2 Crônicas 29
David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Crônicas 29
Guzik: Poole suggests that the idea of turning the back to God could also be understood literally, because according to 2 Kings 16, in the days of Ahaz the altar was moved and its replacement was directed to the east, in the manner of pagan altars instead of toward the west as God commanded. The idea was therefore that under this dangerous innovation, one had to literally turn his back to the temple and the ark of God to stand before the altar. Andrew Hill: The rest of the royal address rehearses the neglect of the temple by Hezekiah’s predecessors (2Ch 29:6-8). The depth of Judah’s apostasy under Ahaz is underscored in the fivefold emphasis on their wicked deeds: - faithlessness, - doing evil, - forsaking God, - turning their faces away from the temple, and - turning their backs on Yahweh (2Ch 29:6). It is for this reason that Yahweh’s wrath fell on Judah, resulting in costly losses in battle and the exile of many citizens of Judah (2Ch 29:9; cf. 2Ch 28:5-8). (See 1 and 2 Chronicles - Page 54) J.A. Thompson: Hezekiah did not excuse himself or his generation when he described the sins of their fathers. Rather, he asserted that the nation must acknowledge its corporate guilt and take steps to rectify what had been done. Admitting that one’s nation and cultural heritage have turned away from God is not easy, but true repentance must place the glory of God above national and family pride. (SEE 1, 2 Chronicles: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition) Bob
2 Crônicas 29
Guzik: These were men who had been complicit in the neglect and disgrace of the temple. Yet the Chronicler rightly noted these men by name, because when they were exhorted by King Hezekiah to do what was right in cleansing and restoring the temple, they did it. Raymond Dillard: The list of fourteen Levites is composed of (1) two representatives from each of the three Levitical families—Kohath, Merari, and Gershon; (2) two representatives from the great Kohathite family of Elizaphan; and (3) two representatives from each division of the singer—Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun. When compared with the list in 1 Chr 15:5–10, the Levitical singers have replaced Hebron and Uzziel, perhaps reflecting a growing influence on the part of the musical families (Petersen, Prophecy, 81). The family of Elizaphan had achieved sufficient importance as to be virtually a fourth Levitical clan, though in fact a subclan of Kohath (Num 3:30; 1 Chr 15:8). (Borrow 2 Chronicles) Iain Duguid: The naming of seven groups may signify wholeness, all groups responding to Hezekiah’s charge, “Do not now be negligent” (2 Chron. 29:11; cf. “seven” four times in 2Ch 29:21). (ESV Expository Commentary (Volume 3): 1 Samuel–2 Chronicles) QUESTION - Who were the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites? - Got Questions ANSWER - The Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites were three clans of the Levite tribe in Israel (Numbers 26:57). Each clan was comprised of descendants of the man from whom the clan received its name. Kohath was the father of the Kohathites, Gershon the father of the Gershonites, and Merari the father of the Merarites. Kohath, Gershon, and Merari were the three sons of Levi and grandsons of Jacob (Genesis 46:11). Moses, Aaron, and Miriam were Kohathites (1 Chronicles 6:2–3). The Levites filled the priestly roles in Israel and bore the responsibility of caring for the tabernacle. The Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites had specific roles within the Levite culture. The Kohathites, for example, had charge of caring for the objects associated with the sanctuary: “This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things” (Numbers 4:4–14). The Ark of the Covenant, the Table of Showbread, and other holy items were the responsibility of the Kohathites (Numbers 10:21; 1 Chronicles 9:32). The Gershonites took care of the decorations in the sanctuary—curtains, ropes, and coverings (Numbers 4:24–26). The Merarites had the task of maintaining and carrying from place to place the pillars, bases, frames, pegs, and cords that created the structure of the tent of meeting. Since the Israelites were often on the move, the tent of meeting often had to be taken up and moved. Each clan had its responsibility to the sanctuary of God. The sanctuary objects that the Kohathites transported were to be carried on their shoulders with poles made for that purpose (Numbers 7:9; cf. Exodus 25:26–28). The Gershonites and Merarites, however, were given ox carts to help with the transport of their items; the Gershonites received two carts and four oxen, and the Merarites received four carts and eight oxen (Numbers 7:6–8). As Levites, the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites did not receive a specific territory in the Promised Land. Rather, they were given cities and pasturelands from among the territories of the other tribes by the command of the Lord (Joshua 21:2). The Kohathites received thirteen cities from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Simeon and