2 Chronicles 29: 1 – 36
Turnaround
29 Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done. 3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them. 4 Then he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them in the East Square, 5 and said to them: “Hear me, Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place. 6 For our fathers have trespassed and done evil in the eyes of the LORD our God; they have forsaken Him, have turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the LORD, and turned their backs on Him. 7 They have also shut up the doors of the vestibule, put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. 8 Therefore the wrath of the LORD fell upon Judah and Jerusalem, and He has given them up to trouble, to desolation, and to jeering, as you see with your eyes. 9 For indeed, because of this our fathers have fallen by the sword; and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity. 10 “Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister to Him and burn incense.” 12 Then these Levites arose: Mahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah; 13 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel; of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 of the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. 15 And they gathered their brethren, sanctified themselves, and went according to the commandment of the king, at the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD. 16 Then the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it and brought out all the debris that they found in the temple of the LORD to the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it out and carried it to the Brook Kidron. 17 Now they began to sanctify on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the LORD. So, they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished. 18 Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, the altar of burnt offerings with all its articles, and the table of the showbread with all its articles. 19 Moreover all the articles which King Ahaz in his reign had cast aside in his transgression we have prepared and sanctified; and there they are, before the altar of the LORD.” 20 Then King Hezekiah rose early, gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD. 21 And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats for a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. Then he commanded the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the LORD. 22 So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. Likewise, they killed the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They also killed the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar. 23 Then they brought out the male goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them. 24 And the priests killed them; and they presented their blood on the altar as a sin offering to make an atonement for all Israel, for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering be made for all Israel. 25 And he stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and of Nathan the prophet; for thus was the commandment of the LORD by His prophets. 26 The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD also began, with the trumpets and with the instruments of David king of Israel. 28 So all the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29 And when they had finished offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed and worshiped. 30 Moreover King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So, they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped. 31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, “Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the LORD, come near, and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD.” So, the assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. 32 And the number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD. 33 The consecrated things were six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep. 34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings; therefore, their brethren the Levites helped them until the work was ended and until the other priests had sanctified themselves, for the Levites were more diligent in sanctifying themselves than the priests. 35 Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings and with the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So, the service of the house of the LORD was set in order. 36 Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly.
Many understand the term repentance to mean “a turning from sin.” Regretting sin and turning from it is related to repentance, but it is not the precise meaning of the word. In the Bible, the word repent means “to change”.
Repentance is the activity of reviewing one's actions and feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs, which is accompanied by commitment to change for the better. Today, it is generally seen as involving a commitment to personal change and the resolve to live a more responsible and humane life. In other words, being sorry for one's misdeeds. But it can also involve sorrow over a specific sin or series of sins that an individual feels he or she has committed. The practice of repentance plays an important role in the doctrines of Judaism, and Christianity, in which it is often considered necessary for the attainment of salvation. It involves an act of confession to God or to a spiritual elder (such as a priest). This typically includes an admission of guilt, a promise or resolve not to repeat the offense; an attempt to make restitution for the wrong, or in some way to reverse the harmful effects of the wrong where possible.
The doctrine of repentance as taught in the Bible is a call to persons to make a radical turn from one way of life to another. The repentance (metanoia) called for throughout the Bible is a summons to a personal, absolute and ultimate unconditional surrender to God as Sovereign. Though it includes sorrow and regret, it is more than that. It is a call to conversion from self-love, self-trust, and self-assertion to obedient trust and self-commitment to God. It is a change of mind that involves a conscious turning away from wrong actions, attitudes and thoughts that conflict with a Godly lifestyle and biblical commands, and an intentional turning toward doing that which the Bible says pleases God. In repenting, one makes a complete change of direction (180° turn) toward God. The words "repent," "repentance," and "repented" are mentioned over 100 times in the Bible.
Repentance typically requires an admission of guilt for committing a wrong or for omitting to do the right thing; a promise or resolve not to repeat the offense; an attempt to make restitution for the wrong, or in some way to reverse the harmful effects of the wrong or the omission where possible.
