THE SECOND BOOK OF THE
CHRONICLES

2 Chronicles 29

1Hezekiah's good reign. 3He restoreth religion, and exhorteth the Levites to cleanse the house of God. 12The Levites sanctify themselves, and cleanse the house. 20Hezekiah offereth solemn sacrifices, wherein the Levites shew a more forward zeal than the priests.


1HEZEKIAH1 begana to reign when he was 2five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.

1 Other, Ezekias; see Mat. 1:9.

a 2 Kings 18:1.

2 Hebr. a son of five and twenty years.

2And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done.

3¶He in the first year of his reign, 3in the first month, opened the 4doorsb of the house of the LORD, and repaired 5them.

3 Yea, on the first day of this first month, as appears in verse 17.

4 Namely, which his father Ahaz had shut up, in order that the Lord would not be worshipped in His temple. See verse 7; 2 Chron. 28:24; and compare 2 Kings 16:14, etc.

b 2 Chron. 28:24.

5 Namely, the doors. Other, and strengthened them, namely, the priests, namely, in their office.

4And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the 6east street,

6 Understand the public place which was at the east end of the temple before the gate of the people’s court, which gate was the most important gate.

5And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, 7sanctify now yourselves, and 8sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the 9filthiness out of the 10holy place.

7 That is, cleanse yourselves from all pollutions, which are against both the moral and ceremonial law, and that according to the command and prescript given you by God in His law. Compare Gen. 35:2. Likewise Exod. 19:10 and the annotation.

8 That is, cleanse. Also verses 17 and 19.

9 Hebr. separation. Such is filthiness and uncleanness called, because it must be separated and put away. In like manner the time of the impurity of a woman after childbirth is called a time of separation, because, as long as that time lasted, she was to be separated from the society of people. See Lev. 12 on verse 2. Understand here by filthiness whatsoever had defiled the temple by means or by reason of idolaters and idolatry.

10 Or, sanctuary, that is, the fore part of the temple, verse 16, or also the court of the priests, which likewise is called an holy place or sanctuary. See verse 7 and the annotation.

6For 11our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and 12turned their 13backs.

11 Namely, my father Ahaz and your fathers who followed his idolatry.

12 Or, presented, offered. Hebr. given.

13 That is, they have shown their backs, refusing to give ear unto the Lord, and to worship Him according to His law.

7Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in 14the holy place unto the God of Israel.

14 Understand the court of the priests, in which stood the altar of burnt offering, 1 Kings 8:64, and which is called a holy place Lev. 6:16; 10:13; 14:13, Num. 28:7; 2 Chron. 35:5, because it was consecrated unto God.

8Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to 15trouble, to astonishment, and 16to hissing, as ye see with your eyes.

15 Or, scattering. See Deut. 28 on verse 25.

16 See 1 Kings 9 on verse 8.

9For, lo, our fathers havec fallen 17by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are 18in captivity for this.

c 2 Chron. 28:6, etc.

17 That is, have been destroyed by war. See Lev. 26 on verse 7

18 See 2 Chron. 28:5, 8.

10Now it 19is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.

19 That is, I am minded, and do intend. See 1 Kings 8 on verse 17.

1120My sons, 21be not 22now negligent: ford the LORD hath chosen you to stand 23before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.

20 He calls the priests and the Levites sons, not in respect of his great age (for he had as yet attained but to the age of five and twenty years, verse 1), but because he bare a love and affections towards them, as if they had been his sons.

21 Or, be not still, negligent, quiet. Other, go not now astray or err not, namely, that you would not quit yourselves well in the office, or discharge the duty, whereunto God has chosen and called you.

22 Namely, as in time past when ye neglected the time, and the pure worship of God.

d Exod. 28:1; Num. 3:6; 8:14; 18:2.

23 See Deut. 10 on verse 8.

12¶Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah:

13And of the sons of 24Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel: and of the sons of 25Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah:

24 In Moses’ time this man had been a ruler in the family of the Kohathites, Num. 3:30.

25 See of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun, and of their children 1 Chron. 25:1, 2, etc.; 2 Chron. 35:15, and the annotations.

14And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel.

15And they gathered their brethren, and 26sanctified themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, 27by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD.

26 See on verse 5.

27 That is, which command the king had given, being moved by the words of the law of God, which imported as much, whereby he affirmed his action.

16And the 28priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found 29in the temple of the LORD 30into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad into the brook 31Kidron.

28 For it was only permitted to them to enter into the holy place, and not to the Levites.

29 Understand the court of the priests where the altar of burnt offering stood.

30 That is, in the holy place, and also, according to the opinion of some, in the most holy place.

31 See 1 Kings 2 on verse 37.

17Now they began on the 32first day of the 33first month 34to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.

32 Hebr, one. See Gen. 1 on verse 5.

33 Understand the first month of the first year of king Hezekiah’s reign, as verse 3. Others understand it of the first month of the year, called Nisan.

34 That is, to cleanse the house of the Lord.

18Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and 35the shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof.

35 Understand the holy table overlaid with gold, standing in the holy place, upon which the showbread were to be placed, that is, orderly set and laid in order, Exod. 25:30; Lev. 24:5, 6, etc., which is called the continual shewbread, 2 Chron. 2:4.

19Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away in his transgression, have we 36prepared and sanctified, and, behold, they are before the altar of the LORD.

36 Namely, for their lawful use, whereunto they were ordained.

20¶Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered 37the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.

37 Understand the magistrate, council and officers of the city, who are also called the elders of the city. See 1 Kings 21:8, and the annotation.

21And they brought 38seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sine offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD.

38 Here are named all kinds of clean four-footed animals, which were suitable for sacrifice, and which were offered: I. for the kingdom, that is, for the king, his counselors and officers; II. for the holy place, that is, for the sins and uncleanness which were committed in the temple by idolatry, false worship, violence and other ways; III. for Judah, that is, for the sins of the entire congregation.

e Lev. 4:14.

22So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkledfit on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar.

f Lev. 8:14, 15; Heb. 9:21.

23And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they 39laid their handsg upon them:

39 Namely, the king and the congregation, or those who appeared there in the name of or on the behalf of the congregation. They declared by this ceremony that they confessed their sins, and prayed to God for pardon, by virtue of the sacrifice, which would once be made by the Messiah, and was now typified by these offerings. See Lev. 1:4; 4:15, 24; 8:18. Likewise the annotation Lev. 1 on verse 4.

g Lev. 4:15.

24And the priests killed them, and they made 40reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all 41Israel: for the king 42commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.

40 Namely, for the kingdom, the sanctuary and the congregation, as verse 21; that is, for all Israel, consisting of the king, his court and his officers; of ecclesiastical persons, and of all other inhabitants of the land and citizens of cities.

41 See 2 Chron. 21 on verse 2.

42 Hebr. said. Also verse 27; Job 9:7.

25And heh set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, accordingi to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s 43seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.

h 1 Chron. 16:4; 25:6.

i 1 Chron. 6:31; 23:5; 25:1, etc.; 2 Chron. 8:14.

43 That is, the prophet. See 1 Sam. 9:9; 2 Chron. 9 on verse 29.

26And the Levites stood with the 44instruments of 45David, and the priests with the trumpets.

44 Understand musical instruments.

45 That is, as David, being taught and led by the Spirit of God, had prescribed, and caused to be made.

27And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with 46the trumpets, and 47with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.

46 According to the command of the Lord, of which we read in Num. 10:10.

47 Hebr. by the hands of the instruments of David. Other, according to the hands, that is, according to the institution, which David had ordained by God’s command. See 2 Chron. 23 on verse 18, and here verse 25.

28And all the congregation 48worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.

48 Namely, unto a sign of reverence, supplication and thanksgiving to God. Compare verses 29, 30; 2 Chron. 20:18.

29And when they had made an end of 49offering, the king and all that were 50present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.

49 Namely, the burnt offering, mentioned in the two previous verses.

50 Or, were present at hand, as Gen. 19:15.

30Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.

31Then Hezekiah 51answered and said, Now ye have 52consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring 53sacrifices and 54thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart 55burnt offerings.

51 That is, began again to speak. See Judges 18 on verse 14.

52 Or, filled your hand; that is, consecrated your service. See of this phrase Lev. 7 on verse 37 on the word consecrations.

53 Understand all kinds of sacrifice of animals which were slain or killed, Exod. 12:27; Lev. 3:6; Deut. 32:38.

54 Whereby they acknowledged God’s mercies, and praised and thanked Him for the same. As were some vows, freewill offerings and meat offerings. See of these thank offerings Lev. 7:12.

55 See of these, Gen. 8 on verse 20.

32And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD.

3356And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand 57sheep.

56 That is, over and above the aforementioned animals consecrated to the Lord; these are yet to be added to them.

57 Or, small cattle, that is, sheep and goats. See Gen. 12 on verse 16.

34But the priests were 58too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did 59help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had 60sanctified themselves: for the Levites were 61more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

58 Namely, to prepare all these offerings; that is, to kill them, to flay them and to divide them in pieces; which was properly the work of the priests, Lev. 1:5, 6, however the service of the Levites might be used therein, which were added for an help to the priests.

59 Hebr. strengthen.

60 See on verse 5.

61 See Psalm 7 on verse 10.

35And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the 62peace offerings, and the 63drink offerings 64for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.

62 See Lev. 3 on verse 1.

63 See Gen. 35 on verse 14; Lev. 23 on verse 13.

64 Other, of the burnt offerings; or, to, or, with the burnt offerings, that is, which drink offerings were added to the burnt offerings and belonged thereto. Compare Num. 28:7.

36And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, 65that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done 66suddenly.

65 Understand the good affection and inclination, which God had put into the heart of the people, whereby they were very willing and exceedingly inclined to this work of reformation, so that it went on very speedily and prosperously, according to desire, yea, beyond all expectation. Other, because God had prepared the people.

66 Namely, in the very first beginning of Hezekiah’s reign, and without any opposition of the people; yea, with their great inclination thereunto, although immediately before, under the reign of Ahaz, they had exceedingly fallen to idolatry, and were turned aside from the pure worship of God.