2Chronicles 29:1 ¶ Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.
2Chronicles 29:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done.
Hezekiah began his reign as king at age 25; he ruled for 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah, daughter of Zechariah. David Guzik provides this insight: “Hezekiah came to the throne of Judah at the very end of the Kingdom of Israel. Three years after the start of his reign the Assyrian armies set siege to Samaria, and three years after that the northern kingdom was conquered.”
Hezekiah was a good king that did what was right “in the sight of the LORD” in accordance with how King David had lived.
This phrase—in the sight of the LORD—appears many times as we read the historian’s record of Judah’s kings. I think it is an important truth that not many Christians focus on. God sees everything we do and say. There is nothing we can hide from Him. If we would but focus on that truth, I believe it would certainly have more impact on our actions and our speech.
2Chronicles 29:3 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.
2Chronicles 29:4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street,
2Chronicles 29:5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.
Hezekiah didn’t waste any time in reopening the temple and reinstituting worship there; he began in the very first month of his reign. He gathered together all the priests and Levites into the east street (that faced the Eastern Gate according to JFB) to commission them to get back to work. He ordered them to sanctify themselves and proceed to sanctify the house of the LORD and get rid of all the filthiness in the sanctuary caused by the actions of his father Ahaz.
The record in 1Kings adds a bit more. We are told that he removed all the high places, destroyed idols, cut down the groves and destroyed the bronze serpent that Moses had made in the wilderness (see Numbers 21) and that the people had made into an idol. It is also noted that no other king of Judah before or after him trusted the LORD as he did.
2 Kings 18:4–5 “He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.”
2Chronicles 29:6 For our 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 turned theirbacks.
2Chronicles 29:7 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel.
2Chronicles 29:8 Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes.
2Chronicles 29:9 For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.
2Chronicles 29:10 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.
2Chronicles 29:11 My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.
Hezekiah went on to explain that their fathers had sinned and done what was evil according to God’s law and rejected Him as their LORD. They had abandoned worship at the temple and turned away from following Him. They had even closed up the temple and stopped all worship that took place there. It is because of these actions that the LORD had judged Judah and caused them to suffer such trouble, ruin and derision from the nations. That was why so many of their fathers had been killed and their sons, daughters and wives were being held in captivity.
Hezekiah then declared that it was in his heart to make a covenant and renew their commitment to follow the LORD God of Israel in order to turn God’s wrath away from them. He encouraged the priests and Levites not to be negligent or careless in their task. God had specifically set them apart to stand before Him and serve Him and burn incense and make sacrifices (from the Hebrew) before Him.
I think it is “in one’s heart” from which the desire to follow the LORD originates. Consider the following scriptures.
Deuteronomy 5:29 “O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!”
2 Chronicles 12:14 “And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.”
Psalms 112:7 “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.”
Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
2Chronicles 29:12 ¶ 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:
2Chronicles 29:13 And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel: and of the sons of Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah:
2Chronicles 29:14 And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel.
2Chronicles 29:15 And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD.
The Levites immediately organized themselves under the leadership as listed above. They sanctified themselves and got to work cleansing the house of the LORD in accordance with the king’s command.
2Chronicles 29:16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad into the brook Kidron.
2Chronicles 29:17 Now they began on the first day of the first month to 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.
2Chronicles 29:18 Then 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 the shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof.
2Chronicles 29:19 Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and, behold, they are before the altar of the LORD.
The priests set to work thoroughly cleaning the sanctuary and getting rid of all the filth they found. They first brought the garbage out into the courtyard, then the Levites took it to the brook Kidron. They began work on the 1st day of the 1st month, completing the sanctuary by the 8th and finishing the whole on the 16th of the same month.
They went to King Hezekiah and told him that the temple had been cleansed, as well as the altar of burnt offering and all the utensils used there and the showbread table and all the utensils used there. They reported that they had also collected and sanctified all the remaining temple vessels that King Ahaz had removed and placed them before the altar of the LORD.
I liked this application from Wiersbe: “The restoration began with the removal of the refuse. If we are to have revival in the Lord’s work, we must begin with cleansing. Over the years, individuals and churches can gradually accumulate a great deal of religious rubbish while ignoring the essentials of spiritual worship. We don’t experience God’s blessing by doing some unique and new thing but by returning to the old things and doing them well.”
And how does the Christian effectively clean himself? By confessing sin and heeding God’s word.
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Psalm 119:9 “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”
2Chronicles 29:20 ¶ Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.
2Chronicles 29:21 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin 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.
2Chronicles 29:22 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it 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.
2Chronicles 29:23 And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them:
2Chronicles 29:24 And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.