We are now going to read about a good king. Hezekiah will begin his reign by repenting for himself and his nation for all the sins committed against our Holy God Yahweh.
Nothing is more remarkable than the turnaround that took place when Hezekiah succeeded his father as King of Judah. He had bided his time while acting as co-regent with his father, and how his righteous heart must have been troubled, but at the time he was powerless to act. The reins were in his father’s hands. He could only watch his godless activities with horror. But as soon as the reins were in his own hands he began to turn things around. Probably a great deal of what lay behind his attitude, which was in such contrast to his father’s, must be laid at the door of his mother. She had probably ensured that he was surrounded by godly men, one of whom would have been Isaiah, who had shielded him from his father’s attitudes and his father’s associates. There must have been some reason why he was not contaminated by his father. Certainly, we must recognize that he had not been brought up by his father’s associates.
Hezekiah is depicted by this chapter as another David/Solomon, and therefore as a pattern for the Messiah:
• He did what was right in the eyes of YHWH as David his father had done (29.3).
• Like David and like Solomon he ruled over a United Kingdom, whose boundaries stretched from Beersheba to Dan (30.5).
• He re-established the worship of the Temple to its fullest extent following the procedures laid down by David (29-30).
• He reorganized the courses of the priests and Levites, including the musicians, according to the Davidic pattern (29-30).
• He held a Feast for YHWH which was comparable with those held in the days of Solomon (30.26).
• Like David and Solomon, he enjoyed great wealth (32.27-29).
• The nations brought gifts to him and he was exalted in the eyes of all nations (32.23).
He was thus a model to the returnees from Exile of the restitution of the worship of YHWH in accordance with the procedures laid down by David, and a foretaste of the glory of the coming King.
We see that when Hezekiah came to the throne things were ripe for change. The reign of Ahaz had been the first to come under Assyrian oppression, and they probably saw Ahaz as to blame. Assyrian troops had been stationed in their country for the first time and they did not like it. And prior to that they had suffered under the oppression of their neighbors, Philistia and Edom. Many would have felt that it was since they had forsaken YHWH. There was probably discontent at the foreign altars that had been introduced into the land. It was one thing secretly to worship local deities in the high places, it was quite another to openly promulgate foreign deities. Thus, there was probably a groundswell of opinion willing to respond to Hezekiah’s reforms.
Almost the first act of Hezekiah on coming to the throne was to restore the true worship of YHWH. And he set about it with zest. In the first month of his first year he ‘opened the doors of the house of YHWH and repaired them’. And at the same time he summoned the priests and Levites, who were no doubt persona non grata in the days of Ahaz. The very summons may well have made them feel uneasy. What was it that this new king wanted with them? They were soon to find out. For to their great relief and joy they heard themselves commanded to ‘sanctify’ (make holy) the house of YHWH, removing from it all that had rendered it unclean. Their hearts must have been thrilled and full of praise to God. Indeed, it must have appeared almost unbelievable to them. For they had got used to the fact that no provision was made for them, and that their official position had been nullified. But now there was new hope, and diligently they set about purifying the Temple.
29 Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah.
2.29.1 ‘Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem, and his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.’
If Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned until he was thirty-six. He reigned for 29 years in Jerusalem a reign which stretched from 716/15 to 687/86 BC. It was a period when Assyria were largely involved elsewhere. It was this which enabled Hezekiah to form alliances against Assyria, something which nearly led to his downfall in 701 BC. The name of the Queen Mother was Abijah (Yah is my father) and it was probably she who was responsible for him growing up as a true worshipper of YHWH.
2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done.
Hezekiah earned the title that he ‘did what was right in the eyes of YHWH in accordance with all that David his father had done’. There could be no higher praise. The only previous king after Solomon to be spoken of appreciatively in terms of David was Jehoshaphat, of whom it was said, ‘he walked in the first ways of his father David’. Both were seen as models for the coming king, Jehoshaphat because of his concern for righteousness and justice, and Hezekiah because of his zeal for YHWH.
3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them.
