2nd Dabar-Hayamym (2 Chronicles) — 29

Hazakyahu Reigns in Yahudah

1 Hazakyahu became king when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Yahushalam, his mother’s name was Abiyahu the daughter of Zacharyahu. 

2 And he did what was right in the sight of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, according to all that his father Daud had done.

Hazakyahu Cleanses the Haykal (Temple)

3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH and repaired them. 

4 Then he brought in the Kuhanym and the Lauym, and gathered them in the East Square, 

5 and said to them: “Hear me, Lauym! Now sanctify yourselves, sanctify the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the Qadash place. 

6 For our fathers have trespassed and done evil in the eyes of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH our 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH; they have forsaken Him, and have turned their faces away from the dwelling place of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, and turned their backs on Him. 

7 They have also shut up the doors of the vestibule, put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the Qadash place to the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL. 

8 Therefore the wrath of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH fell upon Yahudah and Yahushalam, and He has given them up to trouble, to desolation, and to jeering, as you see with your eyes. 

9 For indeed, because of this our fathers have fallen by the sword; and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity.

10 “Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us. 

11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister to Him and burn incense.”

12 Then these Lauym arose: Mahath the son of Amasai and Yual the son of Azaryahu, of the sons of the Kuhathites; of the sons of Marari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azaryahu the son of Yahallalal; of the Garshunites, Yuah the son of Zimmah and Adan the son of Yuah; 

13 of the sons of Alizaphan, Shimri and Yaial; of the sons of Asaph, Zacharyahu and Mattanyahu; 

14 of the sons of Haman, Yahial and Shimai; and of the sons of Yaduthun, Shamayahu and Uzzial.

15 And they gathered their brethren, sanctified themselves, and went according to the command of the king, at the words of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, to cleanse the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. 

16 Then the kuhanym went into the inner part of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH to cleanse it, and brought out all the debris that they found in the temple of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH to the court of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. And the Lauym took it out and carried it to the Bruuk Kidrun.

17 Now they began to sanctify on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. So they sanctified the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished.

18 Then they went in to King Hazakyahu and said, “We have cleansed all the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, the altar of burnt offerings with all its articles, and the table of the showbread with all its articles. 

19 Moreover all the articles which King Ahaz in his reign had cast aside in his transgression we have prepared and sanctified; and there they are, before the altar of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.”

Hazakyahu Restores Temple Worship

20 Then King Hazakyahu rose early, gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. 

21 And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats for a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Yahudah. Then he commanded the Kuhanym, the sons of Aarun, to offer them on the altar of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. 

22 So they killed the bulls, and the Kuhanym received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. Likewise they killed the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They also killed the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar. 

23 Then they brought out the male goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them. 

24 And the Kuhanym killed them; and they presented their blood on the altar as a sin offering to make an atonement for all Yashar'AL, for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering be made for all Yashar'AL.

25 And he stationed the Lauym in the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the command of Daud, and of Gad the king’s seer, and of Nathan the Nabym; for thus was the commandment of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH by His Nabyms. 

26 The Lauym stood with the instruments of Daud, and the Kuhanym with the trumpets. 

27 Then Hazakyahu commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH also began, with the trumpets and with the instruments of Daud king of Yashar'AL. 

28 So all the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 

29 And when they had finished offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed and worshiped. 

30 Moreover King Hazakyahu and the leaders commanded the Lauym to sing praise to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH with the words of Daud and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped.

31 Then Hazakyahu answered and said, “Now that you have consecrated yourselves to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, come near, and bring sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings into the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.” So the assembly brought in sacrifices and thanksgiving offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. 

32 And the number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. 

33 The consecrated things were six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep. 

34 But the Kuhanym were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings; therefore their brethren the Lauym helped them until the work was ended and until the other Kuhanym had sanctified themselves, for the Lauym were more diligent in sanctifying themselves than the Kuhanym. 

35 Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the Shalum offerings and with the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH was set in order. 

36 Then Hazakyahu and all the people rejoiced that 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly.