Ch. 2 Chronicles 29:1-2 (= 2 Kings 18:1-3). The Reign of Hezekiah

1. Hezekiah] Heb. “Yehizkiah” (so usually in the Heb. text of Chron.). The form “Hezekiah” (Heb. “Hizkiah”) has been introduced from Kings.

Abijah] In 2 Kin. “Abi” which is probably only a shortened form of the name.

3–11 (not in 2 Kin.). Hezekiah commands to cleanse the Temple

3. in the first month] i.e. in Nisan; cp. 2 Chronicles 30:2-3.

4. into the east street] R.V. into the broad place on the east. The place meant was part of the Temple area; cp. Ezra 10:9, “the broad place before the house of God” (R.V.).

5. sanctify now yourselves] Cp. Exodus 19:10-15.

6. from the habitation of the Lord] Cp. 2 Chronicles 24:18 “they left the house of the Lord” (see note).

habitation] Heb. “tabernacle,” as in Exodus 25:9, al.

7. the lamps] Cp. 2 Chronicles 13:11; Exodus 25:31 ff.

8. to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing] R.V. to be tossed to and fro, to be an astonishment, and an hissing.

to trouble] Better as R.V. mg., to be a terror (or “cause of trembling”). The judgement on Israel fills the surrounding nations with trembling for themselves. The rendering of R.V. text “tossed to and fro” is inferior because the Heb. word describes “trembling” and not “motion from place to place.”

10. a covenant] Cp. 2 Chronicles 15:12.

his fierce wrath] R.V. his fierce anger.

11. to stand before him] Deuteronomy 10:8.

to serve him, and that you should minister unto him] R.V. to minister unto him, and that ye should be his ministers.

12. the Levites] The fourteen persons mentioned in these three verses comprise (a) two representatives each of the three great branches of Levi, namely, Kohath, Merari, and Gershon, (b) two representatives of the great Kohathite family of Elizaphan (cp. Numbers 3:30 and 1 Chronicles 15:8), (c) two representatives each of the three divisions of the singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun (1 Chronicles 25:1).

12–19 (not in 2 Kin.). The Cleansing of the Temple

With this passage cp. 1Ma 4:36-51 (the cleansing of the Temple by Judas Maccabaeus).

15. and came] R.V. and went in.

by the words of the Lord] The phrase suggests that Hezekiah had been moved to issue his command by the utterances of a prophet, but this is nowhere actually stated.

16. the priests] The work was so divided between priests and Levites that only the priests went into the house.

into the inner part of the house] Render, within the house. The reference is not to the Holy of Holies specially, but to the whole interior of the house.

uncleanness] Cp. 2 Chronicles 29:5; Isaiah 30:22.

into the brook] R.V. to the brook. The brook Kidron is the deep valley on the east of Jerusalem separating it from the Mount of Olives; 2 Samuel 15:23; John 18:1.

17. to sanctify … so they sanctified] Two periods of eight days each were spent in “sanctifying,” the courts apparently occupying eight days and the house itself eight days.

in the sixteenth day] The LXX. translators read τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρισκαιδεκάτῃ, i.e. on the thirteenth day, perhaps because the fourteenth day of the first month was the Day of the Passover, a day on which no work could be done.

18. the king] R.V. the king within the palace.

the shewbread table] R.V. the table of shewbread.

19. cast away] According to 2 Chronicles 28:24, “cut in pieces”; cp. 2 Kings 16:17. The reference is probably to the “bases” and the “sea.”

in his transgression] R.V. when he trespassed.

have we prepared] Render, have we set up. Ahaz had taken away the supports both of the laver and of the sea (2 Kings 16:17).

20. the rulers of the city] R.V. the princes of the city.

20–30 (not in 2 Kin.). The Sevenfold Sacrifice for the Reconciliation of the People

The ritual of the sin offering is fully given in Leviticus 4. Ahaz had broken the covenant and Hezekiah’s sin offering was intended to atone for the breach.

21. they brought] Acc. to Leviticus 4:3; Leviticus 4:23; Leviticus 4:32 the sin offering might be a bullock or a he goat or a lamb. As the sacrifice was not for an individual but for a whole people the sin offering on this occasion consisted of seven of each of four different sacrificial animals.

for the kingdom] i.e. for the kingly house.

for the sanctuary] i.e. for the Temple (cp. Leviticus 16:16), but probably inclusive of the personnel of the Temple, i.e. the priests and Levites, since otherwise they would have been passed over in the great sin offering.

on the altar of the Lord] Not on the altar of Ahaz (2 Kings 16:11).

22. received the blood] In basins with which they dashed (not “sprinkled”) the blood against the altar. This dashing was different from the sprinkling with the finger.

23. brought forth] R.V. brought near, i.e. to the king and the people.

and they laid their hands] “they” = the representatives of the people; cp. Leviticus 4:15.

24. made reconciliation] R.V. made a sin offering.

25. so was the commandment of the Lord by his prophets] Render, the commandment was by (through) the LORD, even by (through) his prophets. The Chronicler urges the point that David’s arrangements for Temple song were by inspiration; cp. 1 Chronicles 28:19.

26. with the instruments] LXX. ἐν ὀργάνοις. Cp. 1 Chronicles 23:5.

27. with the trumpets] R.V. and the trumpets. Cp. 1 Chronicles 15:24 (note).

and with the instruments ordained by David] Render, even according to the guidance of the instruments of David, i.e. led (or “accompanied”) by them.

28. and all this] R.V. all this.

29. bowed themselves, and worshipped] i.e. first bowed down (on their knees) and then completely prostrated themselves.

30. to sing praise] R.V. to sing praises. Since (1) the Heb. word for “Psalms” means “Praises,” and (2) the words of David and Asaph are specially mentioned in this verse, it is clear that the Chronicler by this phrase means “to sing Psalms.”

31–36 (not in Kings). A Great Sacrifice of Burnt Offerings and Thank Offerings

31. answered and said] i.e. answered the thoughts or expectation of the people, for no question had been asked; cp. Job 3:2 (R.V.).

ye have consecrated yourselves] Heb. “filled your hand”; cp. 2 Chronicles 13:9; Exodus 28:41.

were of a free heart burnt offerings] R.V. were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings.

32. for a burnt offering] Leviticus 1:1-13.

33. the consecrated things] The term was applied (1) to gold and other valuables offered in the Temple; cp. 2 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 13:8-11; (2) to those parts of the various sacrifices which were assigned to be eaten by the priests; Leviticus 21:22 (“the holy [bread]”); Leviticus 22:2-3; Leviticus 22:15 (“the holy things”). Here the reference is more general, i.e. to the thankofferings (2 Chronicles 29:35) themselves.

34. the other priests] R.V. the priests.

35. with the fat] Cp. 2 Chronicles 7:7; Leviticus 3:3; Leviticus 3:17.

drink offerings] Cp. Numbers 15:5; Numbers 15:7; Numbers 15:10. The offering was to be of wine, and the quantity used was to correspond with the size of the animal sacrificed.

was set in order] i.e. was re-established.

36. that God had prepared the people] R.V. because of that which God had prepared for the people. It was God, not Hezekiah, who had done it all.

suddenly] In the very first year of Hezekiah’s reign (2 Chronicles 29:3).