2. Tarihler 29

¹Hezekiya yirmi beş yaşında kral oldu ve Yeruşalim'de yirmi dokuz yıl krallık yaptı; annesinin adı Zekeriya'nın kızı Abba'ydı.

²Babası Davut'un yaptığı her şeye uygun olarak, o da Rab'bin gözünde doğru olanı yaptı.

³Tahtına yerleştiği krallığının birinci yılında, birinci ayda, Rab'bin evinin kapılarını açtı ve onları onardı.

⁴Kâhinleri ve Levilileri içeri getirip doğu tarafındaki bölmede topladı.

⁵Onlara şöyle dedi: "Beni dinleyin ey Leviler! Şimdi kendinizi arındırın ve atalarınızın Tanrısı Rab'bin evini kutsayın; her türlü kirliliği kutsal yerlerden dışarı atın.

⁶Çünkü atalarımız yoldan saptılar ve Tanrımız Rab'bin önünde kötü olanı yaptılar; O'nu terk edip yüzlerini Rab'bin konutundan çevirdiler ve O'na arkalarını döndüler.

⁷Tapınağın kapılarını kapattılar, kandilleri söndürdüler, kutsal yerde İsrail'in kutsal Tanrısı'na buhur yakmadılar ve yakmalık sunular sunmadılar.

⁸Bu yüzden Rab'bin öfkesi Yahuda ve Yeruşalim'in üzerine alevlendi; kendi gözlerinizle gördüğünüz gibi, onları bir dehşet, yıkım ve alay konusu bir ıslık haline getirdi.

⁹İşte bu yüzden atalarımız kılıçla vuruldu; oğullarımız, kızlarımız ve karılarımız kendilerinin olmayan bir toprakta sürgündedir, nitekim bugün de durum böyledir.

¹⁰Şimdi, kızgın öfkesini üzerimizden uzaklaştırması için İsrail'in Tanrısı Rab ile bir antlaşma yapmak yüreğimdedir.

¹¹Ey oğullarım, artık gevşeklik etmeyin; çünkü Rab, huzurunda durup Kendisine hizmet etmeniz, O'nun hizmetkârları olmanız ve O'na buhur yakmanız için sizi seçti."

¹²Bunun üzerine şu Leviler harekete geçti: Kehat oğullarından Amasay oğlu Mahat ile Azarya oğlu Yoel; Merari oğullarından Abdi oğlu Kiş ile Yalelel oğlu Azarya; Gerşon oğullarından Zimma oğlu Yoadah ile Yoah oğlu Yoadam;

¹³Elisafan oğullarından Zimri ile Yeiel; Asaf oğullarından Zekeriya ile Mattanya;

¹⁴Heman oğullarından Yeiel ile Şimei; Yedutun oğullarından Şemaya ile Uziel.

¹⁵Kardeşlerini toplayıp kendilerini arındırdılar ve kralın buyruğu uyarınca, Rab'bin emri doğrultusunda, Rab'bin evini temizlemek için içeri girdiler.

¹⁶Kâhinler tapınağı arındırmak için Rab'bin evinin iç kısmına girdiler; Rab'bin evinde buldukları bütün kirliliği dışarı çıkarıp Rab'bin evinin avlusuna taşıdılar; Leviler de bunları alıp dışarıya, Kidron Vadisi'ne götürmek üzere teslim aldılar.

¹⁷Arındırma işine birinci ayın birinci gününde başladılar ve ayın sekizinci gününde Rab'bin tapınağına ulaştılar; sekiz gün içinde Rab'bin evini kutsadılar ve birinci ayın on üçüncü gününde işi tamamladılar.

¹⁸Sonra Kral Hezekiya'nın huzuruna çıkıp şöyle dediler: "Rab'bin evinin tamamını, yakmalık sunu sunağını ve bütün kaplarını, huzur ekmeği masasını ve bütün kaplarını arındırdık.

¹⁹Kral Ahaz'ın krallığı döneminde, döneklik ettiği sırada kirlettiği bütün kapları da hazırlayıp arındırdık; işte hepsi Rab'bin sunağının önündedir."

