Ketuvim
Divrei HaYamim Bet29
2 Chronicles · Chapter 29
Hezekiah began to reign
when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Yerushalayim. And his mother’s name
was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.
And he did
that which was right in the sight of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH), according to all that Dawid his father had done.
He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH), and repaired them.
And he brought in the kohanim and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street,
And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) Elohim of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy
place.
For our fathers have trespassed, and done
that which was evil in the eyes of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) our Elohim, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH), and turned
their backs.
Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy
place
unto the Elohim of Yisra'el.
Wherefore the wrath of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) was upon Judah and Yerushalayim, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes.
For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.
Now
it is in mine heart to make a b'rit with 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) Elohim of Yisra'el, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.
My sons, be not now negligent: for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.
Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah:
And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel: and of the sons of Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah:
And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel.
And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the mitsvah of the king, by the words of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH), to cleanse the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH).
And the kohanim went into the inner part of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH), to cleanse
it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the heikhal of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) into the court of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH). And the Levites took
it, to carry
it out abroad into the brook Kidron.
Now they began on the first
day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH): so they sanctified the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.
Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH), and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof.
Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and, behold, they
are before the altar of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH).
Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH).
And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the kohanim the sons of Aharon to offer
them
on the altar of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH).
So they killed the bullocks, and the kohanim 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.
And they brought forth the he goats
for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them:
And the kohanim killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an kapparah for all Yisra'el: for the king commanded
that the burnt offering and the sin offering
should be made for all Yisra'el.
And he set the Levites in the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the mitsvah of Dawid, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the navi: for
so was the mitsvah of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) by his nevi'im.
And the Levites stood with the instruments of Dawid, and the kohanim with the trumpets.
And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) began
also
with the trumpets, and with the instruments
ordained by Dawid king of Yisra'el.
And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded:
and all
this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.
Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) with the words of Dawid, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.
Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH), come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH). And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.
And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams,
and two hundred lambs: all these
were for a burnt offering to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH).
And the consecrated things
were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.
But the kohanim were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the
other kohanim had sanctified themselves: for the Levites
were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the kohanim.
And also the burnt offerings
were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for
every burnt offering. So the service of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) was set in order.
And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that Elohim had prepared the people: for the thing was
done suddenly.
Ketuvim
Divrei HaYamim Bet30
2 Chronicles · Chapter 30
And Hezekiah sent to all Yisra'el and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) at Yerushalayim, to keep the pesach unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) Elohim of Yisra'el.
For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Yerushalayim, to keep the pesach in the second month.
For they could not keep it at that time, because the kohanim had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Yerushalayim.
And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Yisra'el, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the pesach unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) Elohim of Yisra'el at Yerushalayim: for they had not done
it of a long
time in such sort as it was written.
So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Yisra'el and Judah, and according to the mitsvah of the king, saying, Ye children of Yisra'el, turn again unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) Elohim of Avraham, Yitschaq, and Yisra'el, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) Elohim of their fathers,
who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.
Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers
were, but yield yourselves unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH), and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) your Elohim, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.
For if ye turn again unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH), your brethren and your children
shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) your Elohim
is
gracious and merciful, and will not turn away
his face from you, if ye return unto him.
So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Yerushalayim.
Also in Judah the hand of Elohim was to give them one heart to do the mitsvah of the king and of the princes, by the word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH).
And there assembled at Yerushalayim much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
And they arose and took away the altars that
were in Yerushalayim, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast
them
into the brook Kidron.
Then they killed the pesach on the fourteenth
day of the second month: and the kohanim and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH).
And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the torah of Mosheh the man of Elohim: the kohanim sprinkled the blood,
which they received of the hand of the Levites.
For
there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one
that was not clean, to sanctify
them
unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH).
For a multitude of the people,
even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the pesach otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) pardon every one
That prepareth his heart to seek Elohim, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) Elohim of his fathers, though
he be not
cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
And the children of Yisra'el that were present at Yerushalayim kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the kohanim praised 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) day by day,
singing with loud instruments unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH).
And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH): and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) Elohim of their fathers.
And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept
other seven days with gladness.
For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of kohanim sanctified themselves.
And all the congregation of Judah, with the kohanim and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Yisra'el, and the strangers that came out of the land of Yisra'el, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.
So there was great joy in Yerushalayim: for since the time of Shelomoh the son of Dawid king of Yisra'el
there was not the like in Yerushalayim.
Then the kohanim the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came
up to his holy dwelling place,
even unto shamayim.
Ketuvim
Divrei HaYamim Bet31
2 Chronicles · Chapter 31
Now when all this was finished, all Yisra'el that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Yisra'el returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.
And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the kohanim and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the kohanim and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH).
He appointed also the king’s portion of his substance for the burnt offerings,
to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as
it is written in the torah of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH).
Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Yerushalayim to give the portion of the kohanim and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the torah of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH).
And as soon as the mitsvah came abroad, the children of Yisra'el brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all
things brought they in abundantly.
And
concerning the children of Yisra'el and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) their Elohim, and laid
them by heaps.
In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished
them in the seventh month.
And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH), and his people Yisra'el.
Then Hezekiah questioned with the kohanim and the Levites concerning the heaps.
And Azariah the chief kohen of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since
the people began to bring the offerings into the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH), we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) hath blessed his people; and that which is left
is this great store.
Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH); and they prepared
them,
And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated
things faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite
was
ruler, and Shimei his brother
was the next.
And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah,
were
overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the mitsvah of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of Elohim.
And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east,
was over the freewill offerings of Elohim, to distribute the oblations of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH), and the most holy things.
And next him
were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the kohanim, in
their
set office, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as to the small:
Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward,
even unto every one that entereth into the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH), his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses;
Both to the genealogy of the kohanim by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses;
And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness:
Also of the sons of Aharon the kohanim,
which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the kohanim, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites.
And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought
that which was good and right and truth before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) his Elohim.
And in every work that he began in the service of the house of Elohim, and in the torah, and in the mitsvot, to seek his Elohim, he did
it
with all his heart, and prospered.