2 Chronicles 28:22-29:11

New International Version

²² In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful^(A) to the Lord. ²³ He offered sacrifices to the gods^(B) of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.”^(C) But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel.^(D)

²⁴ Ahaz gathered together the furnishings^(E) from the temple of God^(F) and cut them in pieces. He shut the doors^(G) of the Lord’s temple and set up altars^(H) at every street corner in Jerusalem. ²⁵ In every town in Judah he built high places to burn sacrifices to other gods and aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of his ancestors.

²⁶ The other events of his reign and all his ways, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. ²⁷ Ahaz rested^(I) with his ancestors and was buried^(J) in the city of Jerusalem, but he was not placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son succeeded him as king.

Hezekiah Purifies the Temple^(K)

29 Hezekiah^(L) 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^(M) 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^(N) 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^(O) yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary. ⁶ Our parents^(P) were unfaithful;^(Q) 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^(R) 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^(S) and scorn,^(T) 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.^{(U) 10} Now I intend to make a covenant^(V) with the Lord, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger^(W) 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,^(X) to minister^(Y) before him and to burn incense.”