Correcting the sins of his dad that was done to the house of the Lord was one of the first acts of his new reign. Knowing what we do of him this is in fact what we would expect. The failure of the people to worship YHWH would have lain deep on his heart, and what more natural in that first month of his reign than to go down to the Temple of YHWH and open its doors, following this up with an instruction to carry out the repair work which was clearly necessary. This referred, of course, to the doors of the Sanctuary which Ahaz had shut up (28.24) so that none could enter. It would have been an emotional moment. The true worship of YHWH, and the offering up of incense, was to recommence. The opening would probably have had to be carried out by Levites as it involved the Holy Place.
4 Then he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them in the East Square, 5 and said to them: “Hear me, Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place.
He then called together the priests and Levites into the eastern square. This would be a square outside the Temple. Squares near the city gates were a regular feature of towns and cities at that time, where the people could congregate, and where strangers would wait hoping to be offered hospitality (Judges 19.15).
Once they had gathered he called on them to sanctify themselves, and then to sanctify the House of YHWH, removing from it all traces of idolatry (’the filthiness out of the holy place’). Sanctifying themselves would involve a period of waiting and washing their garments (Exodus 19.10), and possibly even themselves, abstaining from sexual activity (1 Samuel 21.5). They would also have to ensure that they were ritually ‘clean’ and had not been in contact with anything defiling. It may also have involved, especially in the case of the priests, offerings and sacrifices and the application of the blood to their persons (Exodus 29.1).
‘Sanctifying the House of YHWH’ possibly involved the sprinkling on it of the blood of sacrifices and offerings, especially in this case of the sin offering. It would no doubt also involve a thorough cleaning of it to remove dust and dirt, and possibly other unwarranted things, which had found their way into the Temple. All idolatrous connections had to be removed, for such would have been brought into the house long before Ahaz finally closed its doors.
Today we are the Temple of YHWH (2 Corinthians 6.16-20) and we should be equally concerned for the purification of YHWH’s Temple. It behooves us constantly to purify this holy place and remove from it all that could offend God, both by removing from it what is displeasing to God, and by cleansing ourselves in the blood of Jesus (1 John 1.7). It is only then that we can worship truly.
6 For our fathers have trespassed and done evil in the eyes of the LORD our God; they have forsaken Him, have turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the LORD, and turned their backs on Him.
Hezekiah then pointed out to the priests and Levites the sad state of affairs. It is noteworthy that he did not put all the blame on his father, Ahaz. He understood his father could not have done it without the support of many of the people, and especially the aristocrats. It was because the people in general had encouraged what Ahaz was doing that it had been possible. Their hearts had been hungry after idolatry, and freedom from the restrictions imposed by YHWH. We must remember this if we ever wonder why God punished the people in general for what appears at first hand to have been the sins of the few.
He recognized that it was ‘because our fathers have trespassed’ (literally ‘acted treacherously’), that the Temple was in the state it was. To some extent he must have had his tongue in his cheek because he would know that it was not only their fathers who had trespassed. It is true that they had commenced the problems, but the present people too were trespassing at that very moment. But he would be aware that he was more likely to be heard if he did not bring the blame too close to home. They had trespassed by forsaking YHWH and doing what was evil in His sight. They had turned their faces away from the habitation of YHWH and had turned their backs on Him, choosing rather to worship idols at the high places, idols who could neither see not hear. The blame lay squarely on the whole nation.
There would, of course, have been some who had remained faithful to YHWH, who would have been grieving over what had happened, and that would have included many of the priests and Levites who had personally lost by it. And there would be many more who would have been feeling uneasy, because of the miseries that their actions had brought on Judah. It was because of this that he could be successful in what he was doing. But he did not hesitate about bringing a charge against Judah as a whole. He recognized that, had they wanted, more protest could have been made.
