1 Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king {malakh: began his reign}, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah {zekharyahu: God Remembers}.
2 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD {YHWH, Moral Evaluator}, just as his father {av: patriarchal ancestor} David had done.
3 He, in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD {YHWH, Sanctuary Sovereign} and repaired {wayhazzeqem: made firm} them.
4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and he assembled {wayyaaspem: formal muster} them in the eastern square {hamizrach: sunrise sector}.
5 And he said to them, “Hear me, Levites {leviyim: priestly tribe}! Now consecrate yourselves and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers {YHWH Elohei avoteikhem, Guardian of the Covenant}, and remove all impurity from the sanctuary.”
6 For our fathers acted unfaithfully and did what was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God {YHWH Eloheinu, Covenant Judge}; they forsook Him and turned their faces away from the dwelling place {mishkan: sacred sanctuary} of the LORD and gave their back.
7 They also shut the doors of the porch and extinguished the lamps; and they did not burn incense or offer burnt offering {olah: wholly consumed sacrifice} in the holy place to the God of Israel {Elohei Yisrael, Protector of Israel}.
8 So the wrath of the LORD {YHWH, Judge and Discipliner} came upon Judah and Jerusalem, and He gave them up to terror, to horror, to devastation, and to scorn, just as you see with your eyes {eineikhem: physical perception}.
9 And behold, our fathers {avoteinu: patriarchal ancestors} have fallen by the sword {becherev: instrument of death}, and our sons, daughters, and wives are in captivity because of this.
10 Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Restorer}, the God of Israel {Elohei Yisrael, National Protector}, so that the burning {kharon: intense wrath} of His anger may turn away from us.
11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Chooser} has chosen you to stand before Him and to serve Him {lesharto: Dedicated Levitical Ministry}, and to be His ministers and burners of incense.
12 And the Levites {ha-leviyim: temple assistants} arose: Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah, from the Kohathites {qehati: sanctuary carriers}; and from the Merarites, Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel; and from the Gershonites, Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah.
13 And from the descendants {bnei: lineage group designation} of Elitzaphan {Elitzaphan: Levitical clan head}, Shimri and Jeuel; and from the descendants of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah.
14 And from the sons of Heman {heman: temple musician} were Jehuel, Jehiel, and Shimei; and from the sons of Jeduthun {yeduthun: praise singer} were Shemaiah and Uzziel.
15 And they gathered their brothers and consecrated {kadesh: ritual dedication} themselves, and they came according to the command of the king by the words of the LORD {Yəhōwāh, Divine Commander} to purify the house of the LORD.
16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD {YHWH, Sanctuary Owner} to purify it, and they brought out all the impurity {tum’ah: ritual defilement} that they found in the temple of the LORD to the courtyard of the house of the LORD. The Levites then received it to carry it out to the Kidron Valley.
17 And they began on the first day of the first month to consecrate, and on the eighth day they came to the porch {ulam: temple entrance} of the LORD {YHWH, Sanctuary Sovereign}. Then they consecrated the house of the LORD for eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished.
18 Then they entered into the presence of King Hezekiah and said, “We have purified all of the house of the LORD {YHWH, Worship Center} and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the table {shulchan: sacred showbread table} with all its utensils.”
19 And all the vessels {kelim: temple utensils} that King Ahaz neglected in his reign, in his unfaithfulness, we have prepared and consecrated; and look, they are before the altar of the LORD {YHWH, Consecration Receiver}.
20 King Hezekiah {yechizkiyahu: Yah strengthens} arose early and gathered the city officials, and he went up to the house of the LORD {YHWH, Regal Sustainer}.
21 And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven male lambs, and seven male goats for a sin offering {chatat: purification rite} for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah; and he commanded the sons of Aaron, the priests, to offer them on the altar of the LORD {YHWH, Sin Atoner}.
22 And they slaughtered {vayyishchatu: ritual slaughter} the cattle, and the priests {kohanim: temple ministers} received the blood and splashed it on the altar; then they slaughtered the rams and splashed the blood on the altar; and they slaughtered the lambs and splashed the blood on the altar.
23 And they brought the male goats of the sin offering{chatat: atonement rite} before the king and the assembly{qahal: public gathering}, and they laid their hands on them.
24 And the priests slaughtered them {vayishchatum: ceremonial slaughter} and made a sin offering {chattat: purification sacrifice} with their blood on the altar to atone for all Israel, because the king had commanded the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.
25 And he stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD {YHWH, Worship Recipient} with cymbals {mitsiltayim: percussion instruments}, harps, and lyres, according to the commandment of David, Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet; for the commandment came by the hand of His prophets.
26 And the Levites stood with the instruments {klei: musical instruments for worship} of David, and the priests with the trumpets {chatzotzerot: silver horns}.
27 And Hezekiah said to offer up the burnt offering on the altar. And at the time the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD {YHWH, Worship Receiver} began, together with the trumpets and by the hand of the instruments of David {Dawid: royal worship leader}, king of Israel.
28 And all the assembly {qahal: gathered worshipers} were bowing down, and the song was being sung, and the trumpets kept sounding; all of it continued until the burnt offering {olah: whole-burnt gift} was finished.
29 And when they had finished offering {kekhalot: completion marker}, the king and all who were present with him knelt and bowed down {yishtachavu: full prostration}.
30 And King Hezekiah and the officials said to the Levites, “Praise the LORD {YHWH, Praise Receiver} with the words of David and Asaph the seer.” Then they praised until there was gladness, and they bowed and prostrated themselves {yishtachavu: full body submission}.
31 And Hezekiah answered and said, “Now you have consecrated {milletem: ritually dedicated} your hands to the LORD {YHWH, Worship Receiver}. Draw near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the LORD.” Then the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and every willing heart brought burnt offerings.
32 And the number of the burnt offerings {olah: wholly consumed} which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all of these were for a burnt offering to the LORD {YHWH, Sacrifice Recipient}.
33 The consecrated offerings {qodashim: dedicated items} consisted of six hundred cattle {bakar: herd animals} and three thousand sheep.
34 Only the priests {ha-kohanim: Aaronic descendants} were too few, and they were not able to skin all the burnt offerings; so their brothers, the Levites, strengthened them until the work was finished, and until the priests had sanctified themselves, because the Levites were more upright in heart {yishrei levav: sincere zeal} to sanctify themselves than the priests.
35 And also burnt offerings were in abundance, together with the fat {chelev: best portion} of the fellowship offerings and the drink offerings for the burnt offering; thus, the service of the house of the LORD {YHWH, Worship Restorer} was established.
36 And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over the preparation {hechin: establishing} that God {Elohim, Purposeful Provider} had made for the people, because the event happened suddenly.