bf[See ver. 6 above]
bj[See ver. 6 above]
db[See ver. 12 above]
dc[See ver. 12 above]
dd[See ver. 10 above]
de[See ver. 12 above]

‏ 2 Chronicles 29

Hezekiah Reigns in Judah

1 aHezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah
Spelled Abi in 2 Kings 18:2
the daughter of cZechariah.
2And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.

Hezekiah Cleanses the Temple

3In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he dopened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. 4He brought in the priests and the Levites and assembled them in the square on the east 5and said to them, “Hear me, Levites! Now econsecrate yourselves, and consecrate the house of the Lord, the God of your fathers, and carry out the filth from the Holy Place. 6For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done what was evil in the sight of the Lord our God. They have forsaken him and fhave turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord and turned their backs. 7They also gshut the doors of the vestibule and put out the lamps and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the Holy Place to the God of Israel. 8Therefore hthe wrath of the Lord came on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has made them ian object of horror, of astonishment, jand of hissing, as you see with your own eyes. 9For behold, kour fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10Now lit is in my heart mto make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, in order that his fierce anger may turn away from us. 11My sons, do not now be negligent, nfor the Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to him.”

12Then the Levites arose, oMahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of pthe Kohathites; and of the sons of qMerari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and of the rGershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah; 13and of the sons of sElizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel; and of the sons of tAsaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14and of the sons of uHeman, Jehuel and Shimei; and of the sons of vJeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. 15They gathered their brothers and wconsecrated themselves and went in as the king had commanded, xby the words of the Lord, yto cleanse the house of the Lord. 16The priests went into the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it, and they brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the Lord into the court of the house of the Lord. And the Levites took it and carried it out to zthe brook Kidron. 17They began to consecrate aaon the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the Lord. Then for eight days they consecrated the house of the Lord, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished. 18Then they went in to Hezekiah the king and said, “We have cleansed all the house of the Lord, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the table for the showbread and all its utensils. 19All the utensils abthat King Ahaz discarded in his reign when he was faithless, we have made ready and consecrated, and behold, they are before the altar of the Lord.”

Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship

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

25 agAnd he stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, harps, and lyres, ahaccording to the commandment of David and of Gad aithe king’s seer and of ajNathan the prophet, for the commandment was from the Lord through his prophets. 26The Levites stood with akthe instruments of David, aland the priests with the trumpets. 27Then Hezekiah commanded that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, amthe song to the Lord began also, and the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. 28The whole assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29When the offering was finished, anthe king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped. 30And 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.

31Then Hezekiah said, ao“You have now consecrated yourselves to
Hebrew filled your hand for
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 aqof a willing heart brought burnt offerings.
32The 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. 33And the consecrated offerings were 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep. 34But the priests were too few and could not flay all the burnt offerings, so until other priests had consecrated themselves, artheir brothers the Levites helped them, until the work was finishedasfor the Levites were more upright in heart than the priests in consecrating themselves. 35Besides the great number of burnt offerings, there was atthe fat of the peace offerings, and there were authe drink offerings for the burnt offerings. Thus the service of the house of the Lord was restored. 36And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because God had provided for the people, for the thing came about suddenly.

‏ 2 Chronicles 30

Passover Celebrated

1Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. 2For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to keep the Passover avin the second month 3for they could not keep it awat that time axbecause the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem 4and the plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly. 5So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, ayfrom Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it as often as prescribed. 6 azSo couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his princes, as the king had commanded, saying, “O people of Israel, bareturn to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of bbthe kings of Assyria. 7 bcDo not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were faithless to the Lord God of their fathers, so that he made them a desolation, as you see. 8 bdDo not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, bethat his fierce anger may turn away from you. 9For bfif you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children bgwill find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For bhthe Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, biif you return to him.”

10 bjSo the couriers went from city to city through the country of bkEphraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but blthey laughed them to scorn and mocked them. 11However, bmsome men of Asher, of Manasseh, and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded bnby the word of the Lord.

13And many people came together in Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread boin the second month, a very great assembly. 14They set to work and removed bpthe altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for burning incense they took away bqand threw into the brook Kidron. 15 brAnd they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. bsAnd the priests and the Levites were ashamed, btso that they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of the Lord. 16 buThey took their accustomed posts according to the Law of Moses bvthe man of God. The priests threw the blood that they received from the hand of the Levites. 17For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves. Therefore the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to consecrate it to the Lord. 18For a majority of the people, bwmany of them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise bxthan as prescribed. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord pardon everyone 19 bywho sets his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary’s rules of cleanness.”
Hebrew not according to the cleanness of holiness
20And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. 21And the people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept cathe Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with all their might
Compare 1 Chronicles 13:8; Hebrew  with instruments of might
to the Lord.
22And Hezekiah spoke ccencouragingly to all the Levites who showed good skill in the service of the Lord. So they ate the food of the festival for seven days, sacrificing cdpeace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord, the God of their fathers.

23Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the feast cefor another seven days. So they kept it for another seven days with gladness. 24For Hezekiah king of Judah cfgave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for offerings, and the princes gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. And the priests cgconsecrated themselves in great numbers. 25The whole assembly of Judah, and the priests and the Levites, chand the whole assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners who came out of the land of Israel, and the sojourners who lived in Judah, rejoiced. 26So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for cisince the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. 27Then cjthe priests and the Levites arose and ckblessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came to clhis holy habitation in heaven.

