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2 Chronicles 29-32
New American Standard Bible

Hezekiah Succeeds Ahaz in Judah

29 (A)Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old; and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2 (B)He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, in accordance with everything that his father David had done.

3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he (C)opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. 4 He brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them into the public square on the east.

Reforms Begun

5 Then he said to them, “Listen to me, you Levites. (D)Consecrate yourselves now, and consecrate the house of the Lord, the God of your fathers, and carry the uncleanness out of the holy place. 6 For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done evil in the sight of the Lord our God, and they have abandoned Him and (E)turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the Lord, and have [a]turned their backs. 7 They have also (F)shut the doors of the porch and extinguished the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. 8 Therefore (G)the wrath of the Lord was against Judah and Jerusalem, and He has made them an object of terror, of horror, and of (H)hissing, as you see with your own eyes. 9 For behold, (I)our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity because of this. 10 Now it is in my heart (J)to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, so that His burning anger may turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for (K)the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and to be His ministers and burn incense.”

12 Then the Levites arose: (L)Mahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, from the sons of (M)the Kohathites; and from the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and from the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah; 13 and from the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and [b]Jeiel; and from the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 and from the sons of Heman, [c]Jehiel and Shimei; and from the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. 15 They assembled their brothers, (N)consecrated themselves, and went in (O)to cleanse the house of the Lord, according to the commandment of the king (P)by the words of the Lord. 16 So the priests went into the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it, and they brought every unclean thing which they found in the temple of the Lord out to the courtyard of the house of the Lord. Then the Levites received it to carry out to (Q)the Kidron [d]Valley. 17 Now they began [e]the consecration (R)on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they entered the porch of the Lord. Then they consecrated the house of the Lord in eight days, and finished on the sixteenth day of the first month. 18 Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed the whole house of the Lord, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the table of the showbread with all of its utensils. 19 Moreover, (S)all the utensils which King Ahaz had discarded during his reign in his unfaithfulness, we have prepared and consecrated; and behold, they are before the altar of the Lord.”

Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship

20 Then King Hezekiah got up early and assembled the princes of the city, and went up to the house of the Lord. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats (T)as a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah. And he ordered the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the Lord. 22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. They also slaughtered the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar; they slaughtered the lambs as well, and (U)sprinkled the blood on the altar. 23 Then they brought the male goats of the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and (V)they laid their hands on them. 24 The priests slaughtered them and purified the altar with their blood (W)to atone for all Israel, because the king ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.

25 (X)He then stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, harps, and lyres, (Y)according to the command of David and of (Z)Gad, the king’s seer, and of (AA)Nathan the prophet; for the command was from the Lord through His prophets. 26 The Levites stood with (AB)the musical instruments of David, and (AC)the priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah gave the order to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, (AD)the song to the Lord also began with the trumpets, [f]accompanied by the instruments of David, king of Israel. 28 While the whole assembly worshiped, the singers also sang and the trumpets sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.

29 Now at the completion of the burnt offerings, (AE)the king and all who were present with him bowed down and worshiped. 30 Moreover, King Hezekiah and the officials ordered the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the seer. (AF)So they sang praises with joy, and bowed down and worshiped.

31 Then Hezekiah said, “(AG)Now that you have [g]consecrated yourselves to the Lord, come forward and bring sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings to the house of the Lord.” So the assembly brought sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings, and (AH)everyone who was [h]willing brought burnt offerings. 32 The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all of these were for a burnt offering to the Lord. 33 The consecrated offerings were six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep. 34 But the priests were too few, so that they were unable to skin all the burnt offerings; (AI)therefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was finished and the other priests had consecrated themselves. For (AJ)the Levites were more [i]conscientious to consecrate themselves than the priests. 35 There were also [j](AK)many burnt offerings with (AL)the fat of the peace offerings and (AM)the drink offerings for the burnt offerings. So the service of the house of the Lord was established again. 36 Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, because the thing came about suddenly.

