Hezekiah Cleanses the Temple
(2 Kings 18:1–12)

1Hezekiah (YHWH is my strength) was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem (city of peace) twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah (Abi),a the daughter of Zechariah (YHWH remembers). 2And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD {YHWH}, just as his father David (beloved) had done.

3In the first month of the first year of his reign, Hezekiah opened and repaired the doors of the house of the LORD {YHWH}. 4Then he brought in the priests and Levites and gathered them in the square on the east side.

5“Listen to me, O Levites,” he said. “Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the house of the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of your⁺ fathers. Remove from the Holy Place every impurity.

6For our fathers were unfaithful and did evil in the sight of the LORD our God {YHWH Elohenu}. They abandoned Him, turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the LORD, and turned their backs on Him. 7They also shut the doors of the portico and extinguished the lamps. They did not burn incense or present burnt offerings in the Holy Place of the God {Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God).

8Therefore, the wrath of the LORD {YHWH} has fallen upon Judah (praised) and Jerusalem (city of peace), and He has made them an object of terror, horror, and scorn, as you⁺ can see with your⁺ own eyes. 9For behold, this is why our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and daughters and wives are in captivity.

10Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), so that His fierce anger will turn away from us. 11Now, my sons, do not be negligent, for the LORD {YHWH} has chosen you⁺ to stand before Him, to serve Him, to minister before Him, and to burn incense.”

12Then the Levites set to work:

Mahath (grasping) son of Amasai (burdensome) and Joel (YHWH is God) son of Azariah (YHWH has helped) from the Kohathites;

Kish (bent) son of Abdi (servant of YHWH) and Azariah son of Jehallelel (God is praised) from the Merarites (bitter);

Joah (YHWH is brother) son of Zimmah (plotter) and Eden (pleasure) son of Joah from the Gershonites;

13Shimri (vigilant) and Jeuel (God sweeps away) from the Elizaphanites (my God has protected);

Zechariah (YHWH remembers) and Mattaniah (gift of YHWH) from the Asaphites (gatherer);

14Jehiel (God lives) and Shimei (renowned) from the Hemanites (faithful);

and Shemaiah (heard by YHWH) and Uzziel (my strength is God) from the Jeduthunites (praising).

15When they had assembled their brothers and consecrated themselves, they went in to cleanse the house of the LORD {YHWH}, according to the command of the king by the words of the LORD.

16So the priests went inside the house of the LORD {YHWH} to cleanse it, and they brought out to the courtyard all the unclean things that they found in the temple of the LORD. Then the Levites took these things and carried them out to the Kidron (dark) Valley. 17They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they reached the portico of the LORD {YHWH}. For eight more days they consecrated the house of the LORD itself, finishing on the sixteenth day of the first month.

18Then they went in to King Hezekiah (YHWH is my strength) and reported, “We have cleansed the entire house of the LORD {YHWH}, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the table of the showbread with all its utensils. 19Moreover, we have prepared and consecrated all the articles that King Ahaz (he has grasped) in his unfaithfulness cast aside during his reign. They are now in front of the altar of the LORD {YHWH}.”

Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship

20Early the next morning King Hezekiah (YHWH is my strength) gathered the city officials and went up to the house of the LORD {YHWH}. 21They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah (praised). And the king commanded the priests, the descendants of Aaron (light bringer), to offer them on the altar of the LORD {YHWH}.

22So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and splattered it on the altar. They slaughtered the rams and splattered the blood on the altar. And they slaughtered the lambs and splattered the blood on the altar.

23Then they brought the goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly, who laid their hands on them. 24And the priests slaughtered the goats and put their blood on the altar for a sin offering, to make atonement for all Israel (he wrestles with God), because the king had ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.

25Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD {YHWH} with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David (beloved), of Gad (troop) the king’s seer, and of Nathan (giver) the prophet. For the command had come from the LORD through His prophets. 26The Levites stood with the instruments of David (beloved), and the priests with the trumpets.

27And Hezekiah (YHWH is my strength) ordered that the burnt offering be sacrificed on the altar. When the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD {YHWH} and the trumpets began as well, accompanied by the instruments of David (beloved) king of Israel (he wrestles with God). 28The whole assembly was worshiping, the singers were singing, and the trumpeters were playing. All this continued until the burnt offering was completed.

29When the offerings were completed, the king and all those present with him bowed down and worshiped. 30Then King Hezekiah (YHWH is my strength) and his officials ordered the Levites to sing praises to the LORD {YHWH} in the words of David (beloved) and of Asaph (gatherer) the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and bowed down and worshiped.

31Then Hezekiah (YHWH is my strength) said, “Now that you⁺ have consecrated yourselves to the LORD (filled your hand for the LORD),b come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the LORD {YHWH}.”

So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all whose hearts were willing brought burnt offerings. 32The number of burnt offerings the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD {YHWH}. 33And the consecrated offerings were six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep.

34However, since there were not enough priests to skin all the burnt offerings, their Levite brothers helped them until the work was finished and until the priests had consecrated themselves. For the Levites had been more diligent in consecrating themselves than the priests had been.

35Furthermore, the burnt offerings were abundant, along with the fat of the peace offerings and the drink offerings for the burnt offerings. So the service of the house of the LORD {YHWH} was established. 36Then Hezekiah (YHWH is my strength) and all the people rejoiced at what God {Elohim} had prepared for the people, because everything had been accomplished so quickly.