2 Chronicles 29

1 Hezekiah was 25 years old when he became the king [of Judah]. He ruled from Jerusalem for 29 years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of [a man whose name was] Zechariah.

יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ מָלַךְ בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים וָתֵשַׁע שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ͏ִם וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ אֲבִיָּה בַּת־זְכַרְיָֽהוּ׃

2 Hezekiah did things that Yahweh considered to be right, like his ancestor King David had done.

וַיַּעַשׂ הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה דָּוִיד אָבִֽיו׃

3 During March of the first year that Hezekiah was ruling Judah, he unlocked the doors of the temple, and his workers repaired them.

הוּא בַשָּׁנָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה לְמׇלְכוֹ בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן פָּתַח אֶת־דַּלְתוֹת בֵּית־יְהֹוָה וַֽיְחַזְּקֵֽם׃

4 Then he gathered the priests and other descendants of Levi in the area on the east side of the temple,

וַיָּבֵא אֶת־הַכֹּהֲנִים וְאֶת־הַלְוִיִּם וַיַּאַסְפֵם לִרְחוֹב הַמִּזְרָֽח׃

5 and he said to them, “You descendants of Levi, listen to me! Consecrate yourselves. And then consecrate the temple of Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped/belonged to]. Remove from the temple all the things that are not pleasing to God.

וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם שְׁמָעוּנִי הַלְוִיִּם עַתָּה הִֽתְקַדְּשׁוּ וְקַדְּשׁוּ אֶת־בֵּית יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲבֹתֵיכֶם וְהוֹצִיאוּ אֶת־הַנִּדָּה מִן־הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃

6 Our ancestors disobeyed God; they did many things that he considered to be evil, things that were not pleasing to him. They abandoned this place where Yahweh lives, and they have turned away from him.

כִּֽי־מָעֲלוּ אֲבֹתֵינוּ וְעָשׂוּ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָֽה־אֱלֹהֵינוּ וַיַּעַזְבֻהוּ וַיַּסֵּבּוּ פְנֵיהֶם מִמִּשְׁכַּן יְהֹוָה וַיִּתְּנוּ־עֹֽרֶף׃

7 They locked the doors of the temple and extinguished the lamps. They did not burn any incense, and they did not offer any sacrifices that were to be completely burned [on the altar].

גַּם סָגְרוּ דַּלְתוֹת הָאוּלָם וַיְכַבּוּ אֶת־הַנֵּרוֹת וּקְטֹרֶת לֹא הִקְטִירוּ וְעֹלָה לֹא־הֶעֱלוּ בַקֹּדֶשׁ לֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

8 Therefore, Yahweh has become very angry with us people of Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah, and he has caused other people to become frightened and horrified [when they hear what Yahweh did to punish us]. And they ridicule us. You know this very well.

וַֽיְהִי קֶצֶף יְהֹוָה עַל־יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלָ͏ִם וַיִּתְּנֵם (לזועה) [לְזַעֲוָה] לְשַׁמָּה וְלִשְׁרֵקָה כַּאֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם רֹאִים בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃

9 That is why our fathers have been killed in battles, and our sons and daughters and our wives have been captured and taken [to other countries].

וְהִנֵּה נָפְלוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ בֶּחָרֶב וּבָנֵינוּ וּבְנוֹתֵינוּ וְנָשֵׁינוּ בַּשְּׁבִי עַל־זֹֽאת׃

10 But now I intend to make an agreement with Yahweh, our God, in order that he will no longer be angry with us.

עַתָּה עִם־לְבָבִי לִכְרוֹת בְּרִית לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיָשֹׁב מִמֶּנּוּ חֲרוֹן אַפּֽוֹ׃

11 [You who are like] my sons, do not waste any time. [Do immediately what Yahweh wants you to do.] Yahweh has chosen you to stand in his presence and offer sacrifices and burn incense.”

בָּנַי עַתָּה אַל־תִּשָּׁלוּ כִּֽי־בָכֶם בָּחַר יְהֹוָה לַעֲמֹד לְפָנָיו לְשָׁרְתוֹ וְלִהְיוֹת לוֹ מְשָׁרְתִים וּמַקְטִרִֽים׃

12 Then these descendants of Levi started to work [in the temple]: From the descendants of Kohath there were Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah. From the descendants of Merari there were Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehallelel. From the descendants of Gershon there were Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah.