All Israel Invited to the Passover

30 Now Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem to [k]celebrate the Passover to the Lord God of Israel. 2 For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had decided (AN)to celebrate the Passover in the second month, 3 since they could not celebrate it (AO)at that time, because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers, nor had the people been gathered to Jerusalem. 4 So the [l]decision was right in the sight of the king and all the assembly. 5 So they established a decree to circulate a [m]proclamation throughout Israel (AP)from Beersheba to Dan, that they are to come to celebrate the Passover to the Lord God of Israel in Jerusalem. For they had not celebrated it in great numbers as was written. 6 (AQ)The [n]couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes, even according to the command of the king, saying, “Sons of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that He may return to those of you who escaped and are left from (AR)the [o]hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 (AS)Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were untrue to the Lord God of their fathers, so that (AT)He made them an object of horror, just as you see. 8 Now do not (AU)stiffen your neck like your fathers, but [p]yield to the Lord and enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, (AV)that His burning anger may turn away from you. 9 For (AW)if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your sons will find compassion in the presence of those who led them captive, and will return to this land. (AX)For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”

10 So the [q]couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but (AY)they laughed at them with scorn and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless, (AZ)some men of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 The (BA)hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord.

Passover Reinstituted

13 Now many people were gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread (BB)in the second month, a very large assembly. 14 They got up and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem; they also (BC)removed all the incense altars and (BD)threw them into the brook Kidron. 15 Then (BE)they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth of the second month. And (BF)the priests and Levites were ashamed of themselves, and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the Lord. 16 (BG)They stood at their stations following their custom, according to the Law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves; therefore, (BH)the Levites were in charge of the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was unclean, in order to consecrate them to the Lord. 18 For a multitude of the people, (BI)many from Ephraim and Manasseh, and Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, (BJ)yet they ate the Passover (BK)contrary to what was written. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord pardon 19 (BL)everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” 20 So the Lord heard Hezekiah and (BM)healed the people. 21 The sons of Israel present in Jerusalem (BN)celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and the priests were praising the Lord day after day with loud instruments to the Lord. 22 Then Hezekiah (BO)spoke [r]encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good insight in the things of the Lord. So they ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and (BP)giving thanks to the Lord God of their fathers.

23 Then the whole assembly (BQ)decided to celebrate the feast another seven days, so they celebrated the seven days with joy. 24 For (BR)Hezekiah king of Judah had contributed to the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep, and the princes had contributed to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and (BS)a large number of priests consecrated themselves. 25 All the assembly of Judah rejoiced, with the priests and the Levites and (BT)all the assembly that came from Israel, both the strangers who came from the land of Israel and those living in Judah. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, because there was nothing like this in Jerusalem (BU)since the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. 27 Then (BV)the Levitical priests stood and (BW)blessed the people; and their voice was heard and their prayer came to (BX)His holy dwelling place, to heaven.

Idols Are Destroyed

31 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, (BY)broke the memorial stones in pieces, cut down the [s]Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until [t]they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession.

2 And Hezekiah appointed (BZ)the divisions of the priests and the Levites by their divisions, each according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, (CA)for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to serve and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the camp of the Lord.

Reforms Continued

3 He also appointed (CB)the king’s portion of his property for the burnt offerings, namely, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths and for the new moons and for the appointed festivals, (CC)as it is written in the Law of the Lord. 4 Also he told the people who lived in Jerusalem to give (CD)the portion due to the priests and the Levites, so that they might devote themselves to (CE)the Law of the Lord. 5 As soon as the [u]order spread, the sons of Israel abundantly provided the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly (CF)the tithe of everything. 6 The sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and (CG)the tithe of [v]sacred gifts which were consecrated to the Lord their God, and placed them in heaps. 7 In the third month they began to [w]make the heaps, and they finished them by the seventh month. 8 When Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and (CH)His people Israel. 9 Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 Azariah, the chief priest (CI)of the house of Zadok, said to [x]him, “(CJ)Since the contributions started coming into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat with plenty left over, for the Lord has blessed His people, and this great quantity is left over.”