7 They have also shut up the doors of the vestibule, put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel.
Furthermore they had shut up the doors of the porch which opened the way into the Holy Place; they had put out the lamps which should have been continually burning in the Holy Place; they had failed to offer incense on the altar of incense in the Holy Place, and they had not offered burnt offerings in the Holy Place. This last possibly refers to the presenting of the blood before God in the Most Holy Place as burnt offerings would not be offered in the Holy Place. This may have occurred with the ram of burnt offering on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16.3, 5, 24. It did with the sin offering - Leviticus 16.14-15). Alternately the description ‘the holy place’ may have included the court in which was the altar of burnt offerings, and the idea may be that the daily offerings had ceased to be offered.
This is getting closer to putting the blame squarely on Ahaz and the leaders of Judah. The people themselves could not have done this, only those who were in authority. How far the priests and Levites were to blame we do not know. Possibly some had been willing to go along with the idolatrous worship at the high places.
8 Therefore the wrath of the LORD fell upon Judah and Jerusalem, and He has given them up to trouble, to desolation, and to jeering, as you see with your eyes. 9 For indeed, because of this our fathers have fallen by the sword; and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity.
He then pointed out to the priests and Levites the consequences for Judah and Jerusalem which had resulted from Judah’s apostasy. They had come under the wrath of YHWH (His active antipathy to all sin), and they had consequently been tossed to and fro by one nation after another (Edom, Philistia, Samaria, Syria), and had become an astonishment and a hissing in the eyes of all, as the Law of Moses had warned (Deuteronomy 28.25, 37). They could be aware of this in that that their fathers had fallen by the sword, and their sons, daughters and wives had been taken into captivity. Ahaz’s reign had seen much bloodshed and the carrying away into slavery of many of the people. This reminds us that one of the aims of all invaders was to obtain slaves who could be utilized or sold on as they chose (28.8, 17).
The picture of a nation feeling tossed about to and fro and not being sure where the next blow is coming from, is very vivid, as is the idea of the nations watching in astonishment and hissing their agreement on what YHWH was doing.
10 “Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us.
Hezekiah then pointed out that it was now in his heart to make a covenant with YHWH, the God of Israel, promising a return to and fulfilment of the covenant of Sinai, so that His fierce anger would turn away from them. In this lay the recognition that God’s anger was not because He was affronted but was because they were not honoring the covenant. God’s concern always was with the restoration of true worship and the establishment of true righteousness.
11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister to Him and burn incense.”
So he called on the priests and Levites (my sons) not to delay or be slack in carrying out his words. For had not YHWH chosen them to stand before Him and to serve Him in the Temple? Had He not appointed them to act as His ministers and burn incense on the altar of incense in the Holy Place? This was their unique responsibility and privilege.
12 Then these Levites arose: Mahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah; 13 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel; of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 of the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.
It appears from verse 34, and confirmed here, that the priests were far less responsive to Hezekiah’s words than the Levites. This may well have been because some of the priests had been involved in the worship on the high places whilst the Levites had been sidelined. Whatever the reason it was the Levites other than the priests who mainly sprang into action. It is clear by this time that they were divided into seven courses. The first three were based on the sons of Levi, Kohath, Merari and Gershon. The Kohathites may have included priests, for some priests certainly sanctified themselves. The next three were based on the Levite chief singers appointed by David, Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun (1 Chronicles 25.1). These had replaced Hebron and Uzziel (1 Chronicles 15.9-10). This demonstrates how important the singers had become. The final course was based on Elizaphan (1 Chronicles 15.8), which was a sub-clan of the Kohathites which had clearly grown large enough to stand on its own.
15 And they gathered their brethren, sanctified themselves, and went according to the commandment of the king, at the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD.
Stirred by the king’s words ‘the Levites’ gathered their fellow Levites and duly sanctified themselves, possibly by waiting three days and washing their clothes and their bodies, and then they went into the Temple in accord with the king’s command in response to the words of YHWH so as ‘to cleanse the House of YHWH’. That this included both priests and Levites is clear from verse 16. Note the reference to ‘the words of YHWH’. These may have come to Hezekiah through a prophet or by a direct vision or dream. Or the idea may be that Hezekiah was following the injunctions of the Law and of David.
16 Then the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it and brought out all the debris that they found in the temple of the LORD to the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it out and carried it to the Brook Kidron.