וַיָּקֻמוּ הַלְוִיִּם מַחַת בֶּן־עֲמָשַׂי וְיוֹאֵל בֶּן־עֲזַרְיָהוּ מִן־בְּנֵי הַקְּהָתִי וּמִן־בְּנֵי מְרָרִי קִישׁ בֶּן־עַבְדִּי וַעֲזַרְיָהוּ בֶּן־יְהַלֶּלְאֵל וּמִן־הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּי יוֹאָח בֶּן־זִמָּה וְעֵדֶן בֶּן־יוֹאָֽח׃

13 From the descendants of Elizaphan there were Shimri and Jeiel. From the descendants of Asaph there were Zechariah and Mattaniah.

וּמִן־בְּנֵי אֱלִיצָפָן שִׁמְרִי (ויעואל) [וִיעִיאֵל] וּמִן־בְּנֵי אָסָף זְכַרְיָהוּ וּמַתַּנְיָֽהוּ׃

14 From the descendants of Heman there were Jehiel and Shimei. From the descendants of Jeduthun there were Shemaiah and Uzziel.

וּמִן־בְּנֵי הֵימָן (יחואל) [יְחִיאֵל] וְשִׁמְעִי וּמִן־בְּנֵי יְדוּתוּן שְׁמַֽעְיָה וְעֻזִּיאֵֽל׃

15 When those men had gathered their fellow descendants of Levi and had consecrated themselves, they entered the temple in order to consecrate it. That was what the king had commanded them to do, and they were also obeying what Yahweh had commanded.

וַיַּאַסְפוּ אֶת־אֲחֵיהֶם וַיִּֽתְקַדְּשׁוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ כְמִצְוַת־הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּדִבְרֵי יְהֹוָה לְטַהֵר בֵּית יְהֹוָֽה׃

16 The priests entered the temple to consecrate it. They brought out into the courtyard of the temple everything that they had found in the temple that was not pleasing to Yahweh. Then the descendants of Levi took those things down to the Kidron Valley [and burned them there].

וַיָּבֹאוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים לִפְנִימָה בֵית־יְהֹוָה לְטַהֵר וַיּוֹצִיאוּ אֵת כׇּל־הַטֻּמְאָה אֲשֶׁר מָֽצְאוּ בְּהֵיכַל יְהֹוָה לַחֲצַר בֵּית יְהֹוָה וַֽיְקַבְּלוּ הַלְוִיִּם לְהוֹצִיא לְנַחַל־קִדְרוֹן חֽוּצָה׃

17 The priests and other descendants of Levi started this work on the first day of March and finished purifying the courtyard [of the temple] on the eighth day of that month, and they finished purifying the temple one week later.

וַיָּחֵלּוּ בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן לְקַדֵּשׁ וּבְיוֹם שְׁמוֹנָה לַחֹדֶשׁ בָּאוּ לְאוּלָם יְהֹוָה וַיְקַדְּשׁוּ אֶת־בֵּית־יְהֹוָה לְיָמִים שְׁמוֹנָה וּבְיוֹם שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר לַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן כִּלּֽוּ׃

18 Then they went to King Hezekiah and reported, “We have purified all parts of the temple, and the altar where sacrifices are completely burned, and all the items used at the altar, the table on which the priests place the sacred bread, and the things [used at that table].

וַיָּבוֹאוּ פְנִימָה אֶל־חִזְקִיָּהוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמְרוּ טִהַרְנוּ אֶת־כׇּל־בֵּית יְהֹוָה אֶת־מִזְבַּח הָעוֹלָה וְאֶת־כׇּל־כֵּלָיו וְאֶת־שֻׁלְחַן הַֽמַּעֲרֶכֶת וְאֶת־כׇּל־כֵּלָֽיו׃

19 While Ahaz was our king, he disobeyed what Yahweh had commanded, and he removed from the temple many things [that should be there], but now we have brought them back and placed them in front of the sacred altar.”

וְאֵת כׇּל־הַכֵּלִים אֲשֶׁר הִזְנִיחַ הַמֶּלֶךְ אָחָז בְּמַלְכוּתוֹ בְּמַעֲלוֹ הֵכַנּוּ וְהִקְדָּשְׁנוּ וְהִנָּם לִפְנֵי מִזְבַּח יְהֹוָֽה׃

20 Early the next morning, King Hezekiah gathered together the city officials, and they went to the [courtyard of the] temple.

