Introduction

‘Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah, daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done.’ 2 Chronicles 29:1-2

HEZEKIAH PURIFIES THE TEMPLE

Whilst the Northern Kingdom of Israel was taken into captivity, 2 Kings 17:5, Hezekiah now becomes king of the Southern Kingdom of Judah at the age of twenty-five, 2 Chronicles 29:1.

He reigned for twenty-nine years, from 716 B.C. to 687 B.C. 2 Chronicles 29:1 / 2 Kings 18:1-2. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah, 2 Chronicles 29:1 / 2 Kings 18:2, who is probably the person mentioned by Isaiah, as a ‘faithful witness’, Isaiah 8:2. Hezekiah did what was right in the eyes of God, 2 Chronicles 29:2 / 2 Kings 18:3; he trusted God and restored Judah to God.

Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.

‘In 2 Chronicles 29:1-36, of the second book of Chronicles, we have an account of what this pious king did to restore the worship of God. He caused the priests and Levites to cleanse the holy house, which had been shut up by his father Ahaz, and had been polluted with filth of various kinds; and this cleansing required no less than sixteen days to accomplish it. As the Passover, according to the law, must be celebrated the fourteenth of the first month, and the Levites could not get the temple cleansed before the sixteenth day, he published the Passover for the fourteenth of the second month, and sent through all Judah and Israel to collect all the men that feared God, that the Passover might be celebrated in a proper manner. The concourse was great, and the feast was celebrated with great magnificence. When the people returned to their respective cities and villages, they began to throw down the idol altars, statues, images, and groves, and even to abolish the high places; the consequence was that a spirit of piety began to revive in the land, and a general reformation took place.’

Hezekiah also made reforms in the cities, but also in the rural areas as he removed the high places of the false gods by destroying them, 2 Kings 18:4 / 2 Chronicles 31:20-21 / Deuteronomy 12:2-4 / Deuteronomy 12:11-14 / Leviticus 26:30.

The bronze snake Moses made, was now called ‘Nehushtan’, 2 Kings 18:4, which means ‘the bronze thing.’ This tells us that what the snake actually signified from Israel’s past had long been forgotten, Numbers 21:8-9, and was being worshipped.

Coffman, in his commentary, says the following concerning the altar.

‘But does not 2 Kings 16:14-16 state that Ahaz himself made offerings on that special altar? Yes, indeed, but there is no contradiction here. The Chronicler is merely telling us, and those Levites, that those sacrifices that Ahaz offered on an Assyrian altar were, in no sense, offered unto the God of Israel, but were actually sacrifices to Assyrian gods.’

In doing all these things, he did what the kings before him failed to achieve, 2 Kings 18:5. No wonder the Lord was with Hezekiah. He was committed to serving God and restoring the people of Judah back to God, 2 Kings 18:6, and God was committed to being with him, 2 Kings 18:7 / 2 Chronicles 32:23 / 2 Chronicles 32:27-29.

‘In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the LORD and repaired them. He brought in the priests and the Levites, assembled them in the square on the east side and said: “Listen to me, Levites! Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the LORD, the God of your ancestors. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary. Our parents were unfaithful; they did evil in the eyes of the LORD our God and forsook him. They turned their faces away from the LORD’s dwelling place and turned their backs on him. They also shut the doors of the portico and put out the lamps. They did not burn incense or present any burnt offerings at the sanctuary to the God of Israel. Therefore, the anger of the LORD has fallen on Judah and Jerusalem; he has made them an object of dread and horror and scorn, as you can see with your own eyes. This is why our fathers have fallen by the sword and why our sons and daughters and our wives are in captivity. Now I intend to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger will turn away from us. My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before him and serve him, to minister before him and to burn incense.” Then these Levites set to work: from the Kohathites, Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah; from the Merarites, Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel; from the Gershonites, Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah; from the descendants of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel; from the descendants of Asaph, Zechariah, and Mattaniah; from the descendants of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei; from the descendants of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. When they had assembled their fellow Levites and consecrated themselves, they went in to purify the temple of the LORD, as the king had ordered, following the word of the LORD. The priests went into the sanctuary of the LORD to purify it. They brought out to the courtyard of the LORD’s temple everything unclean that they found in the temple of the LORD. The Levites took it and carried it out to the Kidron Valley. They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and by the eighth day of the month, they reached the portico of the LORD. For eight more days, they consecrated the temple of the LORD itself, finishing on the sixteenth day of the first month. Then they went in to King Hezekiah and reported: “We have purified the entire temple of the LORD, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the table for setting out the consecrated bread, with all its articles. We have prepared and consecrated all the articles that King Ahaz removed in his unfaithfulness while he was king. They are now in front of the LORD’s altar.” 2 Chronicles 29:3-19

Hezekiah now opens the temple doors, which Ahaz had closed, 2 Chronicles 29:3 / 2 Chronicles 28:24. He then brings in the priests and the Levites, and assembles them in the square on the east side, 2 Chronicles 29:4. Hezekiah now issues several orders and the first of which is to consecrate themselves and consecrate the temple, 2 Chronicles 29:5.