Only the priests could enter the Sanctuary proper. They thus ‘went into the inner part of the House of YHWH’ in order to cleanse it. And all the uncleanness that they found in the Temple of YHWH, probably signifying idolatrous objects, they brought into the court of the House of YHWH. This was in accordance with the command in verse 5. The Levites then took them over and carried them to the Brook Kidron into which they were presumably cast, possibly having first been burned to ashes.
17 Now they began to sanctify on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the LORD. So, they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished.
The sanctifying which began on the first day of the first month, was of the month of Nisan, in other words on New Year’s Day. The process of sanctifying the court took eight days, after which the sanctifying of the Sanctuary took another eight days. Clearly, as well as the removal of idolatrous objects, elaborate rituals were involved, probably in the nature of sin offerings and even ritual washings. Because of the length of time taken it was not possible to hold the Passover which would have commenced on the fourteenth of Nisan.
18 Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, the altar of burnt offerings with all its articles, and the table of the showbread with all its articles.
Having successfully completed their work they went into the king’s palace and informed King Hezekiah that they had cleansed all the House of YHWH together with the altar of burnt-offering with all its accoutrements, and the Table of Showbread with all its vessels. What he had required had been accomplished.
19 Moreover all the articles which King Ahaz in his reign had cast aside in his transgression we have prepared and sanctified; and there they are, before the altar of the LORD.”
They then also informed him that they had traced all the vessels which Ahaz had cast away, presumably other than those he had cut up, and had prepared and sanctified them and placed them before the altar of YHWH. All was now complete. The Temple was again ‘holy’.
The Temple having been purified and sanctified Hezekiah then proceeded with what was presumably an act of rededication. Initially this involved the offering of multiple sin-offerings, a recognition that the stain of sin had to be removed. These were accompanied by burnt offerings which were offerings of dedication. And finally, there was the singing of the Levites as they worshipped God in song. It was a time of gladness and song.
20 Then King Hezekiah rose early, gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.
The passage commences with the gathering of the King and his Princes, to purify and dedicate the Temple, and ends in verse 29 with their worship, with the task accomplished. The King’s deep concern is revealed by his early rising, and he then gathered ‘the princes of the city’, the leading aristocrats, who no doubt had to arise equally early, and went up to the House of YHWH. His concern was that sin offerings needed to be offered to remove the final stain from both the Temple, and the nation, and burnt offerings for its rededication. It is a reminder to us as God’s Temple (2 Corinthians 6.16), that we too should constantly purify and rededicate ourselves to His service.
21 And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats for a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. Then he commanded the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the LORD.
The seven bullocks, seven rams and seven lambs, although not described as such, were almost certainly burnt offerings whose purpose was that of dedication. It is the seven he-goats which were the sin-offerings. The purpose of the offerings was the rededication of Israel to YHWH and the offering of atonement for sin. All the offerings included an atonement element. But the more specific sin-offerings had to do specifically with the removal of sin.
Seven was, of course, the number of divine perfections. Thus, a threefold seven with regard to the burnt offerings was underlining the divine completeness of the offerings. The idea may well have been to make up for the lack of daily burnt offerings under Ahaz. The sevenfold sin offerings indicated a divinely complete removal of sin.
It is open to question whether ‘for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah’ refers to all the offerings or only to the sin-offerings. The answer is probably that it referred to all. Ahaz had defiled his kingdom, he had defiled the sanctuary and he had defiled the nation of Judah; thus it was necessary both to offer sin-offerings for them, and to offer dedicatory offerings as well. It may be that the bullocks were in respect of the kingdom, the rams in respect of the sanctuary and the lambs in respect of the people.
‘And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of YHWH.’ This may refer to the sin-offerings which the priests alone could offer, or to the whole with the priests offering the sin offerings and presenting the blood of the burnt offerings. Alternately it may be that the priests offered the whole due to the exceptional situation.
But from what follows we are probably to see that the leaders of the people offered the burnt offerings on behalf of the people, after which ‘the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar’, and the priests offered the sin-offerings after the leaders had laid hands on them transferring to them the sins of the people.
