2 Chronicles 29:1–19

Read the passage.

After the horrendous mess that was the reign of Ahaz, his son Hezekiah was like a breath of fresh air. He walked in the ways of King David, the man after God’s own heart, doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord. In his very first month as king, he opened up the temple of the Lord that his father had shut. He gathered together the priests and Levites to cleanse the temple, to carry out all the unclean things that had been placed in it, to repair and refurnish it for proper worship. These things were necessary to do because the previous generations had turned away from the Lord to chase after idols. This caused the curse of the Lord to be placed on Judah as it had been on the northern kingdom, for the same reasons. Now, the southern kingdom has a chance to repent and turn away the wrath of the Lord.

The leaders of the Levites involved in the restoration effort are listed by families. I find it interesting that only the Levites are named, but none of the priests are. Priests were certainly involved as they went into the Holy Place to carry out the “uncleanness” (v. 16) which the Levites were not allowed to enter. I suspect the reason for this difference is found later in the chapter.

The filthy items are disposed of in the Kidron Valley, between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. So much needed to be done that it took all the priests and Levites eight days to clear everything out. Then they spent another eight days consecrating and rededicating the temple and all the things in it to the Lord.

Help us remove the idols from our hearts so that we worship only You.