To do this would have to wash their clothes, Exodus 19:10 / Exodus 19:14, anoint them with oil, Exodus 28:41 / Exodus 29:7 / Exodus 30:30 / Leviticus 8:12. They would sacrifice animals, Exodus 29:1-3 / Exodus 29:10-18 / Leviticus 8:20, and put on holy garments, Exodus 29:5-6 / Exodus 40:13.

They would be required to lay their hands on the sacrifice, Exodus 29:19, and place blood in special places on the High Priest’s body and altar, Exodus 29:20-21, and proceed with the special wave offering ceremony, Exodus 29:24-28.

Hezekiah now speaks about the sins of their fathers, 2 Chronicles 29:6-7. They were unfaithful, 2 Chronicles 26:16 / 2 Chronicles 26:18 / 2 Chronicles 28:19 / 2 Chronicles 28:22 / 2 Chronicles 36:14.

They did evil, 2 Chronicles 28:2-3 / 2 Chronicles 28:22-25, and forsook God, Deuteronomy 28:20 / 2 Chronicles 15:2 / 2 Chronicles 24:18 / 2 Chronicles 24:20 / 2 Chronicles 28:6 / Jeremiah 1:16.

They abandoned the temple, 2 Chronicles 28:22-25, and turned their back on God, Exodus 32:8-9 / Exodus 33:3 / Exodus 33:5 / Exodus 34:9 / Deuteronomy 9:6 / Deuteronomy 31:27 / 2 Kings 17:14 / 2 Chronicles 30:8 / Jeremiah 7:26. They shut the doors of the porch, 2 Chronicles 28:24, put out the lamps, didn’t burned incense and they didn’t offer burnt offerings, Leviticus 1.

As a result of these sins, the wrath of God came upon Jehovah Judah, 2 Chronicles 29:8. This word, ‘wrath’, is used in Deuteronomy 28:25, where Moses had predicted this very disaster that befell Judah.

This is why they were taken into captivity, 2 Chronicles 29:9 / Leviticus 26 / Deuteronomy 28. They were taken into Syria, 2 Chronicles 28:5, Israel, 2 Chronicles 28:8 / 2 Chronicles 28:11 / 2 Chronicles 28:13-15, and Edom, 2 Chronicles 28:17.

Hezekiah continues to speak to the priests and Levites and tells them he intends to make a covenant with God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from us, 2 Chronicles 29:10.

He encourages them not to be negligent, for God has chosen them to stand before Him and serve Him, to minister before Him and to burn incense, 2 Chronicles 29:11 / Numbers 3:6 / Numbers 8:6 / Deuteronomy 10:8.

The priests and Levites then did as Hezekiah asked; they went to work, and they consecrated themselves, 2 Chronicles 29:12-15. They begin to purify the temple, 2 Chronicles 29:15, which had been defiled and polluted by Ahaz, 2 Chronicles 28:22-25.

The priests go into the sanctuary and purify it and remove everything which was unclean and took them and carried them out to the Kidron Valley, 2 Chronicles 29:16.

They finally finished consecrating the temple after eight days, 2 Chronicles 29:17 / Exodus 40:17 / Leviticus 8:33-9:24. The priests now report back to Hezekiah and from him that they have done everything he has asked concerning the cleaning of the temple, 2 Chronicles 29:18-19.

‘Early the next morning, King Hezekiah gathered the city officials together and went up to the temple of the LORD. They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven male lambs and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary and for Judah. The king commanded the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to offer these on the altar of the LORD. So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and splashed it against the altar; next, they slaughtered the rams and splashed their blood against the altar; then, they slaughtered the lambs and splashed their blood against the altar. The goats for the sin offering were brought before the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them. The priests then slaughtered the goats and presented their blood on the altar for a sin offering to atone for all Israel, because the king had ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel. He stationed the Levites in the temple of the LORD with cymbals, harps and lyres in the way prescribed by David and Gad the king’s seer and Nathan the prophet; this was commanded by the LORD through his prophets. So the Levites stood ready with David’s instruments, and the priests with their trumpets. Hezekiah gave the order to sacrifice the burnt offering on the altar. As the offering began, singing to the LORD began also, accompanied by trumpets and the instruments of David, king of Israel. The whole assembly bowed in worship, while the musicians played and the trumpets sounded. All this continued until the sacrifice of the burnt offering was completed. When the offerings were finished, the king and everyone present with him knelt down and worshipped. King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to praise the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and bowed down and worshipped.’ 2 Chronicles 29:20-30

Bright and early the next morning, Hezekiah doesn’t waste any time in bringing together the city officials, and they go to the temple, 2 Chronicles 29:20. Hezekiah and the city officials witness the priests’ sacrifice of Israel’s sin offering.

