2 Chronicles 29

Hezekiah Cleanses the Temple

(2 Kings 18:1–12)

1HezekiahH2396 was twenty-fiveH6242H2568 years oldH1121H8141 when he became kingH4427, and he reignedH4427 in JerusalemH3389 twenty-nineH6242H8672 yearsH8141. His mother’sH517 nameH8034 was AbijahH29,1 the daughterH1323 of ZechariahH2148. 2And he didH6213 what was rightH3477 in the eyesH5869 of the LORDH3068, just asH3605 his fatherH1 DavidH1732 had doneH6213.

3

In the firstH7223 monthH2320 of the firstH7223 yearH8141 of his reignH4427, Hezekiah openedH6605 and repairedH2388 the doorsH1817 of the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068. 4Then he brought inH935 the priestsH3548 and LevitesH3881 and gathered themH622 in the squareH7339 on the east sideH4217.

5“Listen to meH8085, O LevitesH3881,” he saidH559. “ConsecrateH6942 yourselves nowH6258 and consecrateH6942 the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of your fathersH1. RemoveH3318 fromH4480 the Holy PlaceH6944 every impurityH5079.

6ForH3588 our fathersH1 were unfaithfulH4603 and didH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068 our GodH430. They abandoned HimH5800, turned their facesH6440 awayH5437 from the dwelling placeH4908 of the LORDH3068, and turnedH5414 their backs on HimH6203. 7They alsoH1571 shutH5462 the doorsH1817 of the porticoH197 and extinguishedH3518 the lampsH5216. They did notH3808 burnH6999 incenseH7004 or presentH5927 burnt offeringsH5930 in the Holy PlaceH6944 of the GodH430 of IsraelH3478.

8Therefore, the wrathH7110 of the LORDH3068 has fallenH1961 uponH5921 JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389, and He has made themH5414 an object of terrorH2113, horrorH8047, and scornH8322, asH834 youH859 can seeH7200 with your own eyesH5869. 9For beholdH2009, thisH2063 is whyH5921 our fathersH1 have fallenH5307 by the swordH2719, and our sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323 and wivesH802 are in captivityH7628.

10NowH6258 it is inH5973 my heartH3824 to makeH3772 a covenantH1285 with the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, so that His fierce angerH2740H639 will turn awayH7725 from usH4480. 11NowH6258, my sonsH1121, do notH408 be negligentH7952, forH3588 the LORDH3068 has chosenH977 you to standH5975 before HimH6440, to serve HimH8334, toH1961 ministerH8334 before Him, and to burn incenseH6999.”

12Then the LevitesH3881 set to workH6965:

MahathH4287 sonH1121 of AmasaiH6022 and JoelH3100 sonH1121 of AzariahH5838 fromH4480 the KohathitesH1121H6956; KishH7027 sonH1121 of AbdiH5660 and AzariahH5838 sonH1121 of JehallelelH3094 from the MeraritesH4847; JoahH3098 sonH1121 of ZimmahH2155 and EdenH5731 sonH1121 of JoahH3098 fromH4480 the GershonitesH1649; 13ShimriH8113 and JeuelH3273 fromH4480 the ElizaphanitesH1121H469; ZechariahH2148 and MattaniahH4983 fromH4480 the AsaphitesH1121H623; 14JehielH3171 and ShimeiH8096 fromH4480 the HemanitesH1121H1968; and ShemaiahH8098 and UzzielH5816 fromH4480 the JeduthunitesH1121H3038.

15When they had assembledH622 their brothersH251 and consecrated themselvesH6942, they went inH935 to cleanseH2891 the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, according to the commandH4687 of the kingH4428 by the wordsH1697 of the LORDH3068.

16So the priestsH3548 wentH935 insideH6441 the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 to cleanseH2891 it, and they brought outH3318 to the courtyardH2691 allH3605 the unclean thingsH2932 thatH834 they foundH4672 in the templeH1964 of the LORDH3068. Then the LevitesH3881 tookH6901 these things and carriedH3318 them outH2351 to the KidronH6939 ValleyH5158. 17They beganH2490 the consecrationH6942 on the firstH259 day of the firstH7223 monthH2320, and on the eighthH8083 dayH3117 of the monthH2320 they reachedH935 the porticoH197 of the LORDH3068. For eightH8083 more daysH3117 they consecratedH6942 the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 itself, finishingH3615 on the sixteenthH8337H6240 dayH3117 of the firstH7223 monthH2320.

18Then they wentH935 inH6441 toH413 KingH4428 HezekiahH2396 and reportedH559, “We have cleansedH2891 the entireH3605 houseH1004 of the LORDH3068, the altarH4196 of burnt offeringH5930 with allH3605 its utensilsH3627, and the tableH7979 of the showbreadH4635 withH853 allH3605 its utensilsH3627. 19MoreoverH853, we have preparedH3559 and consecratedH6942H2005 allH3605 the articlesH3627 thatH834 KingH4428 AhazH271 in his unfaithfulnessH4604 cast asideH2186 during his reignH4438. They are now in frontH6440 of the altarH4196 of the LORDH3068.”

Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship

20Early the next morningH7925 KingH4428 HezekiahH2396 gatheredH622 the cityH5892 officialsH8269 and wentH5927 up to the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068. 21They broughtH935 sevenH7651 bullsH6499, sevenH7651 ramsH352, sevenH7651 lambsH3532, and sevenH7651 male goatsH6842H5795 as a sin offeringH2403 forH5921 the kingdomH4467, forH5921 the sanctuaryH4720, and forH5921 JudahH3063. And the king commandedH559 the priestsH3548, the descendantsH1121 of AaronH175, to offer themH5927 onH5921 the altarH4196 of the LORDH3068.

22So they slaughteredH7819 the bullsH1241, and the priestsH3548 tookH6901 the bloodH1818 and splatteredH2236 it on the altarH4196. They slaughteredH7819 the ramsH352 and splatteredH2236 the bloodH1818 on the altarH4196. And they slaughteredH7819 the lambsH3532 and splatteredH2236 the bloodH1818 on the altarH4196.

23Then they broughtH5066 the goatsH8163 for the sin offeringH2403 beforeH6440 the kingH4428 and the assemblyH6951, who laidH5564 their handsH3027 on themH5921. 24And the priestsH3548 slaughtered the goatsH7819 and put their bloodH1818 on the altarH4196 for a sin offeringH2398, to make atonementH3722 forH5921 allH3605 IsraelH3478, becauseH3588 the kingH4428 had orderedH559 the burnt offeringH5930 and the sin offeringH2403 for allH3605 IsraelH3478.

25Hezekiah stationedH5975 the LevitesH3881 in the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 with cymbalsH4700, harpsH5035, and lyresH3658 according to the commandH4687 of DavidH1732, of GadH1410 the king’sH4428 seerH2374, and of NathanH5416 the prophetH5030. ForH3588 the commandH4687 had come fromH3027 the LORDH3068 throughH3027 His prophetsH5030. 26The LevitesH3881 stoodH5975 with the instrumentsH3627 of DavidH1732, and the priestsH3548 with the trumpetsH2689.

27And HezekiahH2396 orderedH559 that the burnt offeringH5930 be sacrificedH5927 on the altarH4196. WhenH6256 the burnt offeringH5930 beganH2490, the songH7892 of the LORDH3068 and the trumpetsH2689 began as wellH2490, accompanied byH5921H3027 the instrumentsH3627 of DavidH1732 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478. 28The wholeH3605 assemblyH6951 was worshipingH7812, the singersH7892 were singingH7891, and the trumpetersH2689 were playingH2690. All thisH3605 continued untilH5704 the burnt offeringH5930 was completedH3615.

29When the offeringsH5927 were completedH3615, the kingH4428 and allH3605 those presentH4672 with himH854 bowed downH3766 and worshipedH7812. 30Then KingH4428 HezekiahH2396 and his officialsH8269 orderedH559 the LevitesH3881 to sing praisesH1984 to the LORDH3068 in the wordsH1697 of DavidH1732 and of AsaphH623 the seerH2374. So they sang praisesH1984H5704 with gladnessH8057 and bowed downH6915 and worshipedH7812.

31ThenH6030 HezekiahH2396 saidH559, “NowH6258 that you have consecratedH4390 yourselvesH3027 to the LORDH3068,2 come nearH5066 and bringH935 sacrificesH2077 and thank offeringsH8426 to the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068.”

So the assemblyH6951 broughtH935 sacrificesH2077 and thank offeringsH8426, and allH3605 whose heartsH3820 were willingH5081 brought burnt offeringsH5930. 32The numberH4557 of burnt offeringsH5930 the assemblyH6951 broughtH935 wasH1961 seventyH7657 bullsH1241, a hundredH3967 ramsH352, and two hundredH3967 lambsH3532; allH3605 theseH428 were for a burnt offeringH5930 to the LORDH3068. 33And the consecrated offeringsH6944 were sixH8337 hundredH3967 bullsH1241 and threeH7969 thousandH505 sheepH6629.

34HoweverH7535, since there wereH1961 not enoughH4592 priestsH3548 to skinH6584 allH3605 the burnt offeringsH5930, their LeviteH3881 brothersH251 helped themH2388 untilH5704 the workH4399 was finishedH3615 and untilH5704 the priestsH3548 had consecrated themselvesH6942. ForH3588 the LevitesH3881 had been more diligentH3477H3824 in consecrating themselvesH6942 than the priests had beenH3548.

35FurthermoreH1571, the burnt offerings were abundantH5930H7230, along with the fatH2459 of the peace offeringsH8002 and the drink offeringsH5262 for the burnt offeringsH5930. So the serviceH5656 of the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 was establishedH3559. 36Then HezekiahH2396 and allH3605 the peopleH5971 rejoicedH8055 at whatH5921 GodH430 had preparedH3559 for the peopleH5971, becauseH3588 everythingH1697 had been accomplishedH1961 so quicklyH6597.