²⁰Kral Hezekiya ertesi sabah erkenden kalktı, kentin önderlerini topladı ve Rab'bin evine çıktı.

²¹Krallık, tapınak ve İsrail halkı için günah sunusu olarak yedi boğa, yedi koç, yedi kuzu ve keçilerden yedi teke getirdiler; kral, Harun soyundan gelen kâhinlere bunları Rab'bin sunağında sunmalarını buyurdu.

²²Böylece boğaları kestiler; kâhinler kanı alıp sunağın üzerine döktüler; koçları kestiler ve kanı sunağın üzerine döktüler; kuzuları kestiler ve kanı sunağın her yanına döktüler.

²³Günah sunusu olan tekeleri kralın ve topluluğun önüne getirdiler; ellerini onların üzerine koydular.

²⁴Kâhinler onları kesti ve bütün İsrail'in günahlarını bağışlatmak için kanlarıyla sunağın önünde kefaret ettiler; çünkü kral, yakmalık sununun ve günah sunusunun bütün İsrail için sunulmasını buyurmuştu.

²⁵Kral Davut'un, kralın bilicisi Gad'ın ve Peygamber Natan'ın buyruğu uyarınca, Levileri zil, çenk ve lirlerle Rab'bin evine yerleştirdi; çünkü bu buyruk peygamberler aracılığıyla Rab'bin emriyle verilmişti.

²⁶Leviler Davut'un çalgılarıyla, kâhinler de borularla yerlerini aldılar.

²⁷Hezekiya yakmalık sununun sunakta sunulmasını buyurdu; yakmalık sunu sunulmaya başlandığı an, Rab'be ezgiler söylenmeye, borular çalınmaya ve İsrail Kralı Davut'un çalgıları eşlik etmeye başladı.

²⁸Yakmalık sunu sunulup bitene dek bütün topluluk tapındı, şarkıcılar şarkılarını söyledi ve borular çalındı.

²⁹Sunu sunulması tamamlanınca, kral ve yanındaki herkes diz çöküp tapındı.

³⁰Kral Hezekiya ve önderler, Levilere Davut'un ve Peygamber Asaf'ın sözleriyle Rab'be övgüler sunmalarını buyurdular; onlar da sevinçle övgüler sundular, başlarını eğip tapındılar.

³¹Sonra Hezekiya şöyle dedi: "Şimdi ellerinizi Rab için doldurdunuz; yaklaşın, Rab'bin evine şükran kurbanları ve sunuları getirin." Böylece topluluk kurbanlar ve şükran sunuları getirdi; içinden gelen herkes de yakmalık sunular sundu.

³²Topluluğun getirdiği yakmalık sunuların sayısı yetmiş boğa, yüz koç ve iki yüz kuzu oldu; bunların hepsi Rab'be yakmalık sunu olarak sunuldu.

³³Kutsal sunu olarak adanan hayvanlar ise altı yüz sığır ve üç bin davardı.

³⁴Ancak kâhinler az sayıdaydı ve yakmalık sunuların derilerini yüzmeye yetişemiyorlardı; bu yüzden iş tamamlanana ve diğer kâhinler kendilerini arındırana dek kardeşleri Leviler onlara yardım ettiler; çünkü Leviler kendilerini arındırma konusunda kâhinlerden daha gayretli davranmışlardı.

³⁵Ayrıca, esenlik kurbanlarının yağları ve yakmalık sunularla birlikte sunulan dökmelik sunularla birlikte yakmalık sunular çok boldu; böylece Rab'bin evindeki hizmet düzeni yeniden kurulmuş oldu.

³⁶Hezekiya ve bütün halk, Tanrı'nın halk için bunu hazırlamış olmasından ötürü sevindiler; çünkü bu iş çok kısa sürede ve aniden gerçekleşmişti.

¹ΚΑΙ ᾿Εζεκίας ἐβασίλευσεν ὢν εἴκοσι καὶ πέντε ἐτῶν καὶ εἴκοσιν ἐννέα ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ ᾿Αββὰ θυγάτηρ Ζαχαρίου.

²καὶ ἐποίησε τὸ εὐθὲς ἐνώπιον Κυρίου κατὰ πάντα, ὅσα ἐποίησε Δαυὶδ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ.

³καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἔστη ἐπὶ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῷ μηνὶ τῷ πρώτῳ ἀνέῳξε τὰς θύρας οἴκου Κυρίου καὶ ἐπεσκεύασεν αὐτάς.

⁴καὶ εἰσήγαγε τοὺς ἱερεῖς καὶ τοὺς Λευίτας καὶ κατέστησεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ κλῖτος τὸ πρὸς ἀνατολὰς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·

⁵ἀκούσατε, οἱ Λευῖται, νῦν ἁγνίσθητε καὶ ἁγνίσατε τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου Θεοῦ τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν καὶ ἐκβάλετε τὴν ἀκαθαρσίαν ἐκ τῶν ἁγίων·

⁶ὅτι ἀπέστησαν οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν καὶ ἐποίησαν τὸ πονηρὸν ἐναντίον Κυρίου Θεοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ ἐγκατέλιπαν αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπέστρεψαν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς Κυρίου καὶ ἔδωκαν αὐχένα

⁷καὶ ἀπέκλεισαν τὰς θύρας τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ ἔσβεσαν τοὺς λύχνους καὶ θυμίαμα οὐκ ἐθυμίασαν καὶ ὁλοκαυτώματα οὐ προσήνεγκαν ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ Θεῷ ᾿Ισραήλ.

⁸καὶ ὠργίσθη ὀργῇ Κύριος ἐπὶ τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν καὶ τὴν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοὺς εἰς ἔκστασιν καὶ εἰς ἀφανισμὸν καὶ εἰς συρισμόν, ὡς ὑμεῖς ὁρᾶτε τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ὑμῶν.

⁹καὶ ἰδοὺ πεπλήγασιν οἱ πατέρες ὑμῶν ἐν μαχαίρᾳ, καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες ὑμῶν ἐν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ ἐν γῇ οὐκ αὐτῶν, ὃ καὶ νῦν ἐστιν.

¹⁰ἐπὶ τούτοις νῦν ἐστιν ἐπὶ καρδίας διαθέσθαι διαθήκην Κυρίου Θεοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ ἀποστρέψει τὴν ὀργὴν τοῦ θυμοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀφ’ ἡμῶν.

¹¹καὶ νῦν μὴ διαλίπητε, ὅτι ἐν ὑμῖν ᾑρέτικε Κύριος στῆναι ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ λειτουργεῖν καὶ εἶναι αὐτῷ λειτουργοῦντας καὶ θυμιῶντας.

¹²καὶ ἀνέστησαν οἱ Λευῖται, Μαὰθ ὁ τοῦ ᾿Αμασὶ καὶ ᾿Ιωὴλ ὁ τοῦ ᾿Αζαρίου ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Καὰθ καὶ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Μεραρὶ Κὶς ὁ τοῦ ᾿Αβδὶ καὶ ᾿Αζαρίας ὁ τοῦ ᾿Ιαλλελήλ, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν Γεδσωνὶ ᾿Ιωδαὰδ ὁ τοῦ Ζεμμὰθ καὶ ᾿Ιωαδὰμ ὁ τοῦ ᾿Ιωαχά,

¹³καὶ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ελισαφὰν Ζαμβρὶ καὶ ᾿Ιεϊήλ, καὶ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ασὰφ Ζαχαρίας καὶ Ματθανίας,

¹⁴καὶ τῶν υἱῶν Αἰμὰν ᾿Ιεϊὴλ καὶ Σεμεΐ, καὶ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ιδιθοὺν Σαμαίας καὶ ᾿Οζιήλ,

¹⁵καὶ συνήγαγον τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ ἡγνίσθησαν κατὰ τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ βασιλέως διὰ προστάγματος Κυρίου καθαρίσαι τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου.