11 Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare (CK)rooms in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. 12 They faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the consecrated things; and Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge (CL)of them, and his brother Shimei was second. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers [y]under the authority of Conaniah and his brother Shimei by the appointment of King Hezekiah, and (CM)Azariah was the chief officer of the house of God. 14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the eastern gate, was in charge of the [z]voluntary offerings for God, to distribute the contributions for the Lord and the most holy things. 15 [aa]Under his authority were (CN)Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in (CO)the cities of the priests, to distribute their portions faithfully to their brothers by divisions, whether great or small, 16 without regard to their genealogical enrollment, to the males from [ab](CP)thirty years old and upward—everyone who entered the house of the Lord (CQ)for his daily obligations—for their work in their duties according to their divisions; 17 as well as the priests who were enrolled genealogically according to their fathers’ households, and the Levites (CR)from twenty years old and upward, by their duties and their divisions. 18 The genealogical enrollment included [ac]all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, for the whole assembly, for they consecrated themselves [ad]faithfully in holiness. 19 Also for the sons of Aaron, the priests, who were in (CS)the pasture lands of their cities, or in each and every city, (CT)there were men who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone genealogically enrolled among the Levites.

20 Hezekiah did this throughout Judah; and (CU)he did what was good, right, and true before the Lord his God. 21 Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in the Law and in the commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and (CV)prospered.

Sennacherib Invades Judah

32 After these [ae]acts of faithfulness (CW)Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged the fortified cities, and [af]intended to break into them for himself. 2 Now when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that [ag]he intended to wage war against Jerusalem, 3 he decided with his officers and his warriors to cut off the supply of water from the springs which were outside the city, and they helped him. 4 So many people assembled (CX)and stopped up all the springs and (CY)the stream which flowed [ah]through the region, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?” 5 And he resolutely set to work and (CZ)rebuilt all of the wall that had been broken down and [ai]erected towers on it, and built (DA)another outside wall and strengthened the [aj](DB)Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in great numbers. 6 He appointed military officers over the people and gathered them to him in the public square at the city gate, and (DC)spoke [ak]encouragingly to them, saying, 7 “(DD)Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; (DE)for the One with us is greater than the one with him. 8 With him is only (DF)an arm of flesh, but (DG)with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Sennacherib Undermines Hezekiah

9 After this (DH)Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem while he was [al]besieging Lachish with all his forces with him, against Hezekiah king of Judah and against all of Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying, 10 “This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: ‘On what are you trusting that you are staying in Jerusalem under siege? 11 Is Hezekiah not misleading you to give yourselves over to die by hunger and by thirst, saying, “The Lord our God will save us from the [am]hand of the king of Assyria”? 12 (DI)Is it not the same Hezekiah who removed His high places and His altars, and said to Judah and [an]Jerusalem, “You shall worship before one altar, and on it you shall [ao]burn incense”? 13 Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? (DJ)Were the gods of the nations of those lands at all able to save their land from my hand? 14 (DK)Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed who could save his people from my hand, that your God would be able to save you from my hand? 15 Now then, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like this, and do not believe him, for (DL)no god of any nation or kingdom was able to save his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God save you from my hand?’”

16 His servants spoke further against the Lord God and against His servant Hezekiah. 17 He also wrote letters to insult the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, “(DM)As the gods of the nations of the lands [ap]have not saved their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not save His people from my hand.” 18 (DN)They called this out with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, so that they might take the city. 19 They spoke [aq]of the God of Jerusalem as they did against (DO)the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of human hands.

Hezekiah’s Prayer Is Answered

20 But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and called out to heaven for help. 21 And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed every warrior, commander, and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned [ar]in shame to his own land. And when he had entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons killed him there with the sword. 22 So the Lord (DP)saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and [as]guided them on every side. 23 And (DQ)many were bringing gifts to the Lord at Jerusalem and valuable presents to Hezekiah king of Judah; so thereafter (DR)he rose in the sight of all nations.

