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Hezekiah Brings an Offering

20 Then King Hezekiah arose early and gathered the princes of the city and went up to the house of Yahweh. 21 And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats (A)for 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 Yahweh. 22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and splashed it on the altar. They also slaughtered the rams and splashed the blood on the altar; they slaughtered the lambs also and (B)splashed the blood on the altar. 23 Then they had the male goats of the sin offering approach before the king and the assembly, and (C)they laid their hands on them. 24 And the priests slaughtered them and purged the altar with their blood (D)to atone for all Israel, for the king ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.

25 (E)He then caused the Levites to stand in the house of Yahweh with cymbals, with harps, and with lyres, (F)according to the command of David and of (G)Gad the king’s seer, and of (H)Nathan the prophet; for the command was from Yahweh by the hand of His prophets. 26 And the Levites stood with (I)the musical instruments of David, and (J)the priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah said to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, (K)the song to Yahweh also began with the trumpets, [a]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 completed.

29 Now at the completion of the burnt offerings, (L)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 Yahweh with the words of David and Asaph the seer. (M)So they sang praises with gladness, and bowed down and worshiped.

31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, “(N)Now that you have [b]become ordained to Yahweh, approach and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of Yahweh.” And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and (O)all those who were willing of heart brought burnt offerings. 32 And the number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to Yahweh. 33 And the holy things were 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep. 34 But the priests were too few, so that they were unable to skin all the burnt offerings; (P)therefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was completed and until the other priests had set themselves apart as holy. For (Q)the Levites were more upright of heart to set themselves apart as holy than the priests. 35 There were also [c](R)many burnt offerings with (S)the fat of the peace offerings and with (T)the drink offerings for the burnt offerings. Thus the service of the house of Yahweh was established again. 36 Then Hezekiah and all the people were glad over what God had prepared for the people, because the thing came about suddenly.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 29:27 Lit and according to the authority of the instruments
  2. 2 Chronicles 29:31 Lit filled your hands
  3. 2 Chronicles 29:35 Lit the burnt offerings to an abundance

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(A) as a sin offering[a](B) 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(C) against the altar. 23 The goats(D) for the sin offering were brought before the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands(E) on them. 24 The priests then slaughtered the goats and presented their blood on the altar for a sin offering to atone(F) for all Israel, because the king had ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.(G)

25 He stationed the Levites in the temple of the Lord with cymbals, harps and lyres in the way prescribed by David(H) and Gad(I) 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,(J) and the priests with their trumpets.(K)

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(L) 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(M) was completed.

29 When the offerings were finished, the king and everyone present with him knelt down and worshiped.(N) 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(O) and thank offerings to the temple of the Lord.” So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all whose hearts were willing(P) brought burnt offerings.

32 The number of burnt offerings(Q) 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;(R) so their relatives the Levites helped them until the task was finished and until other priests had been consecrated,(S) 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(T) of the fellowship offerings(U) and the drink offerings(V) 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.(W)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 29:21 Or purification offering; also in verses 23 and 24