¹⁶καὶ εἰσῆλθον οἱ ἱερεῖς ἔσω εἰς τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου ἁγνίσαι καὶ ἐξέβαλον πᾶσαν τὴν ἀκαθαρσίαν τὴν εὑρεθεῖσαν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ Κυρίου καὶ εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν οἴκου Κυρίου, καὶ ἐδέξαντο οἱ Λευῖται ἐκβαλεῖν εἰς τὸν χειμάρρουν Κέδρων ἔξω.

¹⁷καὶ ἤρξαντο τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ πρώτῃ νουμηνίᾳ τοῦ πρώτου μηνὸς ἁγνίσαι καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ὀγδόῃ τοῦ μηνὸς εἰσῆλθαν εἰς τὸν ναὸν Κυρίου καὶ ἥγνισαν τὸν οἶκον Κυρίου ἐν ἡμέραις ὀκτὼ καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρισκαιδεκάτῃ τοῦ μηνὸς τοῦ πρώτου συνετέλεσαν.

¹⁸καὶ εἰσῆλθαν ἔσω πρὸς ᾿Εζεκίαν τὸν βασιλέα καὶ εἶπαν· ἡγνίσαμεν πάντα τὰ ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου, τὸ θυσιαστήριον τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως καὶ τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν τράπεζαν τῆς προθέσεως καὶ τὰ σκεύη αὐτῆς·

¹⁹καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη, ἃ ἐμίανεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ῎Αχαζ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἀποστασίᾳ αὐτοῦ, ἡτοιμάκαμεν καὶ ἡγνίκαμεν, ἰδού ἐστιν ἐναντίον τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου Κυρίου.

²⁰καὶ ὤρθρισεν ᾿Εζεκίας ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ συνήγαγε τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἀνέβη εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου

²¹καὶ ἀνήνεγκε μόσχους ἑπτά, κριοὺς ἑπτά, ἀμνοὺς ἑπτά, χιμάρους αἰγῶν ἑπτὰ περὶ ἁμαρτίας, περὶ τῆς βασιλείας καὶ περὶ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ περὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ εἶπε τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ααρὼν τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἀναβαίνειν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον Κυρίου.

²²καὶ ἔθυσαν τοὺς μόσχους, καὶ ἐδέξαντο οἱ ἱερεῖς τὸ αἷμα καὶ προσέχεαν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον· καὶ ἔθυσαν τοὺς κριούς, καὶ προσέχεαν τὸ αἷμα ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον· καὶ ἔθυσαν τοὺς ἀμνούς, καὶ περιέχεον τὸ αἷμα τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ·

²³καὶ προσήγαγον τοὺς χιμάρους τοὺς περὶ ἁμαρτίας ἐναντίον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, καὶ ἐπέθηκαν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν ἐπ’ αὐτούς,

²⁴καὶ ἔθυσαν αὐτοὺς οἱ ἱερεῖς καί ἐξιλάσαντο τὸ αἷμα αὐτῶν πρὸς τὸ θυσιαστήριον καὶ ἐξιλάσαντο περὶ παντὸς ᾿Ισραήλ, ὅτι εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς, περὶ παντὸς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἡ ὁλοκαύτωσις καὶ τὰ περὶ ἁμαρτίας.

²⁵καὶ ἔστησε τοὺς Λευίτας ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου ἐν κυμβάλοις καί ἐν νάβλαις καὶ ἐν κινύραις κατὰ τὴν ἐντολὴν Δαυὶδ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ Γὰδ τοῦ ὁρῶντος τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ Νάθαν τοῦ προφήτου, ὅτι διὰ ἐντολῆς Κυρίου τὸ πρόσταγμα ἐν χειρὶ τῶν προφητῶν.

²⁶καὶ ἔστησαν οἱ Λευῖται ἐν ὀργάνοις Δαυὶδ καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς ταῖς σάλπιγξι.

²⁷καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Εζεκίας ἀνενέγκαι τὴν ὁλοκαύτωσιν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον· καὶ ἐν τῷ ἄρξασθαι ἀναφέρειν τὴν ὁλοκαύτωσιν ἤρξαντο ᾄδειν Κυρίῳ, καὶ σάλπιγγες πρὸς τὰ ὄργανα Δαυὶδ βασιλέως ᾿Ισραήλ.