ten cities from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Dan. The Gershonites received thirteen cities from Isaachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh. The Merarites got twelve cities from Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. The distribution of the cities was decided by the drawing of lots (Joshua 21:1–8), and six of the Levites’ cities were designated as cities of refuge. Matthew Henry Notes: 2Ch 29:12-19 We have here busy work, good work, and needful work, the cleansing of the house of the Lord. I. The persons employed in this work were the priests and Levites, who should have kept the temple clean, but, not having done that, were concerned to make it clean. Several Levites are named—two from each of the three principal houses, Kohath, Gershon, and Merari (2 Chronicles 29:12), and two from each of the three families of singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun (2 Chronicles 29:13–14)—not merely because of rank or position, for otherwise the high priest or heads of the priestly courses would surely have been mentioned, but because they proved especially zealous and active in the work. When God has work to be done, He raises up willing leaders to guide it, and those most prominent by office are not always the most ready or fit for service. These Levites not only stirred themselves but also gathered their brethren and energized them to act according to the king’s command, which itself was grounded in the word of the LORD. Significantly, they obeyed the king, yet with their primary eye on God’s word: the king’s command called them to what Scripture already required, so God’s word served as their rule, and the king’s directive as their spur. II. The work was cleansing the house of God, The work was the cleansing of the house of God, and it involved two kinds of defilement. First, it was purified from the ordinary filth accumulated while the temple had been shut—dust, cobwebs, and the corrosion of neglected vessels. Second, and far more serious, it was cleansed from the idols and idolatrous altars that had been set up within it, which, however carefully maintained, were a far greater pollution than if the place had been reduced to a common sewer. Though no priests are named as leaders in this task, none but the priests were permitted to enter the inner parts of the house to cleanse them, and the high priest likely entered even the Most Holy Place for that purpose. The Levites, while honored as leaders of the work, did not despise their supporting role but served the priests according to their office, carrying away to the brook Kidron the defilement the priests removed. This orderly cooperation reminds us that even the most eminent usefulness must never lead one to forget proper calling or place. III. The expedition with which they did this work was very remarkable. They began on the first day of the first month—a joyful and hopeful start to the new year that promised blessing ahead. In the same way, every year ought to begin with the reform of what is wrong and the purging, through true repentance, of the defilements carried over from the previous year. In eight days they cleansed the temple itself, and in eight more days they purified its courts (2 Chronicles 29:17), modeling diligence and resolve. Those who undertake good work should learn to press it forward and finish it, amending what is amiss without delay. IV. The report they made of it to Hezekiah was very agreeable, 2Ch 29:18, 19. They reported back to the king because he had commissioned the work, not to boast of their diligence or to seek reward, but to inform him that everything once profaned had now been sanctified according to the law and stood ready for use whenever he desired. Knowing that this godly king had set his heart on the altar of the LORD and longed to restore its service, they especially emphasized its readiness—that the altar vessels had been cleansed and restored. The very vessels that Ahaz, in his transgression, had cast aside as worthless were gathered, sanctified, and returned to their proper place before the altar. Though the vessels of the sanctuary may be profaned for a time, God will yet appoint a season and means to sanctify them again; neither His ordinances nor His people will be allowed to fail forever. 2 Chronicles 29:13 and from the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel; and from the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; Elizaphan: Lev 10:4, Elzaphan, 1Ch 15:8 Asaph: 1Ch 6:39 15:17 25:2 and from the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel; and from the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah - This verse shows that the clans descended from Elizaphan and Asaph rose together, highlighting the unified and willing participation of both Levitical servants and appointed musicians in the work of restoration. Practical service and musical ministry advanced side by side, demonstrating that the renewal of worship required not only cleansing and order but also the joyful restoration of praise, as every God-appointed role moved together in obedience to the king’s call and the LORD’s purpose. 