2 Chronicles 29

Hezekiah Succeeds Ahaz in Judah

11HezekiahH2396 becameH4427 kingH4427 when he was twenty-fiveH6242H2568 yearsH8141 oldH1121; and he reignedH4427 twenty-nineH6242H8672 yearsH8141 in JerusalemH3389. And his mother’sH517 nameH8034 was AbijahH29, the daughterH1323 of ZechariahH2148. 22He didH6213 rightH3477 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068, according to allH3605 that his fatherH1 DavidH1732 had doneH6213.

3In the firstH7223 yearH8141 of his reignH4427, in the firstH7223 monthH2320, he 3openedH6605 the doorsH1817 of the houseH1004 of the LordH3068 and repairedH2388 them. 4He broughtH935 in the priestsH3548 and the LevitesH3881 and gatheredH622 them into the squareH7339 on the eastH4217.

Reforms Begun

5Then he saidH559 to them, “ListenH8085 to me, O LevitesH3881. 4ConsecrateH6942 yourselves nowH6258, and consecrateH6942 the houseH1004 of the LordH3068, the GodH430 of your fathersH1, and carryH3318 the uncleannessH5079 out from the holyH6944 place. 6For our fathersH1 have beenH4603 unfaithfulH4603 and have doneH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068 our GodH430, and have forsakenH5800 Him and 5turnedH5437 their facesH6440 awayH5437 from the dwellingH4908 placeH4908 of the LordH3068, and have 6turnedH5414 their backsH6203. 7They have alsoH1571 7shutH5462 the doorsH1817 of the porchH197 and putH3518 out the lampsH5216, and have not burnedH6999 incenseH7004 or offeredH5927 burntH5930 offeringsH5930 in the holyH6944 place to the GodH430 of IsraelH3478. 8Therefore 8the wrathH7110 of the LordH3068 was againstH5921 JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389, and He has madeH5414 them an objectH2113 of terrorH2113, of horrorH8047, and of 9hissingH8322, as you seeH7200 with your own eyesH5869. 9For beholdH2009, 10our fathersH1 have fallenH5307 by the swordH2719, and our sonsH1121 and our daughtersH1323 and our wivesH802 are in captivityH7628 for thisH2088. 10NowH6258 it is in my heartH3824 11to makeH3772 a covenantH1285 with the LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478, that His burningH2740 angerH639 may turnH7725 awayH7725 from us. 11My sonsH1121, do not be negligentH7951 nowH6258, for 12the LordH3068 has chosenH977 you to standH5975 beforeH6440 Him, to ministerH8334 to Him, and to be His ministersH8334 and burnH6999 incenseH6999.”

12Then the LevitesH3881 aroseH6965: 13MahathH4287, the sonH1121 of AmasaiH6022 and JoelH3100 the sonH1121 of AzariahH5838, from the sonsH1121 of 14the KohathitesH6956; and from the sonsH1121 of MerariH4847, KishH7027 the sonH1121 of AbdiH5660 and AzariahH5838 the sonH1121 of JehallelelH3094; and from the GershonitesH1649, JoahH3098 the sonH1121 of ZimmahH2155 and EdenH5730 the sonH1121 of JoahH3098; 13and from the sonsH1121 of ElizaphanH469, ShimriH8113 and 15JeielH3262; and from the sonsH1121 of AsaphH623, ZechariahH2148 and MattaniahH4983; 14and from the sonsH1121 of HemanH1968, 16JehielH3171 and ShimeiH8096; and from the sonsH1121 of JeduthunH3038, ShemaiahH8098 and UzzielH5816. 15They assembledH622 their brothersH251, 17consecratedH6942 themselves, and wentH935 in 18to cleanseH2891 the houseH1004 of the LordH3068, according to the commandmentH4687 of the kingH4428 19by the wordsH1697 of the LordH3068. 16So the priestsH3548 wentH935 in to the innerH6441 partH6441 of the houseH1004 of the LordH3068 to cleanseH2891 it, and everyH3605 uncleanH2932 thingH2932 whichH834 they foundH4672 in the templeH1964 of the LordH3068 they broughtH3318 out to the courtH2691 of the houseH1004 of the LordH3068. Then the LevitesH3881 receivedH6901 it to carryH3318 out to 20the KidronH6939 21valleyH5158. 17Now they beganH2490 22the consecrationH6942 23on the firstH259 day of the firstH7223 monthH2320, and on the eighthH8083 dayH3117 of the monthH2320 they enteredH935 the porchH197 of the LordH3068. Then they consecratedH6942 the houseH1004 of the LordH3068 in eightH8083 daysH3117, and finishedH3615 on the sixteenthH8337H6240 dayH3117 of the firstH7223 monthH2320. 18Then they wentH935 in to KingH4428 HezekiahH2396 and saidH559, “We have cleansedH2891 the wholeH3605 houseH1004 of the LordH3068, the altarH4196 of burntH5930 offeringH5930 with allH3605 of its utensilsH3627, and the tableH7979 of showbreadH4635 with allH3605 of its utensilsH3627. 19Moreover, 24allH3605 the utensilsH3627 whichH834 KingH4428 AhazH271 had discardedH2186 during his reignH4438 in his unfaithfulnessH4604, we have preparedH3559 and consecratedH6942; and beholdH2009, they are beforeH6440 the altarH4196 of the LordH3068.”

Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship

20Then KingH4428 HezekiahH2396 aroseH7925 earlyH7925 and assembledH622 the princesH8269 of the cityH5892 and wentH5927 up to the houseH1004 of the LordH3068. 21They broughtH935 sevenH7651 bullsH6499, sevenH7651 ramsH352, sevenH7651 lambsH3532 and sevenH7651 maleH6842 goatsH5795 25for a sinH2403 offeringH2403 for the kingdomH4467, the sanctuaryH4720, and JudahH3063. And he orderedH559 the priestsH3548, the sonsH1121 of AaronH175, to offerH5927 them on the altarH4196 of the LordH3068. 22So they slaughteredH7819 the bullsH1241, and the priestsH3548 tookH6901 the bloodH1818 and sprinkledH2236 it on the altarH4196. They also slaughteredH7819 the ramsH352 and sprinkledH2236 the bloodH1818 on the altarH4196; they slaughteredH7819 the lambsH3532 also and 26sprinkledH2236 the bloodH1818 on the altarH4196. 23Then they broughtH5066 the maleH8163 goatsH8163 of the sinH2403 offeringH2403 beforeH6440 the kingH4428 and the assemblyH6951, and 27they laidH5564 their handsH3027 on them. 24The priestsH3548 slaughteredH7819 them and purgedH2398 the altarH4196 with their bloodH1818 28to atoneH3722 for allH3605 IsraelH3478, for the kingH4428 orderedH559 the burntH5930 offeringH5930 and the sinH2403 offeringH2403 for allH3605 IsraelH3478.

2529He then stationedH5975 the LevitesH3881 in the houseH1004 of the LordH3068 with cymbalsH4700, with harpsH5035 and with lyresH3658, 30according to the commandH4687 of DavidH1732 and of 31GadH1410 the king’sH4428 seerH2374, and of 32NathanH5416 the prophetH5030; for the commandH4687 was from the LordH3068 throughH3027 His prophetsH5030. 26The LevitesH3881 stoodH5975 with 33the musical instrumentsH3627 of DavidH1732, and 34the priestsH3548 with the trumpetsH2689. 27Then HezekiahH2396 gaveH559 the orderH559 to offerH5927 the burntH5930 offeringH5930 on the altarH4196. WhenH6256 the burntH5930 offeringH5930 beganH2490, 35the songH7892 to the LordH3068 also beganH2490 with the trumpetsH2689, 36accompanied by the instrumentsH3627 of DavidH1732, kingH4428 of IsraelH3478. 28While the wholeH3605 assemblyH6951 worshipedH7812, the singersH7892 also sangH7891 and the trumpetsH2689 soundedH2690; allH3605 this continued untilH5704 the burntH5930 offeringH5930 was finishedH3615.

29Now at the completionH3615 of the burntH5927 offeringsH5927, 37the kingH4428 and allH3605 who were presentH4672 with him bowedH3766 downH3766 and worshipedH7812. 30Moreover, KingH4428 HezekiahH2396 and the officialsH8269 orderedH559 the LevitesH3881 to singH1984 praisesH1984 to the LordH3068 with the wordsH1697 of DavidH1732 and AsaphH623 the seerH2374. 38So they sangH1984 praisesH1984 with joyH8057, and bowedH6915 downH6915 and worshipedH7812.

31Then HezekiahH2396 saidH559, “39NowH6258 that you have 40consecratedH4390H3027 yourselvesH3027 to the LordH3068, comeH5066 nearH5066 and bringH935 sacrificesH2077 and thankH8426 offeringsH8426 to the houseH1004 of the LordH3068.” And the assemblyH6951 broughtH935 sacrificesH2077 and thankH8426 offeringsH8426, and 41allH3605 those who were 42willingH5081 brought burntH5930 offeringsH5930. 32The numberH4557 of the burntH5930 offeringsH5930 whichH834 the assemblyH6951 broughtH935 was 70H7657 bullsH1241, 100H3967 ramsH352, and 200H3967 lambsH3532; allH3605 theseH428 were for a burntH5930 offeringH5930 to the LordH3068. 33The consecratedH6944 thingsH6944 were 600H8337H3967 bullsH1241 and 3,000H7969H505 sheepH6629. 34But the priestsH3548 were too fewH4592, so that they were unableH3808H3201 to skinH6584 allH3605 the burntH5930 offeringsH5930; 43therefore their brothersH251 the LevitesH3881 helpedH2388 them untilH5704 the workH4399 was completedH3615 and untilH5704 the other priestsH3548 had consecratedH6942 themselves. For 44the LevitesH3881 were moreH4480 45conscientiousH3477H3824 to consecrateH6942 themselves thanH4480 the priestsH3548. 35There were alsoH1571 4647manyH7230 burntH5930 offeringsH5930 with 48the fatH2459 of the peaceH8002 offeringsH8002 and with 49the libationsH5262 for the burntH5930 offeringsH5930. Thus the serviceH5656 of the houseH1004 of the LordH3068 was establishedH3559 again. 36Then HezekiahH2396 and allH3605 the peopleH5971 rejoicedH8055 overH5921 what GodH430 had preparedH3559 for the peopleH5971, becauseH3588 the thingH1697 cameH1961 about suddenlyH6597.