²⁸καὶ πᾶσα ἡ ἐκκλησία προσεκύνει, καὶ οἱ ψαλτῳδοὶ ᾄδοντες, καὶ σάλπιγγες σαλπίζουσαι, ἕως οὗ συνετελέσθη ἡ ὁλοκαύτωσις.

²⁹καὶ ὡς συνετέλεσαν ἀναφέροντες, ἔκαμψεν ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ πάντες οἱ εὑρεθέντες καὶ προσεκύνησαν.

³⁰καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Εζεκίας ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες τοῖς Λευίταις ὑμνεῖν τὸν Κύριον ἐν λόγοις Δαυὶδ καὶ ᾿Ασὰφ τοῦ προφήτου· καὶ ὕμνουν ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ καὶ ἔπεσον καὶ προσεκύνησαν.

³¹καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ᾿Εζεκίας καὶ εἶπε· νῦν ἐπληρώσατε τὰς χεῖρας ὑμῶν Κυρίῳ, προσαγάγετε καί φέρετε θυσίας αἰνέσεως εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου· καὶ ἀνήνεγκεν ἡ ἐκκλησία θυσίας καὶ αἰνέσεις εἰς οἶκον Κυρίου καὶ πᾶς πρόθυμος τῇ καρδίᾳ ὁλοκαυτώσεις.

³²καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως, ἧς ἀνήνεγκεν ἡ ἐκκλησία, μόσχοι ἑβδομήκοντα, κριοὶ ἑκατόν, ἀμνοὶ διακόσιοι· εἰς ὁλοκαύτωσιν Κυρίῳ πάντα ταῦτα.

³³καὶ οἱ ἡγιασμένοι μόσχοι ἑξακόσιοι, πρόβατα τρισχίλια.

³⁴ἀλλ’ ἢ οἱ ἱερεῖς ἦσαν ὀλίγοι καὶ οὐκ ἠδύναντο ἐκδεῖραι τὴν ὁλοκαύτωσιν, καὶ ἀντελάβοντο αὐτῶν οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτῶν οἱ Λευῖται, ἕως οὗ συνετελέσθη τὸ ἔργον καὶ ἕως οὗ ἡγνίσθησαν οἱ ἱερεῖς, ὅτι οἱ Λευῖται προθύμως ἥγνισαν παρὰ τοὺς ἱερεῖς.

³⁵καὶ ἡ ὁλοκαύτωσις πολλὴ ἐν τοῖς στέασι τῆς τελειώσεως τοῦ σωτηρίου καὶ τῶν σπονδῶν τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως· καὶ κατωρθώθη τὸ ἔργον ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου.

³⁶καὶ ηὐφράνθη ᾿Εζεκίας καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς διὰ τὸ ἡτοιμακέναι τὸν Θεὸν τῷ λαῷ, ὅτι ἐξάπινα ἐγένετο ὁ λόγος.

¹And Ezekias began to reign at the age of twenty-five years, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Abia, daughter of Zacharias.

²And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.

³And it came to pass, when he was established over his kingdom, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord, and repaired them.

⁴And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and put them on the east side,

⁵and said to them, Hear, ye Levites: now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and cast out the impurity from the holy places.

⁶For our father have revolted, and done that which was evil before the Lord our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their face from the tabernacle of the Lord, and have turned [their] back.

⁷And they have shut up the doors of the temple, and put out the lamps, and have not burnt incense, and have not offered whole-burnt-offerings in the holy [place] to the God of Israel.

⁸And the Lord was very angry with Juda and Jerusalem, and made them an astonishment, and a desolation, and a hissing, as ye see with your eyes.

⁹And, behold, your fathers have been smitten with the sword, and your sons and your daughters and your wives are in captivity in a land not their own, as it is even now.

¹⁰Therefore it is now in my heart to make a covenant, a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that he may turn away his fierce wrath from us.

¹¹And now be not wanting [to your duty], for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him to minister, and to be ministers and burners of incense to him.

¹²Then the Levites rose up, Maath the son of Amasi, and Joel the son of Azarias, of the sons of Caath: and of the sons of Merari, Kis the son of Abdi, and Azarias the son of Haelel: and of the sons of Gedsoni, Jodaad the son of Zemmath, and Joadam: these [were] the sons of Joacha.

¹³And of the sons of Elisaphan; Zambri, and Jeiel: and of the sons of Asaph; Zacharias, and Matthanias:

¹⁴and of the sons of Aeman; Jeiel, and Semei: and of the sons of Idithun; Samaisa, and Oziel.

¹⁵And they gathered their brethren, and they purified themselves according to the king’s command by the order of the Lord, to purify the house of the Lord.

¹⁶And the priests entered into the house of the Lord, to purify [it], and they cast out all the uncleanness that was found in the house of the Lord, even into the court of the house of the Lord: and the Levites received [it] to cast into the brook of Kedron without.

¹⁷And [Ezekias] began on the first day, [even] on the new moon of the first month, to purify, and on the eighth day of the month they entered into the temple of the Lord: and they purified the house of the Lord in eight days; and on the thirteenth day of the first month they finished [the work].

¹⁸And they went in to king Ezekias, and said, We have purified all the things in the house of the Lord, the altar of whole-burnt-offering, and its vessels, and the table of shew-bread, and its vessels;

¹⁹and all the vessels which king Achaz polluted in his reign, in his apostasy, we have prepared and purified: behold, they are before the altar of the Lord.

²⁰And king Ezekias rose early in the morning, and gathered the chief men of the city, and went up to the house of the Lord.

²¹And he brought seven calves, seven rams, seven lambs, seven kids of goats for a sin-offering, for the kingdom, and for the holy things, and for Israel: and he told the priests the sons of Aaron to go up to the altar of the Lord.

²²And they slew the calves, and the priests received the blood, and poured it on the altar: and they slew the rams, and poured the blood upon the altar: also they slew the lambs, and poured the blood round the altar.

²³And they brought the goats for a sin-offering before the king and the congregation; and laid their hands upon them.

²⁴And the priests slew them, and offered their blood as a propitiation on the altar; and they made atonement for all Israel: for the king said, The whole-burnt-offering, and the sin-offering [are] for all Israel.

²⁵And he stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, and lutes, and harps, according to the commandment of king David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet: for by the commandment of the Lord the order [was] in the hand of the prophets.

²⁶And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.

²⁷And Ezekias told [them] to offer up the whole-burnt-offering on the altar: and when they began to offer the whole-burnt-offering, they began to sing to the Lord, and the trumpets [accompanied] the instrument of David king of Israel.

²⁸And all the congregation worshipped, and the psalm-singers [were] singing, and the trumpets sounding, until the whole-burnt-sacrifice had been completely offered.

²⁹And when they had done offering [it], the king and all that were present bowed, and worshipped.

³⁰And king Ezekias and the princes told the Levites to sing hymns to the Lord in the words of David, and of Asaph the prophet: and they sang hymns with gladness, and fell down and worshipped.

³¹Then Ezekias answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves to the Lord, bring near and offer sacrifices of praise in the house of the Lord. And the congregation brought sacrifices and thank-offerings into the house of the Lord; and every one who was ready in his heart [brought] whole-burnt-offerings.

³²And the number of the whole-burnt-offerings which the congregation brought, was seventy calves, a hundred rams, two hundred lambs: all these [were] for a whole-burnt-offering to the Lord.

³³And the consecrated calves were six hundred, [and] the sheep three thousand.

³⁴But the priests were few, and could not flay the whole-burnt-offering, so their brethren the Levites helped them, until the work was finished, and until the priests had purified themselves: for the Levites [more] zealously purified [themselves] than the priests.

³⁵And the whole-burnt-offering [was] abundant, with the fat of the complete peace-offering, and the drink-offerings of the whole-burnt-sacrifice. So the service was established in the house of the Lord.

³⁶And Ezekias and all the people rejoiced, because God has prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.