1), whom he succeeded on the throne of the kingdom of Judah. He reigned twenty-nine years (726-697 B.C.). The history of this king is contained in Kg2 18:20, Isa. 36 - 39, and 2 Chr. 29 - 32. He is spoken of as a great and good king. In public life he followed the example of his great-grandfather Uzziah. He set himself to abolish idolatry from his kingdom, and among other things which he did for this end, he destroyed the "brazen serpent," which had been removed to Jerusalem, and had become an object of idolatrous worship (Num 21:9). A great reformation was wrought in the kingdom of Judah in his day (Kg2 18:4; 2 Chr. 29:3-36). On the death of Sargon and the accession of his son Sennacherib to the throne of Assyria, Hezekiah refused to pay the tribute which his father had paid, and "rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not," but entered into a league with Egypt (Isa. 30; Isa 31:1; Isa 36:6). This led to the invasion of Judah by Sennacherib (Kg2 18:13), who took forty cities, and besieged Jerusalem with mounds. Hezekiah yielded to the demands of the Assyrian king, and agreed to pay him three hundred talents of silver and thirty of gold (Kg2 18:14). But Sennacherib dealt treacherously with Hezekiah (Isa 33:1), and a second time within two years invaded his kingdom (Kg2 18:17; Ch2 32:9; Isa. 36). This invasion issued in the destruction of Sennacherib's army. Hezekiah prayed to God, and "that night the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians 185,000 men." Sennacherib fled with the shattered remnant of his forces to Nineveh, where, seventeen years after, he was assassinated by his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer (Kg2 19:37). (See SENNACHERIB.) The narrative of Hezekiah's sickness and miraculous recovery is found in Kg2 20:1, Ch2 32:24, Isa 38:1. Various ambassadors came to congratulate him on his recovery, and among them Merodachbaladan, the viceroy of Babylon (Ch2 32:23; Kg2 20:12). He closed his days in peace and prosperity, and was succeeded by his son Manasseh. He was buried in the "chiefest of the sepulchers of the sons of David" (Ch2 32:27). He had "after him none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him" (Kg2 18:5). (See ISAIAH.)

Hezion Vision, the father of Tabrimon, and grandfather of Ben-hadad, king of Syria (Kg1 15:18).

Hezir Swine or strong. (1.) The head of the seventeenth course of the priests (Ch1 24:15). (2.) Neh 10:20, one who sealed Nehemiah's covenant.

Hezro A Carmelite, one of David's warriors (Ch1 11:37).

Hezron Enclosed. (1.) One of the sons of Reuben (Gen 46:9; Exo 6:14). (2.) The older of the two sons of Pharez (Gen 46:12). (3.) A plain in the south of Judah, west of Kadesh-barnea (Jos 15:3).

Hiddai Rejoicing of Jehovah, one of David's thirty-seven guards (Sa2 23:30).

Hiddekel Called by the Accadians id Idikla; i.e., "the river of Idikla", the third of the four rivers of Paradise (Gen 2:14). Gesenius interprets the word as meaning "the rapid Tigris." The Tigris rises in the mountains of Armenia, 15 miles south of the source of the Euphrates, which, after pursuing a south-east course, it joins at Kurnah, about 50 miles above Bassorah. Its whole length is about 1,150 miles.