Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship

20 Then Hezekiah the king rose early and gathered the officials of the city and went up to the house of the Lord. 21 And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats (A)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. 22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests received the blood (B)and threw it against the altar. And they slaughtered the rams, and their blood was thrown against the altar. And they slaughtered the lambs, and their blood was thrown against the altar. 23 Then the goats for the sin offering were brought to the king and the assembly, (C)and they laid their hands on them, 24 and the priests slaughtered them and made a sin offering with their blood on the altar, (D)to make atonement for all Israel. For the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.

25 (E)And he stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, harps, and lyres, (F)according to the commandment of David and of Gad (G)the king's seer and of (H)Nathan the prophet, for the commandment was from the Lord through his prophets. 26 The Levites stood with (I)the instruments of David, (J)and the priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah commanded that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, (K)the song to the Lord began also, and the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. 28 The whole assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29 When the offering was finished, (L)the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped. 30 And Hezekiah the king and the officials commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshiped.

31 Then Hezekiah said, (M)“You have now consecrated yourselves to[a] the Lord. Come near; bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the Lord.” And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all who were (N)of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. 32 The number of the burnt offerings that the assembly brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord. 33 And the consecrated offerings were 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep. 34 But the priests were too few and could not flay all the burnt offerings, so until other priests had consecrated themselves, (O)their brothers the Levites helped them, until the work was finished—(P)for the Levites were more upright in heart than the priests in consecrating themselves. 35 Besides the great number of burnt offerings, there was (Q)the fat of the peace offerings, and there were (R)the drink offerings for the burnt offerings. Thus the service of the house of the Lord was restored. 36 And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because God had provided for the people, for the thing came about suddenly.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 29:31 Hebrew filled your hand for

Renewal of Temple Worship

20 King Hezekiah got up early, gathered the city officials, and went to the Lord’s temple. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. Then he told the descendants of Aaron, the priests, to offer them on the altar of the Lord. 22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests received the blood and splattered it on the altar.(A) They slaughtered the rams and splattered the blood on the altar. They slaughtered the lambs and splattered the blood on the altar. 23 Then they brought the goats for the sin offering right into the presence of the king and the congregation, who laid their hands on them.(B) 24 The priests slaughtered the goats and put their blood on the altar for a sin offering, to make atonement for all Israel,(C) for the king said that the burnt offering and sin offering were for all Israel.

25 Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres(D) according to the command of David,(E) Gad the king’s seer,(F) and the prophet Nathan.(G) For the command was from the Lord through his prophets. 26 The Levites stood with the instruments of David,(H) and the priests with the trumpets.(I)

27 Then Hezekiah ordered that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. When the burnt offerings began, the song of the Lord and the trumpets began, accompanied by the instruments of King David of Israel. 28 The whole assembly was worshiping, singing the song, and blowing the trumpets—all this continued until the burnt offering was completed. 29 When the burnt offerings were completed, the king and all those present with him bowed down and worshiped.(J) 30 Then King Hezekiah and the officials told the Levites to sing praise to the Lord in the words of David and of the seer Asaph. So they sang praises with rejoicing and knelt low and worshiped.

31 Hezekiah concluded, “Now you are consecrated[a] to the Lord. Come near and bring sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings to the Lord’s temple.” So the congregation brought sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings, and all those with willing hearts(K) brought burnt offerings. 32 The number of burnt offerings the congregation brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord. 33 Six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep and goats were consecrated.

34 However, since there were not enough priests, they weren’t able to skin all the burnt offerings, so their Levite brothers helped them(L) until the work was finished and until the priests consecrated themselves. For the Levites were more conscientious[b](M) to consecrate themselves than the priests were.(N) 35 Furthermore, the burnt offerings were abundant, along with the fat of the fellowship offerings(O) and with the drink offerings(P) for the burnt offering.

So the service of the Lord’s temple was established. 36 Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over how God had prepared the people, for it had come about suddenly.

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Footnotes

  1. 29:31 Lit Now you have filled your hands
  2. 29:34 Lit upright of heart; Ps 32:11; 64:10