וַיַּשְׁכֵּם יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֶּאֱסֹף אֵת שָׂרֵי הָעִיר וַיַּעַל בֵּית יְהֹוָֽה׃

21 They took with them seven bulls, seven rams, seven male lambs, and seven male goats to be an offering in order that Yahweh would forgive the sins of all the people in the kingdom of Judah, and in order to purify the temple. The king commanded that the priests, who were descendants of Aaron, should offer those animals to be sacrificed to Yahweh on the altar.

וַיָּבִיאוּ פָֽרִים־שִׁבְעָה וְאֵילִים שִׁבְעָה וּכְבָשִׂים שִׁבְעָה וּצְפִירֵי עִזִּים שִׁבְעָה לְחַטָּאת עַל־הַמַּמְלָכָה וְעַל־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְעַל־יְהוּדָה וַיֹּאמֶר לִבְנֵי אַֽהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֲנִים לְהַעֲלוֹת עַל־מִזְבַּח יְהֹוָֽה׃

22 So first the priests slaughtered those bulls, and took their blood and sprinkled it on the altar. Then they slaughtered the rams and sprinkled their blood on the altar. Then they slaughtered the lambs and sprinkled their blood on the altar.

וַֽיִּשְׁחֲטוּ הַבָּקָר וַיְקַבְּלוּ הַכֹּֽהֲנִים אֶת־הַדָּם וַֽיִּזְרְקוּ הַמִּזְבֵּחָה וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ הָאֵלִים וַיִּזְרְקוּ הַדָּם הַמִּזְבֵּחָה וַֽיִּשְׁחֲטוּ הַכְּבָשִׂים וַיִּזְרְקוּ הַדָּם הַמִּזְבֵּֽחָה׃

23 The goats that were slaughtered to be an offering in order that Yahweh would forgive the sins of the people were brought to the king and the others who were there. Then the king and those who were present laid their hands on those goats.

וַיַּגִּישׁוּ אֶת־שְׂעִירֵי הַחַטָּאת לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַקָּהָל וַיִּסְמְכוּ יְדֵיהֶם עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

24 Then the priests slaughtered those goats and splashed their blood on the altar in order that Yahweh would forgive the sins that all the Israeli people had committed. The priests did that because the king had commanded that offerings that would be completely burned [on the altar] and other sacrifices should be made for all the people of Israel.

וַיִּשְׁחָטוּם הַכֹּהֲנִים וַֽיְחַטְּאוּ אֶת־דָּמָם הַמִּזְבֵּחָה לְכַפֵּר עַל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי לְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ הָעוֹלָה וְהַחַטָּֽאת׃

25 The king then told the descendants of Levi to stand in the temple with their cymbals and harps and lyres, obeying what David and his prophets Gad and Nathan had commanded. Those were things that Yahweh had told his prophets that the descendants of Levi should do.

וַיַּעֲמֵד אֶת־הַלְוִיִּם בֵּית יְהֹוָה בִּמְצִלְתַּיִם בִּנְבָלִים וּבְכִנֹּרוֹת בְּמִצְוַת דָּוִיד וְגָד חֹזֵֽה־הַמֶּלֶךְ וְנָתָן הַנָּבִיא כִּי בְיַד־יְהֹוָה הַמִּצְוָה בְּיַד־נְבִיאָֽיו׃

26 So the descendants of Levi [went and] stood in the temple, ready to play the musical instruments that King David had given to them. And the priests were ready to blow their trumpets.

וַיַּעַמְדוּ הַלְוִיִּם בִּכְלֵי דָוִיד וְהַכֹּהֲנִים בַּחֲצֹצְרֽוֹת׃

27 Then Hezekiah told some of the priests to burn the animals that would be sacrificed on the altar. When they started to burn the animals, the people started to sing to [praise] Yahweh, while the other descendants of Levi were playing their instruments.

