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 sprinkled it on the altar.(A) They slaughtered the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They slaughtered the lambs and sprinkled 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 Nathan the prophet.(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 David king of Israel. 28 The whole assembly was worshiping, singing the song, and blowing the trumpets—all of 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 Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with rejoicing and bowed down and worshiped.

31 Hezekiah concluded, “Now you are consecrated[a] to the Lord. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the Lord’s temple.” So the congregation brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all those with willing hearts(K) brought burnt offerings. 32 The number of burnt offerings the congregation brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord. 33 Six hundred bulls and 3,000 sheep 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. 2 Chronicles 29:31 Lit Now you have filled your hands
  2. 2 Chronicles 29:34 Lit upright of heart; Ps 32:11; 64:10

20 Then King Hezekiah rose early and gathered the officials of the city, and he went up to the house of Yahweh. 21 And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats as a purification offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the descendants[a] of Aaron, the priests, to offer them on the altar of Yahweh. 22 And they slaughtered the cattle, and the priests received the blood and threw it toward the altar. Then they slaughtered the rams and threw the blood toward the altar, and then they slaughtered the lambs and threw the blood toward the altar. 23 Then they brought the goats of the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and they laid hands upon them. 24 And the priest killed them and offered their blood against the altar to make atonement for all Israel, for the king had commanded the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.

25 And he stood the Levites in the house of Yahweh with cymbals, harps, and lyres, according to the command of David and Gad, the seer of the king, and Nathan the prophet, for the command was by the hand of Yahweh by the hand of his prophets. 26 When the Levites stood with the objects of David and the priests with the trumpets, 27 Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And at the time the burnt offering began, the song of Yahweh began, and also the trumpets, at the hands of the instruments of David king of Israel. 28 Then all the assembly bowed down, and the song was sung, and the trumpeters trumpeted—all together until the end of the burnt offering. 29 And when the offering was finished, the king and all who were found with him knelt down and bowed themselves. 30 Then King Hezekiah and the princes commanded the Levites to praise Yahweh with the words of David and Asaph the seer. So they offered praise with joy, and they bowed down and worshiped.

31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, “Now you have consecrated yourselves[b] to Yahweh. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of Yahweh!” And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all who were willing in heart brought burnt offerings. 32 And the number of burnt offerings that the assembly brought was seventy cattle, one hundred rams, two hundred lambs—all these were to offer to Yahweh. 33 And the consecrated offerings of cattle were six hundred cattle and three thousand sheep. 34 But the priests were too few, and they were not able to offer all the burnt offerings, so their brothers, the Levites, strengthened them to finish the work, and until the rest of the priests consecrated themselves. (For the Levites were more conscientious[c] to sanctify themselves than the priests.) 35 And beside the many burnt offerings was the fat of the peace offerings and the libations for the burnt offerings. So the service of the house of Yahweh was established. 36 And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had established with the people, for the matter happened suddenly.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 29:21 Or “sons”
  2. 2 Chronicles 29:31 Literally “you have filled your hands”
  3. 2 Chronicles 29:34 Literally “more upright of heart”