2 Chronicles 29:14 and from the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei; and from the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. Heman: 1Ch 6:33 15:19 Jeduthun: 1Ch 25:1,3,6 and from the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei; and from the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel This verse adds the sons of Heman and Jeduthun, completing the picture of full Levitical representation. With Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun—all three major Levitical musical families—now present, the restoration of worship was comprehensive and orderly. Temple service and worship leadership were reestablished together, showing that renewal was not partial or fragmented but unified, deliberate, and conducted according to God’s appointed design, so that cleansing, sacrifice, and praise advanced in harmony before the LORD.r. 2 Chronicles 29:15 They assembled their brothers, consecrated themselves, and went in to cleanse the house of the LORD, according to the commandment of the king by the words of the LORD. consecrated themselves : 2Ch 29:5 by the words of the LORD - : or, in the business of the Lord, 2Ch 30:12 to cleanse the house of the LORD: 1Ch 23:28 Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 28:22-25+ (AHAZ'S DEFILEMENT OF YAHWEH'S HOUSE!) Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz became yet more unfaithful to the LORD. 23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they became the downfall of him and all Israel. 24 Moreover, when Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, he cut the utensils of the house of God in pieces; and he closed the doors of the house of the LORD and made altars for himself in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers, to anger. They assembled their brothers, consecrated (qadash; LXX - hagiazo) themselves (see 2Ch 29:5+) - The Levites first gathered their fellow servants and then set themselves apart, recognizing that corporate renewal requires personal consecration before effective ministry can begin (cf. 2 Chronicles 29:15; 2 Timothy 2:21). 🙏 THOUGHT - (See related THOUGHT below) This scene vividly recalls Paul’s exhortation in 2 Timothy 2:21+ "Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work." This underscores the vital principle that God’s work must be done by God’s cleansed servants. The Levites’ consecration before cleansing the temple mirrors the truth that usefulness flows from holiness, and warns us that zeal without purity invites spiritual impotence (for we have grieved the Spirit and are not abiding in the Vine - Jn 15:5, 1Th 5:19). Woe to us if we rush to serve the LORD outwardly while neglecting inward cleansing, for sanctification is not an optional accessory to ministry but its essential preparation (read 1Cor 9:27+; Ps 24:3–4). And went in to cleanse the house of the LORD - The priest had to be clean first before they could clean God's House. Their action signifies obedient, hands-on repentance, as they moved from consecration to decisive work in purifying the LORD’s dwelling place Because it had been horribly defiled and polluted by Hezekiah's father King Ahaz (see 2Ch 28:22-25+) According to the commandment of the king by the words of the LORD - This statement would support the premise that Hezekiah had obeyed Dt 17:18-20 and was very aware of God's commandments regarding idolatrous practices. On passage that would be apropos is Deuteronomy 12:2-4 “You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. 3 “You shall tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and burn their Asherim with fire, and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods and obliterate their name from that place. 4 “You shall not act like this toward the LORD your God. John Walton - Consecration is a process of ritual purification to prepare someone for association with that which is holy. Procedures varied from one culture to another, but most shared the idea that some ritual process was necessary so that impurity could be removed and the sanctity of the deity’s house preserved. The priests were presumably consecrated based upon the detailed rules found in Exodus 29. Consecrated (Sanctified, set themselves apart) (06942) qadash means to set apart for a specific use. Removed from common use. To be holy. To show one's self to be holy. To consecrate or dedicate. To set apart a person or thing from all common or secular purposes to some religious use. Everything consecrated to God was separated from all profane use. Webster's Dictionary definition #2 for consecrate is convicting - " make or declare sacred; esp devote irrevocably to worship of God by a solemn ceremony." Qadash could refer to anything reserved exclusively for God (Ex 13:2, 12, 13; Nu 18:15) Qadash signifies an act or a state in which people or things are set aside for use in the worship of God, i.e., they are consecrated or made sacred for that purpose. They must be withheld from ordinary (secular) use and treated with special care as something which belongs to God (Ex 29:21). Otherwise, defilement makes the sanctified object unusable (cf. Dt 22:9; Eze 44:19; 46:20). 