Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Chronicles 29
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Chronicles 29
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Chronicles 29
"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." — 2 Chronicles 29:1 (ASV)
The treatment of Hezekiah’s reign by the author of Chronicles is in marked contrast with that in the Book of Kings. The writer of Kings describes mainly civil affairs; the author of Chronicles gives a full account of Hezekiah’s religious reformation. Therefore, 2 Chronicles 29–31 contains material that is almost entirely new.
"He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of Jehovah, and repaired them." — 2 Chronicles 29:3 (ASV)
By “the first month,” it is meant the month of Nisan, the first of the Jewish sacred year (Compare 2 Chronicles 30:2–3), not necessarily the first month of Hezekiah’s reign.
"And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the broad place on the east," — 2 Chronicles 29:4 (ASV)
The east street – Rather, this refers to an open space before the eastern gate of the outer temple court.
"and said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites; now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of Jehovah, the God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place." — 2 Chronicles 29:5 (ASV)
Sanctify yourselves now—Following David’s example, Hezekiah gives this command, likely knowing that the priests had contracted many defilements during the preceding time of idolatry.
The “filthiness” or “uncleanness” (2 Chronicles 29:16) might have consisted partly of mere dust and dirt, and partly of idolatrous objects introduced by Ahaz before he finally shut up the temple (2 Kings 16:10–16).
"Wherefore the wrath of Jehovah was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to be tossed to and fro, to be an astonishment, and a hissing, as ye see with your eyes." — 2 Chronicles 29:8 (ASV)
He has delivered them to ... hissing - See 1 Kings 9:8 note. It was an expression which Hezekiah might naturally use, for it had occurred in a prophecy of Micah 6:16, his contemporary and monitor (Jeremiah 26:18–19), which was probably uttered toward the close of the reign of Ahaz. In Jeremiah the phrase becomes common (marginal references).
Jump to: