1 Chronicles 29
2 Chronicles 29 covers the process in which Hezekiah, the 13th king of the kingdom of Judah, led the purification of the temple in Jerusalem and the restoration of worship in his first year on the throne. Hezekiah’s religious reform focuses on rebuilding the temple and worship, which had been left desolate during the reign of the previous king, Ahaz. This chapter can be divided into the enthronement of King Hezekiah and his vision (vv. 1-2), the command to purify the temple (vv. 3-11), the temple-cleaning work by the Levites (vv. 12-19), the restoration of worship and sacrificial offerings (vv. 20-36)..
1verseDavid the king said to all the assembly, “Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great; for the palace is not for man, but for the LORD God.
2verseNow I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, the bronze for the things of bronze, iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, also onyx stones, stones to be set, stones for inlaid work of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.
3verseIn addition, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, since I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, I give it to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house:
4verseeven three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, with which to overlay the walls of the houses;
5verseof gold for the things of gold, and of silver for the things of silver, and for all kinds of work to be made by the hands of artisans. Who then offers willingly to consecrate himself today to the LORD?”
6verseThen the princes of the fathers’ households, and the princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers over the king’s work, offered willingly;
7verseand they gave for the service of God’s house of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand darics, of silver ten thousand talents, of bronze eighteen thousand talents, and of iron one hundred thousand talents.
8versePeople with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the LORD’s house, under the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite.
9verseThen the people rejoiced, because they offered willingly, because with a perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD; and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
10verseTherefore David blessed the LORD before all the assembly; and David said, “You are blessed, LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever.
11verseYours, LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty! For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.
12verseBoth riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all! In your hand is power and might! It is in your hand to make great, and to give strength to all!
13verseNow therefore, our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name.
14verseBut who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from you, and we have given you of your own.
15verseFor we are strangers before you and foreigners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no remaining.
16verseLORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build you a house for your holy name comes from your hand, and is all your own.
17verseI know also, my God, that you try the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. Now I have seen with joy your people, who are present here, offer willingly to you.
18verseLORD, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this desire forever in the thoughts of the heart of your people, and prepare their heart for you;
19verseand give to Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for which I have made provision.”
20verseThen David said to all the assembly, “Now bless the LORD your God!” All the assembly blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads and prostrated themselves before the LORD and the king.
21verseThey sacrificed sacrifices to the LORD and offered burnt offerings to the LORD on the next day after that day, even one thousand bulls, one thousand rams, and one thousand lambs, with their drink offerings and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel,
22verseand ate and drank before the LORD on that day with great gladness. They made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him before the LORD to be prince, and Zadok to be priest.
23verseThen Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.
24verseAll the princes, the mighty men, and also all of the sons of King David submitted themselves to Solomon the king.
25verseThe LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and gave to him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.
26verseNow David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.
27verseThe time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
28verseHe died at a good old age, full of days, riches, and honor; and Solomon his son reigned in his place.
29verseNow the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Samuel the seer, and in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the history of Gad the seer,
30versewith all his reign and his might, and the events that involved him, Israel, and all the kingdoms of the lands.
Hezekiah’s Resolve and Worship Reform
King Hezekiah is described as a person who “did what was right in the sight of the LORD” from the moment he came to the throne, and in his first year, in the first month, he begins by opening the doors of the temple and repairing them (vv. 1-3). He gathers the priests and Levites, consecrates himself and the people, and commands them to cleanse the temple (vv. 4-11). He acknowledges that because of the wicked acts of the previous king, Ahaz, the temple had been defiled and the relationship with God had grown distant, and he sets out earnestly to restore it.
Ritual Cleansing of the Temple and Communal Participation
In accordance with the king’s command, the Levites clean the temple both inside and out and drive all that is unclean out into the Kidron Valley (vv. 12-16). After completing the schedule lasting 16 days, they report that the temple is again ready to be dedicated to God (vv. 17-19). Through this process of communal participation, they demonstrate the restoration of holiness and an example of obedience.
Restoration of Worship and Communal Praise
The king and the leaders present various offerings to God, including wholehearted burnt offerings and sin offerings, as well as thanksgiving offerings (vv. 20-24). They also join in worship together with the Levites and all the people, praising with songs and playing instruments (vv. 25-30). Through the offerings and praise, the severed relationship with God is restored, and the scene shows the entire nation enjoying the joy of spiritual awakening.
Meditation Points
- Take time to focus your meditation on the fact that even in an age when Hezekiah faced a crisis, he set restoring the temple and worship as his top priority.
- Pay attention to the obedience and dedication until the leader and the community stand before God with one heart, and to the joy that comes as a result.
- Consider how cleanliness, obedience, thanksgiving, and praise come together in the restoration of the relationship with God.
Try Applying It to Yourself
- In my own life, reflect on how I manage “the temple”—that is, the place and time to come before God’s presence—in a way that is clean and orderly.
- Check whether there are any areas where I need to make a decision, not to worship that is centered on form, but to restore a true relationship with God.
- In my life in the community and within my faith, I can ask myself whether I have the attitude of obedience and dedication in the role I am responsible for.
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This is the last chapter of 1 Chronicles.