Hezekiah begins his reign B. C. 740. B. C. 740. A. M. 3264. therefore will I sacrifice to them, that || gods, and provoked to anger the LORD A. M. 3264. they may help me. But they were God of his fathers. the ruin of him, and of all Israel. blind superstition!" exclaims Bishop Hall, "how did the gods of Syria help their kings, when both those kings, and their gods, were vanquished and taken by the king of Assyria? Even this Damascus, and this altar, were the spoil of a foreign enemy: how then did the gods of Syria help their kings, any otherwise than to their ruin? What dotage is this, to make choice of a foiled protection! But, had the Syrians prospered, must their gods have the thanks? Are there no authors of good but blocks or devils? or is an outward prosperity the only argument of truth, the only motive of devotion? O foolish Ahaz! It is the God thou hast forsaken that punishes thee, under whose only arm thou mightest have prevailed. His power beats those pagan stocks one against another, so as one while one seems victorious, another vanquished; and at last he confounds both together, with their proudest clients, of which thyself art certainly b 26 Now the rest of his acts, and of all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, B. C. 726. and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead. the most striking instance." Alas! Ahaz did not see that it was Jehovah that smote him, and strengthened the Syrians against him, and not the gods of Damascus. Had he sacrificed to him, and him only, and worshipped and served him aright, he would have been helped effectually. No marvel that men's affections and devotions are misplaced, when they mistake the author of their trouble and their help. And what was the consequence? The gods of Syria befriended Ahaz no more than the kings of Assyria did: but were the ruin of him and of all Israel. This sin, among others, provoked God to bring judg ments upon them; to cut him off in the midst of his days, when he was but thirty-six years of age; and it corrupted the people so that the reformation of the next reign could not prevail to cure them of their inclination to idolatry, but they retained that root of bitterness till the captivity in Babylon eradicated it. CHAPTER XXIX. Hezekiah's exhortation to the priests and Levites, 1–11. The care of the Levites to cleanse the temple, and put things into order, 12-19. A solemn revival of God's ordinances, 20–36. B. C. 726. а A. M. 3278. HEZEKIAH began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. b 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. 3 с first month, opened the doors of the A. M. 3279. house of the LORD, and repaired them. B. C. 726. 4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, 5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites; Sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and He, in the first year of his reign, in the carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place. The people cleanse and sanctify B. C. 726. B. C. 726. A. M. 3278. 6 For our fathers have trespassed, || son of Amasai, and Joel the son of A. M. 3278. and done that which was evil in the || Azariah, of the sons of the Kohatheyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and 1turned their backs. 7 'Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt-offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel. 8 Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes. 9 For lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10 Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us. 11 My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense. ites: and of the sons of Merari; Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the 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 gathered their brethren, and m sanctified themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, 5 by the words of the LORD, " to cleanse the house of the LORD. 16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse it, and 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, to carry it out abroad into the brook Kidron. 17 Now they began on the first day of the 12 Then the Levites arose, Mahath the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day Jeremiah ii. 27; Ezek. viii. 16.—Heb. given the neck. or other abominable things, which were there; out of contempt. vows and promises to worship him only, and in that way which he hath appointed: for I am sure that his fierce anger will not otherwise be turned away from us. This covenant he would not only make for himself, but bring his people also into the bond of it. My sons-So he calls them, though many of them were elder than himself, because he was by his tender love and affection, as he was by his office, obliged to be a nursing father to them. Be not now negligent-In sanctifying yourselves and the temple, (verse 5,) and in quickening and preparing yourselves and the people for God's service. Verses 15, 16. To cleanse the house of the LordFrom the dirt it had contracted while it was so long shut up; from dust, cobwebs, and the rust of the vessels. Much more from the idols, and idolatrous altars, which had been set up therein. The priests Verses 8, 9. He hath delivered them to trouble to astonishment, and to hissing-To such calamities as all that see and hear of them shall be astonished at, and hiss at those who, by their own sin and folly,|| went into the inner part of the house-Not the holy have brought such miseries upon themselves. When of holies, into which only the high-priest might go, we are under the rebukes of God's providence, it is and he only once in a year, but into the holy place. good for us to inquire whether we have not neglect- And brought out all the uncleanness into the courted God's ordinances, and whether that be not the con- To wit, the priests' court, called here the court, by troversy he has with us. Our wives are in captiv- way of eminence. ity-Though they were presently released, chapter xxviii. 5, 14, 15. Verses 10, 11. It is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord, &c.