And he brought in the priests and Levites ,.... The persons that officiated in the service of the temple: and gathered them together into the east street ; which led to the eastern gate of the temple. read more
The height of opportunity. To Hezekiah as he ascended the throne of Judah there was presented a very noble opportunity. His father had brought the nation down very low, had left it "naked" to its various enemies, had caused it to incur the sore displeasure of the Lord, had suffered it to reach the very verge of destruction. But he himself was young and strong; he knew what was the secret and what the source of prosperity; he indulged the hope that everything might yet be restored if... read more
The reformation of Hezekiah-the thing done suddenly. Hezekiah was the thirteenth of the twenty kings of the line of Judah; but when his reign of twenty-nine years had run to its end, as many as two hundred and eighty-two yearn had sped away of the three hundred and ninety-two of the duration of the line up to the date of the Captivity. It may also be remembered that, of the seven reigns following upon that of Hezekiah, two (those of Jehoahaz and Jehoiachin) lasted only three months each.... read more
The purification of the temple. I. THE GATHERING OF THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES . ( 2 Chronicles 29:4 .) 1 . When ? In the first year of the king's reign, in the first month ( 2 Chronicles 29:3 , 2 Chronicles 29:17 ), but whether of that reign (Caspari) or of the ecclesiastical year (Bertheau, Keil, Jamieson, Ochler in Herzog) cannot be determined. In either case it was not long after his accession. The acts evinced 2 . Where? In "the broad place on the east;"... read more
The east street ; Hebrew, הַמִּזְרָח לִרְחוֹב . This word, rendered here "street," occurs forty-two times, and is always rendered by the same English word, except three times, when it appears as "broad places," or "ways." Probably it should always be translated thus, its meaning and its manifest preponderant use being "an open space" ( 2 Chronicles 32:6 ). So Revised Version: Into the broad place on the east, i.e. an open area east of the temple. read more
The east street - Rather, some open space before the eastern gate of the outer temple court is intended. read more
2 Chronicles 29:3-4. He opened the doors of the house of the Lord Which Ahaz his father had shut, 2 Chronicles 28:24. And he brought in the priests, &c. He found Judah low and naked, yet did not make it his first business to revive the civil interests of his kingdom, but to restore religion to a good posture. Those that begin with God, begin at the right end of their work, and it will prosper accordingly. read more
Hezekiah’s religious reforms (29:1-31:21)Immediately he became king, Hezekiah began a thorough reformation of Judah’s religion. This was prompted partly by the preaching of the prophet Micah (Jeremiah 26:17-19; see notes on 2 Kings 18:1-12).The Chronicler gives a detailed account of Hezekiah’s work, particularly that part of it which affected the temple, the priests and the Levites. Hezekiah called a meeting of priests and Levites and told them plainly that neglect of the temple was the reason... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 29:1-11
Here is, I. Hezekiah's age when he came to the crown. He was twenty-five years old. Joash, who came to the crown after two bad reigns, was but seven years old; Josiah, who came after two bad reigns, was but eight, which occasioned the delay of the reformation; but Hezekiah had come to years, and so applied himself immediately to it. We may well think with what a sorrowful heart he beheld his father's idolatry and profaneness, how it troubled him to see the doors of the temple shut, though,... read more