Hezekiah Restores Worship

When Hezekiah became king of Judah, he chose to do what was right before Yahweh. He removed places and objects that had been used wrongly in worship, including the bronze serpent people had been burning incense to. In the first month of his reign, he opened and repaired the doors of Yahweh’s house.

Hezekiah gathered the priests and Levites and told them to make themselves ready and cleanse the temple. He said their fathers had been unfaithful and had neglected Yahweh’s house. So the Levites and priests obeyed, carried out what was unclean, and finished cleansing the house of Yahweh on the sixteenth day of the first month.

Then Hezekiah and the city leaders went to the temple. Sin offerings and burnt offerings were made for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, for Judah, and for all Israel. Musicians and singers took their places as commanded, the people bowed in worship, and many more offerings were brought by willing people. So the service of Yahweh’s house was set in order.

After that, Hezekiah sent letters through Judah and also to people in Israel, inviting them to come to Jerusalem for Passover. Some mocked the messengers, but some humbled themselves and came. Because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number and the people had not gathered in time, they kept the Passover in the second month. Many gathered, removed the altars in Jerusalem, kept the feast with gladness, and even continued for another seven days.

Some of the people came without being properly cleansed as the law required, so Hezekiah prayed that Yahweh would pardon those who had set their hearts to seek him. Yahweh listened and healed the people. Afterwards, those who had gathered broke down pillars, Asherah poles, high places, and altars. Hezekiah then arranged the priests’ and Levites’ work and ordered support for them. The people brought offerings, tithes, and dedicated gifts in abundance, and Hezekiah did what was good, right, and faithful before God.