Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles 29

Verses 1-36

2 Chronicles 29:1-36 Hezekiah’s Reforms - 2 Chronicles 29:1 to 2 Chronicles 30:27 records the reforms that King Hezekiah undertook to restore the people back to God. The cleansing of the Temple and restoration of Temple worship, along with Josiah’s efforts to cleanse the Temple (2 Chronicles 34:8-33), are similar to Jesus cleansing the Temple in New Testament (Matthew 21:10-17, John 2:13-22). The condition of the Jewish Temple reflected the condition of the nation’s walk with God. All uncleanness was removed. The word of God was read and taught. Healing, prayer, worship and praise were reinstated in the nation.

Note that it was the leaders of Israel who sparked the reform and return the nation back to God. This chapter opens with the condition of the Temple in disrepair (2 Chronicles 29:5-7) and the people in oppression (2 Chronicles 29:8-9) and it closes with the people rejoicing (2 Chronicles 29:36). It was the responsibility of their forefathers to lead their descendents into rest, and this was done by serving God. Instead, their forefathers had led them into bondage. King Josiah understood his calling as king over Judah even before he took office: because from the first day he instituted reform and restored the people back to God.

2 Chronicles 29:3-11 Josiah Addresses the Priests and Levites In 2 Chronicles 29:3-11 King Josiah gathers the priests and Levites before the Temple and addresses them. In this speech, he explains to them the reason for their oppression and calls them back to God.

2 Chronicles 29:3 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.

2 Chronicles 29:3 Comments - Hezekiah began the reform immediately.

2 Chronicles 29:5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.

2 Chronicles 29:5 Comments - The removal of the filthiness from the Temple is similar to Jesus driving out the sellers of animals and moneychangers from the temple.

2 Chronicles 29:6 For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs.

2 Chronicles 29:6 Comments - If we forsake God, then His wrath comes (2 Chronicles 29:8) and the curse (2 Chronicles 29:9), i.e., the sword.

2 Chronicles 29:16-17 Comments The Cleansing of the Temple - Cleansing began from the inner chambers to the outer chambers. We also begin our cleansing from the heart to our outward actions.

2 Chronicles 29:18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof.

2 Chronicles 29:18 “We have cleansed all the house of the LORD” Comments - Nothing unclean was allowed in the Temple (Mark 11:16).

Mark 11:16, “And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.”

2 Chronicles 29:22 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar.

2 Chronicles 29:22 Comments - After cleansing came the atonement for sins (sin is dealt with); then came worship (2 Chronicles 29:28), praise (2 Chronicles 29:30), the Word (2 Chronicles 29:30), healing (2 Chronicles 30:20) and more of the Word (2 Chronicles 30:22).