🙏 THOUGHT - Consecration involves God's part and our part. In 2Ti 2:21 we see it is God Who sets us apart for His good work. But out part in consecration calls for of our will to His will. Paul writes in Romans 12:1–2+, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind , so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” To consecrate yourself is to daily offer your life as a living sacrifice, allowing God’s Spirit and Word to shape your thinking and actions in ways that please Him, rather than being molded by worldly values or sinful desires. Practically, consecration involves pursuing holiness not as an external ritual but as an inner devotion (Heb 12:14). It means yielding your will to God’s will (Ro 12:2), choosing obedience over convenience (1Sa 15:22), purity over compromise, and faithfulness over self-interest. This is lived out through studying and applying God’s Word (Jn 17:17), being filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18) and resisting temptation (1Pe 2:11). As Peter reminds believers, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). Consecration thus moves us from self-centered living to Christ-centered living, reflecting the truth that are no longer our own but we now belong to God. (1Co 6:19,20+). Even Jesus provides an example of consecration when He prays for His followers, saying, “For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth” (John 17:19). Our consecration follows His pattern—we set ourselves apart not for isolation, but for service and holiness empowered by His truth. Just as Jesus blessed the children in Mark 10:16, setting them apart for God’s favor and care, so also believers who consecrate themselves open their lives to the supernatural power of God’s transforming grace (cf Heb 10:29b). This daily setting apart is not just a one‑time act but a continual devotion to live as “a living sacrifice” before the Lord. In essence, experiential consecration is a practical outworking of love and loyalty, an ongoing offering of all we are to the God Who redeemed us and made us positionally forever consecrated (holy). 2 Chronicles 29:16 So the priests went in to the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it, and every unclean thing which they found in the temple of the LORD they brought out to the court of the house of the LORD. Then the Levites received it to carry out to the Kidron valley. the inner part: 2Ch 3:8 5:7 Ex 26:33,34 1Ki 6:19,20 Heb 9:2-8,23,24 every unclean thing: Eze 36:29 Mt 21:12,13 23:27 carry out to the Kidron valley 2Ch 15:16 2Ki 23:4-6 Joh 18:1, Cedron Tabernacle Symbolism Associated with Christ TAKING THE "TRASH" OUT TO KIDRON VALLEY So the priests went in to the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it - This implies the "holy of holies" but could refer to the whole shrine tent. The priests and Levites first purified the outer courts, both the court of the priests and the court of the people, a task that occupied eight days. They then turned to cleansing the interior of the temple itself. Because the Levites were not permitted to enter the sanctuary, the priests removed all the accumulated filth and debris to the porch. From there, the Levites gathered it, carried it away, and cast it into the Brook Kidron. This second phase required eight additional days, so that the purification of the temple was completed in sixteen days. and every unclean thing which they found in the temple of the LORD they brought out to the court of the house of the LORD. Then the Levites received it to carry out to the Kidron valley. - This is a sad verse for this is God's house and years of neglect and idolatry under King Ahaz resulted in a variety of unclean things in God's holy place including idols, pagan altars, and defiled objects that had been brought into the temple, as well as physical debris and filth that symbolized spiritual corruption. 🙏 THOUGHT - This verse raises the question of what about my temple since as believers our body is His temple (1Co 6:19,20+)? Are there some idols, pagan altars or other defiled debris in my heart? Daily confession and repentance is a good way to keep our temple clean (1Jn 1:9+, cf Pr 28:13+). And we can pray David's prayer "Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Ps 51:10+). Bob Utley to carry out to the Kidron valley" The city of Jerusalem had two main valleys. the Kidron, east of the temple and the Hinnom, south of the city (cf. 2 Chr. 28:3) Asa destroyed his mother's Asherah. Hezekiah will also destroy the altars of Ahaz (2 Chr. 28:24) there (cf. 2 Chr. 30:14). The Kidron was where the blood from the temple drained. The Valley of Hinnom was the place of Molech worship (cf. 2 Chr. 28:3). Raymond Dillard: The purification of the temple required two weeks (ED: ACTUALLY 16 DAYS - 2Ch 29:17), one week in the outer courts and another in the building itself. The term interior (inner part of the house ) may broadly refer to the interior of the temple (cf. 2Ch 29:18) or more narrowly to the Most Holy Place (cf. 2Ch 4:22; 1Ch 28:11; 1Ki 6:27, 7:12, 50). It is not altogether clear in this case which is intended. The Levites were