They brought seven bullocks, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven he-goats for a sin-offering for the Kingdom, 2 Chronicles 29:21 / Leviticus 1:3-8 / Leviticus 14:20 / Leviticus 16:24 / Numbers 28:11-15.

The priests sprinkle the blood upon the altar, 2 Chronicles 29:22 / Exodus 29:16 / Leviticus 1:5 / Leviticus 1:11. Hezekiah and the assembly laid their hands upon them, the sacrifices, 2 Chronicles 29:23 / Leviticus 1:4 / Leviticus 4:13-15.

They then make a sin-offering with their blood upon the altar, 2 Chronicles 29:24 / Leviticus 4:25 / Leviticus 4:34. Hezekiah now gets the musicians in place, which was something David introduced, 2 Chronicles 29:25 / 1 Chronicles 23:5 / 1 Chronicles 25:1. The Levites stood ready with David’s instruments, and the priests with their trumpets, 2 Chronicles 29:26.

Clarke, in his commentary, says the following concerning the use of instruments.

‘Moses had not appointed any musical instruments to be used in the divine worship; there was nothing of the kind under the first tabernacle. The trumpets or horns then used were not for song nor for praise, but as we use bells, i.e., to give notice to the congregation of what they were called to perform. But David did certainly introduce many instruments of music into God’s worship, for which we have already seen he was solemnly reproved by the prophet Amos, Amos 6:1-6. Here, however, the author of this book states he had the commandment of the prophet Nathan, and Gad the king’s seer and this is stated to have been the commandment of the Lord by his prophets: but the Syriac and Arabic give this a different turn, “Hezekiah appointed the Levites in the house of the Lord, with instruments of music, and the sound of harps, and with the HYMNS of DAVID, and the HYMNS of GAD, the king’s prophet, and of NATHAN, the king’s prophet: for David sang the praises of the Lord his God, as from the mouth of the prophets.” It was by the hand or commandment of the Lord and his prophets that the Levites should praise the Lord; for so the Hebrew text may be understood: and it was by the order of David that so many instruments of music should be introduced into the Divine service.’

Hezekiah gave the order to sacrifice the burnt offering on the altar, and as the offering began, there was an outburst of just praising God and worshipping Him, which continued until the sacrifice of the burnt offering was completed, 2 Chronicles 29:27-28.

When the offerings were finished, Hezekiah and everyone present with him knelt down and worshipped, 2 Chronicles 29:29. Then Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to praise God with the words of David and of Asaph the seer, who wrote twelve of the Psalms, and so, they sang praises with gladness and bowed down and worshipped, 2 Chronicles 29:30.

‘Then Hezekiah said, “You have now dedicated yourselves to the LORD. Come and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the temple of the LORD.” So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all whose hearts were willing brought burnt offerings. The number of burnt offerings the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams and two hundred male lambs—all of them for burnt offerings to the LORD. The animals consecrated as sacrifices amounted to six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep, and goats. The priests, however, were too few to skin all the burnt offerings; so their relatives, the Levites, helped them until the task was finished and until other priests had been consecrated, for the Levites had been more conscientious in consecrating themselves than the priests had been. There were burnt offerings in abundance, together with the fat of the fellowship offerings and the drink offerings that accompanied the burnt offerings. So the service of the temple of the LORD was re-established. Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly.’ 2 Chronicles 29:31-36

The thanksgiving was for the joy over the renewal of the worship of God, 2 Chronicles 29:31 / Leviticus 7:12-21. The assembly brought burnt offerings to God, which included seventy bulls, a hundred rams and two hundred male lambs, 2 Chronicles 29:32. The animals consecrated as sacrifices amounted to six hundred bulls, three thousand sheep and goats, 2 Chronicles 29:33.

The priests were to kill, skin, and prepare the animals for sacrifices, 2 Chronicles 29:34 / 2 Chronicles 29:22 / 2 Chronicles 29:24 / 2 Chronicles 29:34 / Ezekiel 44:11, but for free will sacrifices, they would kill and skin the animal and then cut it up, Leviticus 1:5-6.

Barnes, in his commentary, says the following concerning 2 Chronicles 29:34.

‘Urijah, the high priest, had participated to some extent in the impieties of Ahaz, 2 Kings 16:10-16. He and many of the priests may, therefore, have looked coldly on the reforming zeal of Hezekiah.’

There were lots of burnt offerings, and along with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings, they accompanied every burnt offering, 2 Chronicles 29:35 / Numbers 15:1-15. So the service of the temple of the LORD was re-established, 2 Chronicles 29:35.

Hezekiah first led the leaders in a spiritual restoration, and then he led the leaders to restore as many of his fellow Israelites as possible. The result of all these things being done was an acknowledgement that only God could make all this happen so quickly, and everyone rejoiced, 2 Chronicles 29:36.

Go To 2 Chronicles 30