So King Hezekiah got up early the next day and gathered together all the rulers of the city and went up to the temple. They brought 7 bulls, 7 rams, 7 lambs and 7 male goats for a sin offering for the kingdom’s rulers (from the Hebrew), the sanctuary and the people of Judah. He then commanded the priest to sacrifice them upon the altar of the LORD.
The priests did as the king commanded, sprinkling the blood of the bulls, rams, and lambs upon the altar for the burnt offering. Finally, when they killed the male goats to make the sin offering, the king and city leaders laid their hands on them acknowledging the sins of the whole kingdom. This atoned for the sins of all Israel in accordance with the king’s command that the burnt offerings and sin offerings be made on behalf of all of Israel.
As noted in my study of Leviticus, these sacrifices pictured the death of the perfect lamb of God, Jesus, on the cross in consequence of my sin, our sin.
2Chronicles 29:25 And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.
2Chronicles 29:26 And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.
The king then set the Levites in the house of the LORD to lead worship with cymbals, psalteries (lyres) and harps in accordance with the LORD’s command as given through the prophets Gad and Nathan to King David. They also used trumpets along with the instruments of David.
2Chronicles 29:27 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.
2Chronicles 29:28 And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
2Chronicles 29:29 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.
2Chronicles 29:30 Moreover 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.
As the priests began offering the burnt offerings, the Levites began to play the song of the LORD. They whole congregation worshipped as the singers sang and the trumpeters played; they continued until the burnt offerings were completed. Then the king and the whole congregation bowed themselves in worship before the LORD. The king and the leaders of the city commanded the Levites to continue to sing praise to the LORD using the songs of David and Asaph as they continued to worship.
2Chronicles 29:31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank 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 burnt offerings.
2Chronicles 29:32 And 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.
2Chronicles 29:33 And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.
2Chronicles 29:34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.
2Chronicles 29:35 And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.
2Chronicles 29:36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.
King Hezekiah next addressed the congregation, calling for them to bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the LORD. The people responded by freely and willingly bringing many animals to sacrifice. They brought 70 bulls, 100 rams and 200 lambs as burnt offerings. They also brought 600 oxen and 3000 sheep to sacrifice. There were too few priests to skin all the burnt offerings, so they called on the Levites to help them until the work was done. This was because the Levites had been more diligent in sanctifying themselves than some of the priests.
The NIV gives a bit more explanation: “…the Chronicler observes that those who were particularly 'willing brought burnt offerings’ (v. 31); for these were wholly consumed on the altar. In contrast were the more numerous ‘sacrifices' (the ‘consecrated' offerings of v. 33, or 'fellowship offerings’ of v. 35), which were largely eaten by the sacrificers in feasts that followed the services of presentation.”
Knowing that the house of the LORD had been set in order caused Hezekiah and the people to rejoice. They praised God for causing such a change in the temple and the hearts of the people so quickly.
2Chronicles 30:1 ¶ And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.
2Chronicles 30:2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.
2Chronicles 30:3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
2Chronicles 30:4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
2Chronicles 30:5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.
After the temple had been cleansed and sacrifices and offerings reinstituted, King Hezekiah decided that they should keep Passover. They could not keep the Passover at the appointed time because all the priests weren’t sanctified and the people did not gather to celebrate the feast since it had not been done for a long time. He shared his desire with his court officers and the people of Jerusalem, and they decided to celebrate the feast in the second month. In principle, there was actually a provision for this in God’s law.
Numbers 9:10–11 “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD. The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.”
So the king issued a decree to be proclaimed throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan (including those of the Northern Kingdom), to come to Jerusalem to keep the Passover unto the LORD God of Israel, noting that it had not been done in a long time.
Guzik made an apt comparison: “The long neglect of Passover among the tribes of Israel would be like a church that had not celebrated the Lord’s Table in a long, long time.”
2Chronicles 30:6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
2Chronicles 30:7 And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.
2Chronicles 30:8 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.
2Chronicles 30:9 For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.
At the king’s command the proclamation was sent throughout the whole of the kingdom accompanied by letters from the king and his officials. It stated (my paraphrase): I call for you to turn back to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel (Jacob). If you do, He will once again turn back to you who have escaped captivity at the hands of the king of Assyria. I urge you not to continue in the sin of your fathers and relatives that were taken captive. Don’t continue to be willful and stubborn like your fathers; yield yourselves to the LORD. Come to the house of the LORD that He has made holy forever. Choose to serve the LORD your God, and He will no longer be angry with you. If you repent and choose to follow the LORD, the LORD will show compassion to those you love that are in captivity and bring them back home. The LORD “your” God is gracious and merciful and will not reject you if you turn back to Him.
