Editing Hezekiah (section)

==Historicity==
While extrabiblical sources corroborate King Hezekiah's existence, the historicity of some biblical accounts of his reign is debated among scholars, particularly regarding his religious reforms and the Assyrian invasion.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |last=Grabbe |first=Lester L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4lzyDQAAQBAJ |title=Ancient Israel: What Do We Know and How Do We Know It? |publisher=Bloomsbury |year=2017 |edition=2nd |pages=238–244}}</ref> While Hezekiah is traditionally credited with centralizing worship in Jerusalem and removing cultic sites, some argue these reforms were influenced by his successor, King [[Josiah]],<ref>Na’aman, Nadav. ‘The Debated Historicity of Hezekiah’s Reform in the Light of Historical and Archaeological Research’, ZAW 107: 179–95. 1995.</ref> or may have been more about consolidating royal power than religious overhaul.<ref>Swanson, Kristin A. 2002 ‘A Reassessment of Hezekiah’s Reform in Light of Jar Handles and Iconographic Evidence’, CBQ 64: 460–9</ref> Other scholars argue that archaeological discoveries at [[Tel Arad]], [[Tel Be'er Sheva|Beersheba]], [[Tel Motza]], [[Lachish]] and the [[City of David (archaeological site)|City of David]] may provide evidence for the existence of Hezekiah's reforms.{{sfn|Moulis|2019|pp=179—80}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Fiske |first=Gavriel |date=14 January 2025 |title=In first, researchers find where Jerusalemites prayed before Temple became only game in town |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-first-researchers-find-where-jerusalemites-prayed-before-temple-became-only-game-in-town/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |newspaper=The Times of Israel |quote=In the Biblical account, King Hezekiah initiated changes to centralize worship on the Temple Mount, leading to ritual sites around the Kingdom of Judah being abandoned. The find at the City of David was likely one of these abandoned centers, Shukron said.}}</ref> The biblical account of the Assyrian siege led by King [[Sennacherib]] is also contested, with some scholars suggesting exaggeration or blending of multiple events.<ref name=":0" /> Disagreements over the chronology of Hezekiah’s reign and the timing of his death further complicate the understanding of his historical legacy, with [[Assyria|Assyrian]] inscriptions and biblical texts remaining key sources in these discussions.<ref name=":0" />