-To engage by solemn Verse 17. Now they began on the first day of the first month-A happy beginning of the new year! Thus should every year begin with a reformation of what is amiss, and the purging away of all the Hezekiah and the people B. C. 726. B. C. 726. A. M. 3278. of the month came they to the porch || altar: likewise, when they had killed A. M. 3278. of the LORD so they sanctified the the rams, they sprinkled the blood house of the LORD in eight days; and in the upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and sixteenth day of the first month they made they sprinkled the blood upon the altar. an end. 18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt-offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the show-bread table, with all the vessels thereof. 19 Moreover all the vessels, which King Ahaz in his reign did cast away in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and behold, they are before the altar of the LORD. 20 Then Hezekiah the king rose early and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD. 21 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven hegoats, for a Psin-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. 22 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the defilements contracted the foregoing year. In the sixteenth day they made an end-Cleansing the house, and porch, and courts, and all the chambers belonging to the temple, in sixteen days. This is mentioned to signify, partly the universal abuse and defilement of all the parts of it by Ahaz, to remove which so much time was required; and partly the diligence of the priests in this work. Verse 19. All the vessels have we sanctified Though the vessels of the sanctuary may be profaned for a while, God will find a time and a way to sanctify them. Neither his ordinances nor his obedient people shall be suffered to fail for ever. 6 23 And they brought forth the he-goats for the sin-offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them: 24 And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt-offering and the sin-offering should be made for all Israel. 25 And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, "according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets. 26 And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 27 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt-offering upon the altar. And when the * 2 Sam. xxiv. 11. -y 1 Chron. xxx. 12.- -7 Heb. by the hand of the LORD.- - Heb. by the hand of.- -z 1 Chron. xxiii. 5; Amos vi. 5.a Num. x. 8, 10; 1 Chronicles xv. 24; xvi. 6. 9 Heb. in the time. Judah-For the sins of all the people of Judah. They thought it not enough to lament and forsake their sins, but they brought a sin-offering. Even our repentance and reformation will not obtain pardon, but through Christ, who was made sin, that is, a sin-offering, for us. Verse 23. They laid their hands upon themThe king and the elders of the people, in the name of the whole congregation: thereby owning themselves guilty before God, and expressing their desire that the guilt of their sin might be transferred upon the sacrifice. By faith we lay our hands on the Lord Jesus, and so receive the atonement, Rom. v. 11. Burnt-offerings were offered with the sin-offerings, the intention of which was to give glory to the God of Israel, whom they owned as the only true God, and their God, which it was proper to do, at the same time that they were, by the sin-offering, making atonement for their offences. Verse 24. To make an atonement for all IsraelThat is, for all the rest of the tribes, whereof a con Verse 21. They brought seven bullocks-The number seven is customary in sacred matters, and is here used in regard of the vast numbers and various kinds of sins, the guilt whereof yet lay upon the kingdom, which was now to be expiated. Indeed, in case of one particular sin of ignorance committed by the people, there was but one bullock to be offered, but here the sins were many and presumptuous. For a sin-offering for the kingdom-siderable number were now in his dominions, and To make atonement for the sins of the king, and the royal family, and the court. And for the sanctuaryFor all the idolatry and uncleanness wherewith the temple had been polluted, which, as it had been cleansed naturally by the priests' hands, so now it was to be purged morally by sacrifices. And for not for Judah only. Thus is Christ a propitiation, not for the sins of Israel only, but for those of the whole world, 1 John i. 2. Verse 27. When the burnt-offering began, the song of the Lord began also-The psalms composed by David and Asaph, (verse 30,) with the musical The number of the B. C. 726. B. C. 726. A. M. 3278. burnt-offering began, the song of || thank-offerings into the house of the A. M. 3278. the LORD began also with the trum- LORD. And the congregation brought pets, and with the 10 instruments ordained by in sacrifices and thank-offerings; and, as many David king of Israel. as were of a free heart, burnt-offerings. 32 And the number of the burnt-offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, a hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burntoffering to the LORD. 28 And all the congregation worshipped, and the 11 singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt-offering was finished. 12 29 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped. 30 Moreover, Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped. 31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have 13 consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and 35 And also the burnt-offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace-offerings, and d Leviticus vii. 12.-e Chap. xxxv. 11.14 Heb. strengthened them. Chap. xxx. 3. Psa. vii. 10.- h Leviticus iii. 16. Chapter xxiii. 18.10 Hebrew, hands of instruments. Heb. song. Chapter xx. 18.12 Heb. found.