Scripture is clear in declaring that the LORD will never reject one who comes to Him in sincere repentance.
Ezekiel 18:21–23 “But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?”
(Jesus speaking) John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
(Jesus speaking) John 6:37 “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
Hezekiah recognized the truth that whether or not the people accepted the LORD as “their” God, doesn’t change the fact. That is true of all those that reject Him as LORD today. There is only one God, one LORD, and He is God of all.
Jeremiah 32:26–27 “Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh….”
James 2:19 “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”
Deuteronomy 4:39 “Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.”
Isaiah 45:22 “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”
2Chronicles 30:10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
2Chronicles 30:11 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
2Chronicles 30:12 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.
The proclamation was sent from city to city throughout the whole land, but many of the people of the Northern Kingdom laughed when they heard it and mocked the messengers. However, there were those from Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun that humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. God gave those in the kingdom of Judah a unified heart to obey the command of the king and his officials in keeping with God’s law.
2Chronicles 30:13 ¶ And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
2Chronicles 30:14 And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.
A great multitude gathered together in Jerusalem to keep the Passover at the appointed time in the second month. Before the feast, they took away all the existing altars to false gods in Jerusalem and threw them into the brook Kidron.
2Chronicles 30:15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.
2Chronicles 30:16 And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.
They killed the Passover on the 14th day of the 2nd month. The priests and Levites were ashamed and sanctified themselves, bringing burnt offerings into the temple. I think they were ashamed because they had not been more diligent to do so before.
They took their places and served as set forth in the law of Moses. The Levites brought the blood that had been drained from the sacrifices to the priests, and they sprinkled it (on the altar I assume).
2Chronicles 30:17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.
2Chronicles 30:18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one
2Chronicles 30:19 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
2Chronicles 30:20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
Many of the people came to the feast unprepared and unclean, so the Levites had to kill the Passover sacrifices for them to consecrate them to the LORD. The head of the family usually did this. Though a great many from the Northern Kingdom had not cleansed themselves, they still participated in the Passover (but not as set forth in the law). I would imagine that most of these people did not even realize that they were supposed to go through a ritual of cleansing in preparation for the Passover feast.
King Hezekiah interceded for these people in prayer, asking the “good LORD” to pardon every one that prepared his heart to seek the LORD God of his fathers even if he hadn’t been cleansed according to the rules of the sanctuary. The historian notes that the LORD answered Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people. I think that is saying that He supernaturally cleansed them.
“prepareth his heart” – The Hebrew indicates that this is a determined choice to be faithful to God’s command. I am reminded of the truth that though man is focused on the outward appearance of a person, God is focused on what is in his heart.
1 Samuel 16:7 “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
Evidently, what God saw in their hearts provoked His compassion and grace to the point of “healing” the people to make them fit participants of the appointed feast.
Wiersbe stated it well: “God answered his prayer because God wants the heart’s devotion and not mere religious ritual. If any legalists were in the congregation, they would have been very upset, but their attitude would only rob them of God’s blessing.”
2Chronicles 30:21 ¶ And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.
2Chronicles 30:22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.
The multitudes that had gathered at Jerusalem joyfully kept the feast of unleavened bread for seven days. The Levites and priests praised the LORD every day with singing and instrumental music. The king expressed his appreciation to the Levites for their successful (from the Hebrew for “knowledge”) performance in service to the LORD. Everyone feasted that whole week, offering peace offerings and worshipping and confessing their sins (both from the Hebrew for “confession”) before the LORD God of their fathers.
2Chronicles 30:23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.
2Chronicles 30:24 For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.
2Chronicles 30:25 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.
At the end of the first week, the whole assembly decided to keep the feast going for another seven days. King Hezekiah provided 1000 bulls and 7000 sheep and his officials gave 1000 bulls and 10,000 sheep for the second week. Meanwhile, many more priests consecrated themselves. The whole congregation of Judah rejoiced—priests, Levites, the people from Israel, strangers from the land of Israel and the people that lived in Judah.
2Chronicles 30:26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.
2Chronicles 30:27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.
The historian notes that there was great joy in Jerusalem. There had not been a celebration like this since the time of King Solomon, son of David (because the kingdom was split after his reign). The priests and Levites stood up to bless the people, and the LORD heard their prayer from His holy dwelling place in heaven.
I know we think of the LORD as dwelling in the third heaven far beyond our known universe, but who knows the reality. I just know that the LORD hears the prayers of His people!
2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
1 Peter 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers….”
1 John 5:14 “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us….”