‏ 2 Chronicles 31

Hezekiah Organizes the Priests

1Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and cmbroke in pieces the cnpillars and cut down cothe Asherim and broke down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the people of Israel returned to their cities, every man to his possession.

2And Hezekiah appointed cpthe divisions of the priests and of the Levites, division by division, each according to his service, the priests and the Levites, cqfor burnt offerings and peace offerings, to minister in the gates of the camp of the Lord and to give thanks and praise. 3 crThe contribution of the king from his own possessions was for the burnt offerings: the burnt offerings of morning and evening, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the appointed feasts, csas it is written in the Law of the Lord. 4And he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give ctthe portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the Lord. 5As soon as the command was spread abroad, the people of Israel gave in abundance the firstfruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field. And they brought in abundantly cuthe tithe of everything. 6And the people of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and cvthe tithe of the dedicated things that had been dedicated to the Lord their God, and laid them in heaps. 7In the third month they began to pile up the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. 8When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and his people Israel. 9And Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites about the heaps. 10Azariah the chief priest, who was cwof the house of Zadok, answered him, “Since they began to bring the contributions into the house of the Lord, we have eaten and had enough and have plenty left, cxfor the Lord has blessed his people, so that we have this large amount left.”

11Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare cychambers in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. 12And they faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the dedicated things. The chief officer czin charge of them was Conaniah the Levite, with daShimei his brother as second, 13 dbwhile Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, dcMahath, and Benaiah were overseers assisting Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king and ddAzariah the chief officer of the house of God. 14And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the east gate, was over the freewill offerings to God, to apportion the contribution reserved for the Lord and the most holy offerings. 15 deEden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah were faithfully assisting him in dfthe cities of the priests, to distribute the portions to their brothers, old and young alike, by divisions, 16except those enrolled by genealogy, males from three years old and upwardall who entered the house of the Lord dgas the duty of each day required—for their service according to their offices, by their divisions. 17The enrollment of the priests was according to their fathershouses; that of the Levites dhfrom twenty years old and upward was according to their offices, by their divisions. 18They were enrolled with all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, the whole assembly, for they were faithful in keeping themselves holy. 19And for the sons of Aaron, the priests, who were in the fields of common land belonging to their cities, there were men in the several cities who were didesignated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone among the Levites who was enrolled.

20Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, djand he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. 21And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.

‏ 2 Chronicles 32

Sennacherib Invades Judah

1 dkAfter these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them for himself. 2And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and intended to fight against Jerusalem, 3he planned with his officers and his mighty men to stop the water of the springs that were outside the city; and they helped him. 4A great many people were gathered, and they stopped all the springs and dlthe brook that flowed through the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?” 5He set to work resolutely and built up dmall the wall that was broken down and raised towers upon it,
Vulgate; Hebrew  and raised upon the towers
and outside it he built another wall, and he strengthened the doMillo in the city of David. He also made weapons and shields in abundance.
6And he set combat commanders over the people and gathered them together to him in the square at the gate of the city and spoke dpencouragingly to them, saying, 7 dq“Be strong and courageous. drDo not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, dsfor there are more with us than with him. 8With him is dtan arm of flesh, dubut with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Sennacherib Blasphemes

9After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria, who was besieging Lachish with all his forces, sent his servants to Jerusalem to Hezekiah king of Judah and to all the people of Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying, 10Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, ‘On what are you trusting, that you endure the siege in Jerusalem? 11Is not Hezekiah misleading you, that he may give you over to die by famine and by thirst, when he tells you, “The Lord our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria”? 12 dvHas not this same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, “Before one altar you shall worship, and on it you shall burn your sacrifices”? 13Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands at all able to deliver their lands out of my hand? 14Who among all the gods of those nations that my fathers devoted to destruction was able to deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand? 15Now, therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you in this fashion, and do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you out of my hand!’”

16And his servants said still more against the Lord God and against his servant Hezekiah. 17And he wrote letters to cast contempt on the Lord, the God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, “Like the gods of the nations of the lands who have not delivered their people from my hands, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver his people from my hand.” 18And they shouted it with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, in order that they might take the city. 19And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they spoke of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men’s hands.

The Lord Delivers Jerusalem

20Then Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed because of this and cried to heaven. 21And the Lord sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty warriors and commanders and officers in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with dwshame of face to his own land. And when he came into the house of his god, some of his own sons struck him down there with the sword. 22So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all his enemies, and he provided for them on every side. 23And many dxbrought gifts to the Lord to Jerusalem and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from that time onward.

Hezekiah’s Pride and Achievements

24 dyIn those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death, and he prayed to the Lord, and he answered him and gave him a sign. 25But Hezekiah dzdid not make return according to the benefit done to him, for eahis heart was proud. Therefore ebwrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. 26But Hezekiah echumbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

27And Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made for himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of edcostly vessels; 28storehouses also for the yield of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and sheepfolds. 29He likewise provided cities for himself, and flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very great possessions. 30This same Hezekiah eeclosed the upper outlet of the waters of efGihon and directed them down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works. 31And so in the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon, egwho had been sent to him to inquire about ehthe sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, eiin order to test him and to know all that was in his heart.

32Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his good deeds, behold, they are written ejin the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, ekin the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 33And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the elupper part of the tombs of the sons of David, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his place.

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