22 So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. Likewise, they killed the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They also killed the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar.
The emphatic detail demonstrates that each set of offerings were important. First the bullocks were killed, probably by the ‘princes’, and their blood was received by the priests in vessels suitable for the purpose and sprinkled on the altar. Then the same was done for the rams and for the lambs. It was an act of worship and a rededication for the whole of ‘Judah’. The fact that hands were not laid on them confirms that these were burnt offerings and not sin offerings.
23 Then they brought out the male goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them.
Then the he-goats for the sin offerings were ‘brought near’ before the king and the assembly, and the king and the representatives of the assembly, presumably the tribal princes, laid their hands on them, identifying them as being for the sins of the people.
24 And the priests killed them; and they presented their blood on the altar as a sin offering to make an atonement for all Israel, for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering be made for all Israel.
After the laying on of hands, the priests killed the he-goats and made a sin-offering with their blood on the altar making atonement for ‘all-Israel’. Note the identification of ‘Judah’ (verse 21) with all Israel here. Those who lived in ‘Judah’ was representing all Israel, which was quite reasonable, for those of Israel whose hearts were dedicated to YHWH had moved to Judah. Furthermore, it appears at this stage that Hezekiah’s authority reached out into the northern territories even though some of them were in what were now Assyrian.
25 And he stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and of Nathan the prophet; for thus was the commandment of the LORD by His prophets.
The singers among the Levites played an important part in the ceremony, and that it was in accordance with the commandment of David and Gad the king’s seer and Nathan the prophet. In other words, as they gathered with their cymbals, harps and lyres, they had divine sanction.
26 The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.
We learn here that the Levites stood there in the Temple courts ‘with the instruments of David’, namely the cymbals, lyre and harp. These would not be his actual instruments, although it is just possible that one or two might have survived but were the types of instrument that as a musician himself (2 Samuel 6.5) David introduced into Temple worship. See 1 Chronicles 23.3; 25.1-31.
27 Then Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD also began, with the trumpets and with the instruments of David king of Israel.
This probably refers to the burnt offering offered in earlier verses, this being an indication that when those offerings were offered, the singers began their music. Alternately it may refer to the commencement of the offering again of the daily burnt offering. Either way the burnt offering was accompanied by joyous and triumphant music.
28 So all the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
As a consequence of the offering of the dedicatory burnt offering the whole gathered assembly worshipped, while the singers sang and the trumpeters played. And all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. It was a time of great celebration.
29 And when they had finished offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed and worshiped.
The burnt offerings and the sin-offerings having been duly made, the king and all those who were present bowed themselves and worshipped. The Temple had been purified and dedicated and it was back to worship as usual.
The official opening ceremony having been completed King Hezekiah now called on the whole assembly to bring their offerings and sacrifices to YHWH, which they did in great abundance. Many of these would be peace offerings (verse 35) and thank-offerings (verse 31b) of which all could participate so that the celebrations would have included a great feast. This was after all the time when the Feast of Unleavened Bread should have been celebrated.
Indeed, the burnt offerings were so many that there was a shortage of priests, partly since many of the priests had been slack in ‘sanctifying’ themselves. This may have indicated a general lack of sincerity among the priests, or it may suggest that many had been involved in the idolatrous worship at the idolatrous altars that Ahaz had set up and were not so enthusiastic about the return to the old ways. This was in contrast with the Levites who had responded immediately. It behooves us all, when the work of God calls, to respond with diligence rather than lethargy.
30 Moreover King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So, they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped.
The initial celebrations having been completed Hezekiah, together with the rulers of the people, called on the Levites ‘to sing praises to YHWH with the words of David and of Asaph the seer’. This was in preparation for the great offering of sacrifices and offerings that was about to take place. It would seem that it had become customary for music to accompany the offering of sacrifices. And the Levites responded enthusiastically and sang praises with gladness and bowed their heads and worshipped.
It will be noted that this is evidence that well before this time Psalms of David and Asaph had been gathered into a collection and were available for use in the Temple.