24 (DS)In those days Hezekiah became [at]mortally ill; and he prayed to the Lord, and [au]the Lord spoke to him and gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah did nothing in return for the benefit [av]he received, (DT)because his heart was [aw]proud; (DU)therefore wrath came upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem. 26 However, (DV)Hezekiah [ax]humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.

27 Now Hezekiah had immense riches and honor; and he made for himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all kinds of valuable articles, 28 also storehouses for the produce of grain, wine, and oil; stalls for all kinds of cattle, and [ay]sheepfolds for the flocks. 29 He made cities for himself and acquired flocks and herds in abundance, because (DW)God had given him very great [az]wealth. 30 It was Hezekiah who (DX)stopped the upper outlet of the waters of (DY)Gihon and directed them to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah was successful in everything that he did. 31 Even in the matter of (DZ)the messengers of the rulers of Babylon, who were sent to him to inquire about (EA)the wonder that had happened in the land; God left him alone only (EB)to test him, so that He might know everything that was in his heart.

32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his deeds of devotion, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 33 So Hezekiah [ba]lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in the [bb]upper section of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem (EC)honored him at his death. And his son Manasseh became king in his place.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 29:6 Lit given
  2. 2 Chronicles 29:13 Or Jeuel
  3. 2 Chronicles 29:14 Another reading is Jehuel
  4. 2 Chronicles 29:16 Or wadi
  5. 2 Chronicles 29:17 Lit to consecrate
  6. 2 Chronicles 29:27 Lit and on the hands of
  7. 2 Chronicles 29:31 Lit filled your hands
  8. 2 Chronicles 29:31 Lit willing of heart
  9. 2 Chronicles 29:34 Lit upright of heart
  10. 2 Chronicles 29:35 Lit the burnt offerings to an abundance
  11. 2 Chronicles 30:1 Lit do, and so throughout the ch
  12. 2 Chronicles 30:4 Lit word
  13. 2 Chronicles 30:5 Lit voice
  14. 2 Chronicles 30:6 Lit runners
  15. 2 Chronicles 30:6 Lit palm
  16. 2 Chronicles 30:8 Lit give a hand
  17. 2 Chronicles 30:10 Lit runners
  18. 2 Chronicles 30:22 Lit to the heart of
  19. 2 Chronicles 31:1 I.e., wooden symbols of a female deity (Asherah)
  20. 2 Chronicles 31:1 Lit to completion
  21. 2 Chronicles 31:5 Lit word
  22. 2 Chronicles 31:6 Lit consecrated things
  23. 2 Chronicles 31:7 Lit lay
  24. 2 Chronicles 31:10 Lit him, and he said
  25. 2 Chronicles 31:13 Lit from the hand of
  26. 2 Chronicles 31:14 Or freewill offerings
  27. 2 Chronicles 31:15 Lit On his hand
  28. 2 Chronicles 31:16 Heb three
  29. 2 Chronicles 31:18 Lit with all
  30. 2 Chronicles 31:18 Lit in their faithfulness
  31. 2 Chronicles 32:1 Lit things and this faithfulness
  32. 2 Chronicles 32:1 Lit said
  33. 2 Chronicles 32:2 Lit he set his face for war
  34. 2 Chronicles 32:4 Lit in the midst of
  35. 2 Chronicles 32:5 Lit raised on the towers
  36. 2 Chronicles 32:5 I.e., terraced structure
  37. 2 Chronicles 32:6 Lit upon their hearts
  38. 2 Chronicles 32:9 Lit against
  39. 2 Chronicles 32:11 Lit palm
  40. 2 Chronicles 32:12 Lit Jerusalem, saying,
  41. 2 Chronicles 32:12 Lit offer up in smoke
  42. 2 Chronicles 32:17 Lit who have
  43. 2 Chronicles 32:19 Lit to
  44. 2 Chronicles 32:21 Lit in shame of face
  45. 2 Chronicles 32:22 Another reading is gave them rest
  46. 2 Chronicles 32:24 Lit sick to the point of death
  47. 2 Chronicles 32:24 Lit He
  48. 2 Chronicles 32:25 Lit to Him
  49. 2 Chronicles 32:25 Lit high
  50. 2 Chronicles 32:26 Lit humbled himself in
  51. 2 Chronicles 32:28 As in ancient versions; MT herds for the stables
  52. 2 Chronicles 32:29 Lit possessions; or property
  53. 2 Chronicles 32:33 I.e., died
  54. 2 Chronicles 32:33 Or ascent to
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2 Chronicles 29-32
New International Version

Hezekiah Purifies the Temple(A)

29 Hezekiah(B) 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. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David(C) had done.

