2 Chronicles 29:5

And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy [place].

And said {H559} unto them, Hear {H8085} me, ye Levites {H3881}, sanctify {H6942} now yourselves, and sanctify {H6942} the house {H1004} of the LORD {H3068} God {H430} of your fathers {H1}, and carry forth {H3318} the filthiness {H5079} out of the holy {H6944} place.

and said to them, "Listen to me, L'vi'im: consecrate yourselves now, consecrate the house of ADONAI the God of your ancestors, and remove the filth from the Holy Place.

“Listen to me, O Levites,” he said. “Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the house of the LORD, the God of your fathers. Remove from the Holy Place every impurity.

and said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites; now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of Jehovah, the God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.

Commentary

2 Chronicles 29:5 (KJV) records King Hezekiah's vital command to the Levites at the beginning of his reign, initiating a profound spiritual revival in Judah. This verse encapsulates his immediate priority: the purification and restoration of the defiled Temple of the LORD.

Context

This verse is spoken by King Hezekiah in the very first month of his reign (2 Chronicles 29:3), indicating the urgency and importance of his mission. Following the apostasy and neglect of his father, King Ahaz, who had shut up the doors of the temple and built altars to other gods (2 Chronicles 28:24-25), the house of the LORD was in a deplorable state of disrepair and ritual impurity. Hezekiah immediately gathered the Levites and priests, recognizing their crucial role in temple service, and challenged them to undertake the monumental task of spiritual and physical cleansing. This command marks the beginning of one of the most significant religious reforms in Judah's history, highlighting Hezekiah's commitment to restoring proper worship.

Key Themes

  • Sanctification and Purity: The primary theme is the call for both personal and corporate holiness. The Levites were first to "sanctify yourselves" before they could sanctify the temple, emphasizing that outward service must flow from inward purity.
  • Restoration of True Worship: Hezekiah's actions aimed to re-establish the covenant relationship with God and bring Judah back to the worship practices ordained by Moses and David. Removing the "filthiness" was essential for God's presence to dwell among His people.
  • Responsibility and Obedience: The Levites, as God's appointed ministers, were charged with a sacred duty. Their obedience was crucial for the spiritual health of the nation.
  • Consequences of Neglect: The "filthiness" represents the spiritual decay that resulted from years of idolatry and disregard for God's commands under previous kings.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "sanctify" is qadash (קָדַשׁ), meaning "to make holy," "to consecrate," or "to set apart for sacred use." It implies a separation from the common or profane and a dedication to God. The repeated use underscores the thoroughness required. The term "filthiness" is from niddah (נִדָּה), which often refers to ritual impurity, including menstrual impurity, or anything considered unclean or abominable. Its use here vividly portrays the severe defilement of the temple, not just physically but spiritually, making it unfit for God's dwelling.

Related Scriptures

Hezekiah's command for the Levites to first "sanctify yourselves" before cleansing the temple underscores a timeless biblical principle: those who serve God must first ensure their own spiritual purity. This resonates with the New Testament call for believers to "Be ye holy; for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). The removal of "filthiness" from the holy place parallels the need for repentance and the cleansing of sin, as seen in the psalmist's prayer for a clean heart in Psalm 51:10.

Practical Application

For believers today, this verse offers profound insights. Just as the Levites had to purify themselves before serving in God's house, we are called to personal sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4). This means confessing and repenting of sin, allowing God to cleanse our hearts and minds, making us fit vessels for His service. Furthermore, the "filthiness" can represent anything that hinders true worship—whether it's sin in our individual lives, ungodly influences in our homes, or spiritual apathy in our churches. Hezekiah's zeal reminds us of the importance of actively removing these obstacles to foster genuine worship and a vibrant relationship with God. It calls us to regularly examine our hearts and our communities, ensuring that nothing defiles the "temple" that we are, individually and corporately (1 Corinthians 6:19).

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Cross-References

  • 2 Chronicles 35:6 (5 votes)

    So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that [they] may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

  • 1 Corinthians 3:16 (4 votes)

    ¶ Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

  • 1 Corinthians 3:17 (4 votes)

    If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are.

  • 2 Chronicles 34:3 (3 votes)

    For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.

  • 2 Chronicles 34:8 (3 votes)

    ¶ Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.

  • Ezekiel 8:9 (3 votes)

    And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.

  • Ezekiel 8:18 (3 votes)

    Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, [yet] will I not hear them.