2 Chronicles 29:2-36
[28:1 34:2 2Ki 18:3]
Of several of Hezekiah's predecessors it had been said that they did that which was right, but not like David, that is, not with David's integrity and zeal.
first ..... first <07223> [A.M. 3278. B.C. 726. He in the first.]
opened <06605> [opened.]
square .... east <07339 04217> [east street.]
consecrate ...... consecrate <06942> [sanctify now.]
consecrate ...... consecrate ... temple <06942 01004> [sanctify the house.]
Remove <03318> [carry forth.]
fathers <01> [For our fathers.]
abandoned .... turned away <05800 05437> [have forsaken him.]
turned away <05437> [turned away.]
rejected <06203 05414> [turned their backs. Heb. given the neck.]
Those, says Matthew Henry, who turn their backs upon God's ordinances, may truly be said to forsake God himself. The lamps were not lighted, and incense was not burnt: there are still such neglects as these, and they are no less culpable, if the Word be not duly read and opened, answering to the lighting of the lamps, and if prayers and praises be not duly offered up, which was signified by the burning of incense.
angry <07110> [Wherefore.]
made <05414> [he hath delivered.]
It is probable Hezekiah refers to that dreadful defeat by the Israelites, in which one hundred and twenty thousand were slain, and two hundred thousand taken prisoners: see ch. 28:6-8.
<02189> [trouble. Heb. commotion.]
horror <08047> [to astonishment.]
fathers <01> [our fathers.]
intend <03824> [Now it is.]
make ... covenant <03772 01285> [to make a covenant.]
To renew that covenant under which the whole people were constantly considered, and of which circumcision was the sign, and the spirit of which was, "I will be your God, ye shall be my people."
raging <02740> [that his fierce.]
negligent <07952> [negligent. or, deceived.]
<03068> [the Lord]
offer <06999> [burn incense. or, offer sacrifice.]
Kohathites <06956> [Kohathites.]
son ...... son ........ son ...... son ........ son ...... son <01121> [of the sons.]
son ...... son ........ son ...... son ........ son ...... son <01121> [of the sons.]
Gershonites <01649> [of the Gershonites.]
Elizaphan <0469> [Elizaphan.]
[Elzaphan.]
Asaph <0623> [Asaph.]
Heman <01968> [Heman.]
Jeduthun <03038> [Jeduthun.]
consecrated ..... went <06942 0935> [sanctified themselves.]
Lord's ............. word .... Lord <01697 03068> [by the words of the Lord. or, in the business of the Lord.]
purify <02891> [to cleanse.]
priests <03548> [the priests.]
The priests and Levites cleansed first the courts both of the priests and of the people. On this labour they spent eight days. Then they cleansed the interior of the temple; but, as the Levites had no right to enter the temple, the priests carried all the dirt and rubbish to the porch, whence they were collected by the Levites, carried away, and cast into the brook Kidron: in this work, eight more days were occupied; and thus the temple was purified in sixteen days.
entered <06441> [the inner part.]
ceremonially unclean thing <02932> [all the uncleanness.]
Kidron <06939> [Kidron.]
[Cedron.]
porch <0197> [the porch.]
sixteenth <08337> [the sixteenth.]
altar <04196> [the altar.]
Bread of the Presence <04635> [the shewbread.]
items <03627> [all the vessels.]
<02186> [did cast away.]
Or, as the LXX., Vulgate, and Targum read, "did pollute," {hizneeach,} he rendered them so abominable that they were rejected with abhorrence.
Early <07925> [rose.]
brought <0935> [they brought.]
The law only required one bullock for the sins of the high priest, another for the sins of the people, and one he-goat for the sins of the prince: but Hezekiah offered many more, and the reason appears sufficiently evident: the law only speaks of the sins of ignorance, but here there were sins of every dye, idolatry, apostasy from the Divine worship, profanation of the temple, etc., etc. The sin offerings, we are informed, were offered, first, for the Kingdom, for the transgressions of the king and his family; secondly, for the sanctuary, which had been defiled and polluted; and for the priests, who had been profane, negligent, and unholy; and finally, for Judah, for the whole mass of the people, who had been led away into every kind of abomination by the above examples.
seven ... seven ... seven .... seven <07651> [seven.]
sin offering <02403> [a sin offering.]
splashed ............ splashed ............. splashed <02236> [sprinkled.]
Finally <05066> [forth. Heb. near. they laid.]
offered ...... sin <02398> [reconciliation.]
atonement <03722> [to make.]
sin offering <02403> [the sin offering.]
stationed <05975> [And he set.]
ordered ........ orders <04687> [according.]
Gad <01410> [Gad.]
Nathan <05416> [Nathan.]
ordered ........ orders <04687> [for so was.]
Lord's .................. prophet ..... Lord ....... through ... prophets <03068 03027 05030> [of the Lord by his prophets. Heb. by the hand of the Lord, by the hand of his prophets.]
instruments <03627> [the instruments.]
priests <03548> [the priests.]
<06256> [when. Heb. in the time. the song.]
instruments <03627> [the instruments. Heb. hands of instruments.]
assembly <06951> [And all the congregation.]
singers sang <07891 07892> [the singers sang. Heb. song.]
were <04672> [present. Heb. found. bowed themselves.]
psalms <01697> [with the words.]
praise ................. praise <01984> [they sang.]
consecrated ..... Lord ........... Lord's <04390 03068> [consecrated yourselves. or, filled your hand.]
sacrifices ............. sacrifices <02077> [sacrifices.]
thank offerings ............ thank offerings <08426> [thank.]
<05081> [and as many, etc.]
As the burnt offerings were wholly consumed on the altar, the offering of them evinced greater zeal and liberality than the oblation of peace offerings, the greater part of which was eaten by the officer and his friends.
total <04557> [the number.]
Comparing the sacrifices offered on this occasion with those of Solomon at the dedication of the temple, we may form some idea of the decrease of the prosperity and riches of Judah, or of the decline of the general spirit of piety.
<06944> [the consecrated.]
It is probable that the consecrated things denote the peace offerings and thank offerings.
priests ..................... priests ................ priests <03548> [the priests.]
Peace offerings, and such like, the Levites might flay and dress; but the whole burnt offerings could only be touched by the priests, except in a case of necessity, such as the present.
brothers <0251> [their brethren.]
helped ..... work <02388 04399> [did help them. Heb. strengthened them. for the Levites.]
conscientious <03477> [upright.]
burnt sacrifices ................ burnt sacrifices <05930> [the burnt.]
fat <02459> [the fat.]
drink offerings <05262> [the drink.]
service <05656> [so the.]
happy <08055 03169> [Hezekiah rejoiced.]
Both Hezekiah and the people rejoiced, that God had prepared the hearts of the people to bring about so great and glorious a reformation in so short a time. This good king's example and influence were here, as in many other cases, under God, the grand spring of all those mighty movements.
God <0430> [God.]
<01697> [the thing.]