- 13 Or, filled your hand, Chap. xiii. 9. instruments which God, by his prophets, had commanded to be used, (verse 25,) and which had been long neglected. Even sorrow for sin must not put us out of tune for praising God. By faith we must even then rejoice in the Lord our righteousness, and Verse 34. The priests were too few-Namely, our prayers and praises must ascend with his offer- such as were sanctified and fit for the work, as the ing, to be accepted only in the virtue of it. following words show. Many of them, it is probaVerse 28. And all the congregation worshipped--||ble, had been suspended and laid aside as polluted, The king and all present testified their consent to, for having sacrificed to idols in the last reign, and and concurrence in, all that was done by bowing their the rest had not the zeal that might have been exheads and worshipping, expressing an awful venera-pected on such an occasion. Therefore they took tion for the divine majesty by postures of adora- no care to sanctify themselves: and being unsanction. It is not enough for us to be where God is tified, and so unqualified, they made their excuse for worshipped; if we do not ourselves worship him, being absent from the service; as if their offence and that not with bodily exercise only, which profits would be their defence. It is recorded here, to the little, but with the heart. perpetual shame of the priests, that though they were so well provided for out of the offerings of the Lord, yet they did not mind their business. Here was work to do, and there wanted proper hands to do it. So that they could not flay all the burntofferings-And much less all the other sacrifices, which were more numerous; the flaying whereof was the priests' proper work, Lev. i. 5, 6. Wherefore the priests did help them-Necessity excusing a deviation from the rule, as it hath excused in other cases. For the Levites were more upright in heart, &c., than the priests--They were better affected to the work, and better prepared and qualified for it. This was their praise; and, in recompense for it, they had the honour of being employed in that which was the priests' work. Thus encouragement was given to the faithful, zealous Levites, and a just disgrace cast upon the careless priests. What the Levites wanted in the ceremonial advantages of their birth and consecration, was abundantly made than of the burnt-offerings. Perhaps the remembrance of their sin in sacrificing on the high places, made them more willing to bring their sacrifices now to God's altar. Verse 31. Now ye have consecrated yourselves to the Lord-Have both made an atonement, and made a covenant by sacrifice; are solemnly reconciled and engaged to him; come near and bring sacrifices-Our covenant with God must be pursued and improved in communion with him. Having consecrated ourselves in the first place to the Lord, we must bring the sacrifices of prayer, and praise, and alms, to his house. As many as were of a free heart brought burnt-offerings-Wherein there was more generosity than in the other sacrifices, because they were wholly burned and offered to God. Verse 33. The consecrated things were six hunoren, &c.-That is, the offerings consecrated to God, besides the burnt-offerings already mentioned, namely, the peace-offerings and thank-offerings, the fat of which was burned upon the altar, and the flesh divided between the priests and the offerers. Of these there was a still greater number dred up in their eminent qualifications of knowledge and zeal for the work. Verse 36. Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people— In this blessed turn of affairs, and the new face of religion which the kingdom had put on. That God had prepared the people--Had changed their hearts by his Almighty Spirit. For it was plain his hand was in it, both because so many of those who, in the last reign, had doted on the idolatrous altars, were resolve to keep the passover. B. C. 726. 36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all A. M. 3278. the people, that God had prepared the people for the thing was done suddenly. xv. 5, 7, 10. now so much in love with God's altar; and because the thing was done suddenly; was brought about in so little time, and with little or no opposition. Those that go about the work of God in faith, and with resolution, will often find there is not that difficulty in it which they had apprehended. Only let magistrates and ministers do their parts toward the reforming of a land, and then let them trust God to do his, and ascribe to him the glory of what is done. CHAPTER XXX. King Hezekiah and the people resolve to keep the passover, 1-5. He invites Judah and Israel to it, 6-12. The joyful celebration of it, 13-27. proper time of the celebration of the passover, he might eat it on the fourteenth day of the second month, Num. ix. 10, 11. And what was an indulgence to particular persons, they judged, might be allowed to the whole congregation of Israel. Verse 1. Hezekiah sent to all Israel-To all the persons of the ten tribes who were settled in his kingdom, as well as to those of the tribe of Judah. And wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh -To all the remainder of the ten tribes, (verse 5,) Verse 3. For they could not keep it at that timehere expressed by the names of Ephraim and Ma- Which God had appointed for it, both because the nasseh, as elsewhere by the name of Ephraim only. temple was not then purified and prepared, and also But he names these two tribes, because they were for two other reasons, which he here adds. The nearest to his kingdom, and a great number of them priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently— had long since, and from time to time, joined them. To wit, in such a manner as was fit, nor in such selves to the kingdom of Judah, 2 Chron. xv. 8, 9. numbers as were necessary for the slaying and ofThat they should come to the house of the Lord-fering of so many thousands of paschal-offerings, as Admonishing them of their duty to God, and persuading them to comply with it. appears, because they were not sufficient for those offerings, which were comparatively few, chapter selves together, &c.-As they used, and ought to do, at that time, from all places: which now they could not do, because neither was the matter agreed upon, nor were the people summoned thither, till the proper time was past. Verse 2. The king had taken counsel, &c.-The||xxix. 32-34. Neither had the people gathered themlaw directed that the passover should be celebrated on the fourteenth day of the first month: but as it was found impossible to get all things in readiness against that time, it was thought more advisable to adjourn it to the fourteenth day of the next month, than to defer it till the next year. And for this they Verse 5. So they established a decree-They fixed had some encouragement, as it was allowed in the a resolution; to make proclamation throughout all law, that in case any man was unclean by reason of Israel-Hezekiah, it is certain, had no right to invite a dead body, or was on a journey afar off, at the || Hoshea's subjects to repair to Jerusalem, to the cele |