291 Hezekiah hath reigned—a son of twenty and five years, and twenty and nine years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother 'is' Abijah daughter of Zechariah; 2 and he doth that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that David his father did.
3 He, in the first year of his reign, in the first month, hath opened the doors of the house of Jehovah, and strengtheneth them, 4 and bringeth in the priests and the Levites, and gathereth them to the broad place to the east. 5 And he saith to them, 'Hear me, O Levites, now, sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of Jehovah, God of your fathers, and bring out the impurity from the sanctuary, 6 for our fathers have trespassed, and done that which is evil in the eyes of Jehovah our God, and forsake him, and turn round their faces from the tabernacle of Jehovah, and give the neck. 7 'Also—they have shut the doors of the porch, and quench the lamps, and perfume they have not made, and burnt-offering have not caused to ascend in the sanctuary to the God of Israel, 8 and the wrath of Jehovah is on Judah and Jerusalem, and He giveth them for a trembling, for an astonishment, and for a hissing, as ye are seeing with your eyes. 9 And lo, fallen have our fathers by the sword, and our sons, and our daughters, and our wives 'are' in captivity for this. 10 'Now—with my heart—to make a covenant before Jehovah, God of Israel, and the fierceness of His anger doth turn back from us. 11 My sons, be not now at rest, for on you hath Jehovah fixed to stand before Him, to serve Him, and to be to Him ministering and making perfume.'
12 And the Levites rise—Mahath son of Amasai, and Joel son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathite; and of the sons of Merari: Kish son of Abdi, and Azariah son of Jehalelel; and of the Gershonite: Joah son of Zimmah, and Eden son of Joah; 13 and of the sons of Elizaphan: Shimri, and Jeiel; and of the sons of Asaph: Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 and of the sons of Heman: Jehiel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun: Shemaiah and Uzziel— 15 and they gather their brethren, and sanctify themselves, and come in, according to the command of the king in the matters of Jehovah, to cleanse the house of Jehovah, 16 and the priests come in to the inner part of the house of Jehovah to cleanse 'it', and bring out all the uncleanness that they have found in the temple of Jehovah to the court of the house of Jehovah, and the Levites receive 'it', to take 'it' out to the brook Kidron without. 17 And they begin on the first of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month they have come to the porch of Jehovah, and they sanctify the house of Jehovah in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they have finished. 18 And they come in within unto Hezekiah the king, and say, 'We have cleansed all the house of Jehovah, and the altar of the burnt-offering, and all its vessels, and the table of the arrangement, and all its vessels, 19 and all the vessels that king Ahaz cast away in his reign—in his trespass—we have prepared and sanctified, and lo, they 'are' before the altar of Jehovah.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 29:1-19
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 29:1-19
(Read 2 Chronicles 29:1-19)
When Hezekiah came to the crown, he applied at once to work reform. Those who begin with God, begin at the right end of their work, and it will prosper accordingly. Those that turn their backs upon God's ordinances, may truly be said to forsake God himself. There are still such neglects, if the word be not duly read and opened, for that was signified by the lighting the lamps, and also if prayers and praise be not offered up, for that was signified by the burning incense. Neglect of God's worship was the cause of the calamities they had lain under. The Lord alone can prepare the heart of man for vital godliness: when much good is done in a little time, the glory must be ascribed to him; and all who love him or the souls of men, will rejoice therein. Let those that do good work, learn to do it well.