He said to them, “Hear me, Levites. Consecrate yourselves(A) now and consecrate the temple of Yahweh, the God of your ancestors. Remove everything impure from the holy place. For our fathers were unfaithful and did what is evil in the sight of the Lord our God. They abandoned Him, turned their faces away from the Lord’s tabernacle, and turned their backs on Him.[a](B) They also closed the doors of the portico, extinguished the lamps, did not burn incense, and did not offer burnt offerings in the holy place of the God of Israel. Therefore, the wrath of the Lord was on Judah and Jerusalem, and He made them an object of terror, horror, and mockery,[b](C) as you see with your own eyes. Our fathers fell by the sword, and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity because of this.(D) 10 It is in my heart now to make a covenant with Yahweh, the God of Israel(E) so that His burning anger may turn away from us. 11 My sons, don’t be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand in His presence, to serve Him, and to be His ministers and burners of incense.”(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 29:6 Lit and they gave the back of the neck
  2. 2 Chronicles 29:8 Lit hissing

and said: “Listen to me, Levites! Consecrate(A) yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary. Our parents(B) were unfaithful;(C) they did evil in the eyes of the Lord our God and forsook him. They turned their faces away from the Lord’s dwelling place and turned their backs on him. They also shut the doors of the portico and put out the lamps. They did not burn incense(D) or present any burnt offerings at the sanctuary to the God of Israel. Therefore, the anger of the Lord has fallen on Judah and Jerusalem; he has made them an object of dread and horror(E) and scorn,(F) as you can see with your own eyes. This is why our fathers have fallen by the sword and why our sons and daughters and our wives are in captivity.(G) 10 Now I intend to make a covenant(H) with the Lord, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger(I) will turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him and serve him,(J) to minister(K) before him and to burn incense.”

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Hezekiah’s Illness and Pride

24 In those days Hezekiah became sick to the point of death, so he prayed to the Lord, and He spoke to him and gave him a miraculous sign.(A) 25 However, because his heart was proud,(B) Hezekiah didn’t respond according to the benefit that had come to him. So there was wrath on him, Judah, and Jerusalem.(C) 26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart—he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem—so the Lord’s wrath didn’t come(D) on them during Hezekiah’s lifetime.(E)

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Hezekiah’s Pride, Success and Death(A)

24 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign.(B) 25 But Hezekiah’s heart was proud(C) and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the Lord’s wrath(D) was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. 26 Then Hezekiah repented(E) of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come on them during the days of Hezekiah.(F)

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18 “Micah the Moreshite(A) prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah(B) and said to all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord of Hosts says:

Zion will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become ruins,
and the temple mount a forested hill.’(C)

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18 “Micah(A) of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“‘Zion(B) will be plowed like a field,
    Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,(C)
    the temple hill(D) a mound overgrown with thickets.’[a](E)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 26:18 Micah 3:12