3 In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the Lord and repaired(D) them. 4 He brought in the priests and the Levites, assembled them in the square on the east side 5 and said: “Listen to me, Levites! Consecrate(E) yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary. 6 Our parents(F) were unfaithful;(G) 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. 7 They also shut the doors of the portico and put out the lamps. They did not burn incense(H) or present any burnt offerings at the sanctuary to the God of Israel. 8 Therefore, the anger of the Lord has fallen on Judah and Jerusalem; he has made them an object of dread and horror(I) and scorn,(J) as you can see with your own eyes. 9 This is why our fathers have fallen by the sword and why our sons and daughters and our wives are in captivity.(K) 10 Now I intend to make a covenant(L) with the Lord, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger(M) will turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him and serve him,(N) to minister(O) before him and to burn incense.”

12 Then these Levites(P) 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(Q) son of Joah;

13 from the descendants of Elizaphan,(R)

Shimri and Jeiel;

from the descendants of Asaph,(S)

Zechariah and Mattaniah;

14 from the descendants of Heman,

Jehiel and Shimei;

from the descendants of Jeduthun,

Shemaiah and Uzziel.

15 When they had assembled their fellow Levites and consecrated themselves, they went in to purify(T) the temple of the Lord, as the king had ordered, following the word of the Lord. 16 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.(U) 17 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.

18 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. 19 We have prepared and consecrated all the articles(V) that King Ahaz removed in his unfaithfulness while he was king. They are now in front of the Lord’s altar.”

20 Early the next morning King Hezekiah gathered the city officials together and went up to the temple of the Lord. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven male lambs and seven male goats(W) as a sin offering[a](X) 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. 22 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(Y) against the altar. 23 The goats(Z) for the sin offering were brought before the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands(AA) on them. 24 The priests then slaughtered the goats and presented their blood on the altar for a sin offering to atone(AB) for all Israel, because the king had ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.(AC)

25 He stationed the Levites in the temple of the Lord with cymbals, harps and lyres in the way prescribed by David(AD) and Gad(AE) the king’s seer and Nathan the prophet; this was commanded by the Lord through his prophets. 26 So the Levites stood ready with David’s instruments,(AF) and the priests with their trumpets.(AG)

27 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(AH) of David king of Israel. 28 The whole assembly bowed in worship, while the musicians played and the trumpets sounded. All this continued until the sacrifice of the burnt offering(AI) was completed.

29 When the offerings were finished, the king and everyone present with him knelt down and worshiped.(AJ) 30 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 worshiped.

31 Then Hezekiah said, “You have now dedicated yourselves to the Lord. Come and bring sacrifices(AK) and thank offerings to the temple of the Lord.” So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all whose hearts were willing(AL) brought burnt offerings.

32 The number of burnt offerings(AM) the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams and two hundred male lambs—all of them for burnt offerings to the Lord. 33 The animals consecrated as sacrifices amounted to six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep and goats. 34 The priests, however, were too few to skin all the burnt offerings;(AN) so their relatives the Levites helped them until the task was finished and until other priests had been consecrated,(AO) for the Levites had been more conscientious in consecrating themselves than the priests had been. 35 There were burnt offerings in abundance, together with the fat(AP) of the fellowship offerings(AQ) and the drink offerings(AR) that accompanied the burnt offerings.

So the service of the temple of the Lord was reestablished. 36 Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly.(AS)

Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover

30 Hezekiah sent word to all Israel(AT) and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh,(AU) inviting them to come to the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover(AV) to the Lord, the God of Israel. 2 The king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate(AW) the Passover in the second month. 3 They had not been able to celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated(AX) themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem. 4 The plan seemed right both to the king and to the whole assembly. 5 They decided to send a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan,(AY) calling the people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. It had not been celebrated in large numbers according to what was written.