וַיֹּאמֶר חִזְקִיָּהוּ לְהַעֲלוֹת הָעֹלָה לְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ וּבְעֵת הֵחֵל הָעוֹלָה הֵחֵל שִׁיר־יְהֹוָה וְהַחֲצֹצְרוֹת וְעַל־יְדֵי כְּלֵי דָּוִיד מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

28 All the people who were there bowed to worship Yahweh, while the singers sang and the trumpeters blew their trumpets. They continued to do this until they had finished slaughtering all the animals that would be completely burned.

וְכׇל־הַקָּהָל מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים וְהַשִּׁיר מְשׁוֹרֵר וְהַחֲצֹצְרוֹת (מחצצרים) [מַחְצְרִים] הַכֹּל עַד לִכְלוֹת הָעֹלָֽה׃

29 When they finished making those offerings, the king and all those who were there knelt down and worshiped Yahweh.

וּכְכַלּוֹת לְהַעֲלוֹת כָּֽרְעוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ וְכׇֽל־הַנִּמְצְאִים אִתּוֹ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֽוּ׃

30 Then King Hezekiah and his officials commanded the descendants of Levi to praise Yahweh, singing the songs [composed/written] by David and Asaph the prophet. So they sang songs joyfully and bowed their heads to worship.

וַיֹּאמֶר יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַשָּׂרִים לַלְוִיִּם לְהַלֵּל לַֽיהֹוָה בְּדִבְרֵי דָוִיד וְאָסָף הַחֹזֶה וַֽיְהַלְלוּ עַד־לְשִׂמְחָה וַֽיִּקְּדוּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוֽוּ׃

31 Then Hezekiah said, “You have now dedicated yourselves to Yahweh. So come close to the temple and bring animals to be sacrificed and other offerings to thank [Yahweh for what he has done for you].” And those who wanted to bring animals to be completely burned [on the altar] brought them.

וַיַּעַן יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר עַתָּה מִלֵּאתֶם יֶדְכֶם לַֽיהֹוָה גֹּשׁוּ וְהָבִיאוּ זְבָחִים וְתוֹדוֹת לְבֵית יְהֹוָה וַיָּבִיאוּ הַקָּהָל זְבָחִים וְתוֹדוֹת וְכׇל־נְדִיב לֵב עֹלֽוֹת׃

32 Altogether they brought 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 male lambs to be completely burned on the altar.

וַיְהִי מִסְפַּר הָעֹלָה אֲשֶׁר הֵבִיאוּ הַקָּהָל בָּקָר שִׁבְעִים אֵילִים מֵאָה כְּבָשִׂים מָאתָיִם לְעֹלָה לַֽיהֹוָה כׇּל־אֵֽלֶּה׃

33 The other animals that they brought were 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep and goats that were set apart to be sacrifices.

וְֽהַקֳּדָשִׁים בָּקָר שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת וְצֹאן שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִֽים׃

34 But there were not enough priests to remove the skins from the animals that would be completely burned [on the altar]. So their fellow descendants of Levi helped them until that work was finished, and until other priests had purified/consecrated themselves to do that work. It was necessary for them to do that because many of the priests had not yet performed the rituals to consecrate themselves for that work, like the descendants of Levi had done.

רַק הַכֹּֽהֲנִים הָיוּ לִמְעָט וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְהַפְשִׁיט אֶת־כׇּל־הָעֹלוֹת וַֽיְחַזְּקוּם אֲחֵיהֶם הַלְוִיִּם עַד־כְּלוֹת הַמְּלָאכָה וְעַד יִתְקַדְּשׁוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים כִּי הַלְוִיִּם יִשְׁרֵי לֵבָב לְהִתְקַדֵּשׁ מֵהַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃

35 In addition to the all the offerings that were completely burned [on the altar], the priests also burned the fat of the other animals that were sacrificed to maintain good fellowship with Yahweh, and the usual wine offerings. So the worship at the temple began again.

וְגַם־עֹלָה לָרֹב בְּחֶלְבֵי הַשְּׁלָמִים וּבַנְּסָכִים לָֽעֹלָה וַתִּכּוֹן עֲבוֹדַת בֵּית־יְהֹוָֽה׃

36 And Hezekiah and all the other people of Judah celebrated, because God had enabled them to do all those things very quickly.

וַיִּשְׂמַח יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ וְכׇל־הָעָם עַל הַהֵכִין הָאֱלֹהִים לָעָם כִּי בְּפִתְאֹם הָיָה הַדָּבָֽר׃