Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 29
Charles Ellicott Commentary
2 Chronicles 29
Charles Ellicott 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)
HEZEKIAH (chapters 29-32; 2 Kings 18-20); Chapter 29
LENGTH AND SPIRIT OF THE REIGN. THE SOLEMN PURGATION AND HALLOWING OF THE TEMPLE.
Hezekiah. —Hebrew, Yĕhizqîyâhu, as if “Strong is Iahu.” 2 Kings writes Hizkîyâh, “My strength is Iah;”Isaiah 27:0 and following, Hizkîyâhu. The annals of Sennacherib present the form Hazakiyahu.
Abijah. —2 Kings has the shortened form Abi. (This verse closely corresponds with 2 Kings 18:2.)
"And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that David his father had done." — 2 Chronicles 29:2 (ASV)
And he did. —The verse is identical with 2 Kings 18:3.
"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)
THE KING CHARGES THE LEVITES, AND THEY CLEANSE THE HOUSE OF GOD
(2 Chronicles 29:3–19).
In the first month — i.e., in the month Nisan, the first month of the sacred year; not in the first month of his reign. (Compare to 2 Chronicles 29:17 and 2 Chronicles 30:23.)
Opened the doors. —Which his father had closed (2 Chronicles 28:24).
And repaired them. —By overlaying them with metal—bronze or gold-leaf (2 Kings 18:16).
"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)
Brought in. — Caused to come.
The east Street. — The eastern square or open space of the East. (Nehemiah 8:1; Nehemiah 8:3; Nehemiah 8:16.) The place of meeting was probably an open area in front of the eastern gate of the sacred enclosure.
"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)
Hear me. — 2 Chronicles 15:2; 2 Chronicles 20:15.
Sanctify now yourselves. — See Note on 1 Chronicles 15:12; 1 Chronicles 15:14.
Sanctify the house. — By removing all symbols of idolatry.
Carry forth the filthiness. — Niddah denotes personal impurity (Leviticus 12:2; Ezekiel 18:6); and thus anything loathsome (Ezekiel 7:19); here probably idols, and things connected with their worship.
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