responsible for the inventory of the temple implements being taken in or out of the building (1Ch 9:28), implying that they did not ordinarily enter the interior of the sanctuary; on the other hand, the Chronicler may be seeking to illustrate careful observance of the laws restricting access to the Most Holy Place to priests (2Ch 5:4–11). (Borrow 2 Chronicles) John Schultz (free 239 page commentary) This is one of the most impressive descriptions of a national spiritual revival in the Old Testament. It was, first of all, brought about by the king’s personal initiative, which worked inspirational upon the priests and Levites who were to do the actual work. Ultimately, it affected the relationship with God of the whole nation. Before anything positive could be done, the old system had to be destroyed. Ahaz had defiled the temple by his idol worship. The temple must be purified before it could be restored to its proper service. Frederick Mabie: The process of the cleansing of the temple and its altar and related items (cf. 2Ch 29:18-19) takes two sets of eight days. Cleansing begins from the outside and progressively works toward areas of increasing holiness. The time required for the purification of the temple complex and the purification of sufficient priests necessitates a delay in the subsequent Passover celebration organized by Hezekiah (cf. 2Ch 30:2-3, 15). (See The Expositor's Bible Commentary: 1 Chronicles-Job - Page 286) John Walton - 29:16. Kidron Valley. The Kidron Valley southeast of the temple was connected to Ben Hinnom, which had long been a dumping ground for the people of Jerusalem. Hezekiah, like Josiah, attempted to cleanse the Jerusalem temple complex by taking all of the illegal cultic items to this valley. The Kidron Valley was also used as a burial ground for the common people. KIDRON VALLEY - The Kidron Valley was a wadi lying just east of Jerusalem between the city and the Mount of Olives. It derives its name either from the dark/murky waters that flow there after heavy rains or from nearby cedars, and throughout Scripture it functions as a setting of sorrow, judgment, and death: reforming kings repeatedly disposed of idolatry there (Josiah burned the objects of Baal and Asherah in the Kidron, 2Ki 23:4–6; cf. Asa, 1Ki 15:13; Hezekiah, 2Ch 29:16; 30:14), David crossed it in grief while fleeing Absalom (2Sa 15:23), Shimei was restricted from passing it (1Ki 2:36–37), and it appears to have contained graves of common people (2Ki 23:6); Jesus Himself crossed the Brook Kidron on the night of His arrest to enter Gethsemane (John 18:1), where He bore the weight of impending death (Lk 22:44). Many identify the prophetic “Valley of Jehoshaphat/Decision” with the Kidron as the scene of eschatological judgment (Joel 3:2, 14+), the place where God will judge the nations. Yet Scripture also promises a future reversal: the Lord will restore Israel, turn mourning into joy, and consecrate even this valley—“holy to the LORD”—as part of a permanently renewed Jerusalem (Jer 31:1, 8–9, 13, 34, 40+). Thus, the Kidron Valley moves from a backdrop of impurity and sorrow to one of hope and holiness in God’s redemptive plan. 2 Chronicles 29:17 Now they began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they entered the porch of the LORD. Then they consecrated the house of the LORD in eight days, and finished on the sixteenth day of the first month. the porch: 2Ch 29:7 3:4 1Ki 6:3 1Ch 28:11 the sixteenth: Ex 12:2-8 CONSECRATION FROM OUTSIDE INWARD Now they began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they entered the porch of the LORD. - The consecration began promptly on the first day of the first month and progressed for eight days until the priests reached the porch of the LORD, marking an orderly advance toward restored worship Then they consecrated the house of the LORD in eight days, and finished on the sixteenth day of the first month. - Cleansing begins with what is most visible and accessible and then moves inward toward areas of greater sanctity, reflecting God’s orderly pattern that purification must progress from the outer courts to the inner sanctuary, teaching that true restoration advances step by step toward deeper holiness rather than occurring all at once. John Walton - 29:17. calendar. The first month was Nisan, which spanned our spring months of March and April. This was the beginning of the religious calendar of festivals. The purification procedure moved from the outer areas toward the inner ones, because each area had its own ritual requirements. When one level of purity was reached, an area could be entered. The next level of purity would allow access to the next, and so on. It took eight days to consecrate the areas contiguous to the temple, and eight more to carry out the procedure on the temple structure itself. John Walton - 29:17. consecration of articles. The temple was rededicated in three steps; the temple was cleansed, it was then reconsecrated, and then there was the inaugural dedication ceremony. The articles that Ahaz removed had to be reconsecrated, because they had been removed from the sacred precincts and so were no longer pure. Bob