31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, “Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the LORD, come near, and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD.” So, the assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings.
Hezekiah then called on the whole assembly, who had by now ‘consecrated’ themselves to YHWH. Consecration (‘filling the hand’) was a term usually reserved for priestly consecration. It may presumably refer to them sanctifying themselves and ensuring they were clean by three days waiting on God, washing their clothes in water and abstaining from sexual activity. As a consequence, they were now able to bring sacrifices and thank-offerings into the House of YHWH. As these were not burnt offerings (verse 31b) they were presumably peace offerings as well as thanksgiving offerings, although they may have included sin offerings. Peace offerings and thanksgiving offerings were both offerings of which the offeror and his family and friends could partake.
So the whole assembly brought in their peace offerings and thanksgiving offerings to YHWH, and those who were more devoted also freely of their own accord brought burnt offerings (which they could not partake of).
32 And the number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD.
The number of burnt offerings was assessed. As regularly about numbers in those days they may be ‘symbolic’ rather than literal. ‘Seventy’ bullocks may indicate the divine completeness of what was offered. ‘A hundred’ rams may simply indicate ‘a good number of’ rams. Two hundred lambs then indicated roughly twice as many lambs. They are clearly round numbers for the number was not fixed by anyone but determined by the willingness of the offerors (verse 31b).
Today we would have little difficulty with assessing such numbers, but in ancient days counting was a skill possessed only by few. It was not taken for granted. Apart from low numbers counting was not required in daily life and whilst we take it for granted it is only because of the effort we put in over two years and more to make sure our children can count because it is one of the requirements of our society. It is unlikely that it was of such import in Israelite families. They would be busy helping with the farming and watching the flocks and herds whose members they would know by name. They would not need to count.
33 The consecrated things were six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep.
The consecrated things presumably point to the offerings which were not burnt offerings. They would be consumed at the Feast., and indeed would be needed to ensure that the Feast was a success. These consisted of six hundred of oxen and three thousands of sheep. There were therefore almost ten times more ‘consecrated things’ than there were burnt offerings.
34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings; therefore their brethren the Levites helped them until the work was ended and until the other priests had sanctified themselves, for the Levites were more diligent in sanctifying themselves than the priests.
Because many of the priests had been slack in sanctifying themselves, there were not enough of them to skin the burnt offerings, which was seemingly at this stage seen as their responsibility. This may have been because of the special nature of the Feast, or because the offerings were seen as being offered on behalf of all the people, or because custom had altered who should take the responsibility. Initially it had been the offeror’s responsibility (Leviticus 1.5-6). But where offerings were on behalf of all the people, the priests as their representatives, would take on the responsibility. Furthermore, as it is made clear that great emphasis was being placed on the ‘holiness’ of those involved it may be that lay members were at this stage of the new reforms not seen as ‘holy’ enough to do so. But there were not enough priests available. Consequently, the priests had to call on their brother Levites to assist them.
We are not told why the priests were slow in returning to serve the Holy God of Israel, Yahweh. Possibly it was because they had become disheartened under Ahaz’ regime. But it was very much to the credit of the Levites that they were ready to step in. It is always a reminder to us to be in readiness spiritually for any task we may be called on to do.
35 Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings and with the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So, the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.
Stress is now laid on the abundance of what was provided which were not partaken of by the people and were consequently wholehearted offerings to YHWH. Thus, the burnt offerings, of which the offeror’s could not partake, were in abundance, as was the fat of the peace offerings. And along with these were the drink offerings offered along with the burnt offerings. The consequence was that the service of the House of YHWH was set in order. All was restored to how it should be.
36 Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly.
The passage closes with an emphasis on the joy of Hezekiah and all the people at what had happened. They saw it as having been prepared for them by God. And what especially caused them to rejoice was that it had all been accomplished so suddenly. It seemed that the whole nation had, within a very short while, been turned around to the worship of YHWH. The outpouring of rejoicing was very similar to that which had occurred when the Temple was first built (7.10).