6 At the king’s command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read:

“People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 Do not be like your parents(AZ) and your fellow Israelites, who were unfaithful(BA) to the Lord, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror,(BB) as you see. 8 Do not be stiff-necked,(BC) as your ancestors were; submit to the Lord. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord your God, so that his fierce anger(BD) will turn away from you. 9 If you return(BE) to the Lord, then your fellow Israelites and your children will be shown compassion(BF) by their captors and will return to this land, for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate.(BG) He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”

10 The couriers went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, but people scorned and ridiculed(BH) them. 11 Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled(BI) themselves and went to Jerusalem.(BJ) 12 Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity(BK) of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the Lord.

13 A very large crowd of people assembled in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread(BL) in the second month. 14 They removed the altars(BM) in Jerusalem and cleared away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.(BN)

15 They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed and consecrated(BO) themselves and brought burnt offerings to the temple of the Lord. 16 Then they took up their regular positions(BP) as prescribed in the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests splashed against the altar the blood handed to them by the Levites. 17 Since many in the crowd had not consecrated themselves, the Levites had to kill(BQ) the Passover lambs for all those who were not ceremonially clean and could not consecrate their lambs[b] to the Lord. 18 Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves,(BR) yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone 19 who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” 20 And the Lord heard(BS) Hezekiah and healed(BT) the people.(BU)

21 The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread(BV) for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests praised the Lord every day with resounding instruments dedicated to the Lord.[c]

22 Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the Lord. For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised[d] the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

23 The whole assembly then agreed to celebrate(BW) the festival seven more days; so for another seven days they celebrated joyfully. 24 Hezekiah king of Judah provided(BX) a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep and goats for the assembly, and the officials provided them with a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep and goats. A great number of priests consecrated themselves. 25 The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, along with the priests and Levites and all who had assembled from Israel(BY), including the foreigners who had come from Israel and also those who resided in Judah. 26 There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon(BZ) son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. 27 The priests and the Levites stood to bless(CA) the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.

31 When all this had ended, the Israelites who were there went out to the towns of Judah, smashed the sacred stones and cut down(CB) the Asherah poles. They destroyed the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin and in Ephraim and Manasseh. After they had destroyed all of them, the Israelites returned to their own towns and to their own property.

Contributions for Worship(CC)

2 Hezekiah(CD) assigned the priests and Levites to divisions(CE)—each of them according to their duties as priests or Levites—to offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, to minister,(CF) to give thanks and to sing praises(CG) at the gates of the Lord’s dwelling.(CH) 3 The king contributed(CI) from his own possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moons and at the appointed festivals as written in the Law of the Lord.(CJ) 4 He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion(CK) due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord. 5 As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits(CL) of their grain, new wine,(CM) olive oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything. 6 The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe(CN) of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the Lord their God, and they piled them in heaps.(CO) 7 They began doing this in the third month and finished in the seventh month.(CP) 8 When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and blessed(CQ) his people Israel.

9 Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps; 10 and Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok,(CR) answered, “Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the Lord has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over.”(CS)

11 Hezekiah gave orders to prepare storerooms in the temple of the Lord, and this was done. 12 Then they faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts. Konaniah,(CT) a Levite, was the overseer in charge of these things, and his brother Shimei was next in rank. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad,(CU) Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath and Benaiah were assistants of Konaniah and Shimei his brother. All these served by appointment of King Hezekiah and Azariah the official in charge of the temple of God.

14 Kore son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the East Gate, was in charge of the freewill offerings given to God, distributing the contributions made to the Lord and also the consecrated gifts. 15 Eden,(CV) Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shekaniah assisted him faithfully in the towns(CW) of the priests, distributing to their fellow priests according to their divisions, old and young alike.

16 In addition, they distributed to the males three years old or more whose names were in the genealogical records(CX)—all who would enter the temple of the Lord to perform the daily duties of their various tasks, according to their responsibilities and their divisions. 17 And they distributed to the priests enrolled by their families in the genealogical records and likewise to the Levites twenty years old or more, according to their responsibilities and their divisions. 18 They included all the little ones, the wives, and the sons and daughters of the whole community listed in these genealogical records. For they were faithful in consecrating themselves.

19 As for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who lived on the farmlands around their towns or in any other towns,(CY) men were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among them and to all who were recorded in the genealogies of the Levites.

20 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful(CZ) before the Lord his God. 21 In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.(DA)

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem(DB)(DC)

32 After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib(DD) king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. 2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to wage war against Jerusalem,(DE) 3 he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him. 4 They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs(DF) and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings[e] of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said. 5 Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall(DG) and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces[f](DH) of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons(DI) and shields.

6 He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: 7 “Be strong and courageous.(DJ) Do not be afraid or discouraged(DK) because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.(DL) 8 With him is only the arm of flesh,(DM) but with us(DN) is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.”(DO) And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

9 Later, when Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces were laying siege to Lachish,(DP) he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah king of Judah and for all the people of Judah who were there:

10 “This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you basing your confidence,(DQ) that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? 11 When Hezekiah says, ‘The Lord our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria,’ he is misleading(DR) you, to let you die of hunger and thirst. 12 Did not Hezekiah himself remove this god’s high places and altars, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar(DS) and burn sacrifices on it’?

13 “Do you not know what I and my predecessors have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of those nations ever able to deliver their land from my hand?(DT) 14 Who of all the gods of these nations that my predecessors destroyed has been able to save his people from me? How then can your god deliver you from my hand? 15 Now do not let Hezekiah deceive(DU) you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver(DV) his people from my hand or the hand of my predecessors.(DW) How much less will your god deliver you from my hand!”

16 Sennacherib’s officers spoke further against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah. 17 The king also wrote letters(DX) ridiculing(DY) the Lord, the God of Israel, and saying this against him: “Just as the gods(DZ) of the peoples of the other lands did not rescue their people from my hand, so the god of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand.” 18 Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city. 19 They spoke about the God of Jerusalem as they did about the gods of the other peoples of the world—the work of human hands.(EA)

20 King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer(EB) to heaven about this. 21 And the Lord sent an angel,(EC) who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword.(ED)

22 So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them[g] on every side. 23 Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the Lord and valuable gifts(EE) for Hezekiah king of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded by all the nations.

Hezekiah’s Pride, Success and Death(EF)

24 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign.(EG) 25 But Hezekiah’s heart was proud(EH) and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath(EI) was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Then Hezekiah repented(EJ) of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.(EK)

27 Hezekiah had very great wealth and honor,(EL) and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables. 28 He also made buildings to store the harvest of grain, new wine and olive oil; and he made stalls for various kinds of cattle, and pens for the flocks. 29 He built villages and acquired great numbers of flocks and herds, for God had given him very great riches.(EM)

30 It was Hezekiah who blocked(EN) the upper outlet of the Gihon(EO) spring and channeled(EP) the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook. 31 But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon(EQ) to ask him about the miraculous sign(ER) that had occurred in the land, God left him to test(ES) him and to know everything that was in his heart.

32 The other events of Hezekiah’s reign and his acts of devotion are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33 Hezekiah rested with his ancestors and was buried on the hill where the tombs of David’s descendants are. All Judah and the people of Jerusalem honored him when he died. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 29:21 Or purification offering; also in verses 23 and 24
  2. 2 Chronicles 30:17 Or consecrate themselves
  3. 2 Chronicles 30:21 Or priests sang to the Lord every day, accompanied by the Lord’s instruments of praise
  4. 2 Chronicles 30:22 Or and confessed their sins to
  5. 2 Chronicles 32:4 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac king
  6. 2 Chronicles 32:5 Or the Millo
  7. 2 Chronicles 32:22 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate He gave them rest
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