1 Ezequias tinha 25 anos quando se tornou rei de Judá. Reinou 29 anos em Jerusalém. A sua mãe chamava-se Abia e era filha de Zacarias. 2 Ezequias fez o que era reto aos olhos do Senhor, conforme tudo o que fizera David, seu antepassado.

3 Logo no primeiro mês do primeiro ano do seu reinado, tratou de abrir as portas do templo, mandando-as reparar. 4 Convocou os sacerdotes e os levitas, reunindo-os na praça a oriente do templo, 5 e dirigiu-lhes a palavra nestes termos: "Ouçam-me, levitas. Santifiquem-se e santifiquem o templo do Senhor, o Deus dos vossos antepassados. Retirem do santuário tudo o que seja impuro. 6 Porque os nossos pais cometeram grandes pecados contra o Senhor, nosso Deus; abandonaram-no, assim como à sua casa, deixaram-no e pecaram contra ele. 7 Trancaram as portas deste templo e deixaram apagar-se a chama perpétua dos candelabros. Nunca mais houve incenso queimado, nem holocaustos oferecidos como culto ao Deus de Israel. 8 Por isso, a ira do Senhor caiu sobre Judá e sobre Jerusalém. Tornámo-nos objeto de horror, espanto e desprezo, como hoje se pode ver. 9 Os nossos pais morreram na guerra; os nossos filhos, filhas e esposas são escravos dos nossos inimigos, por causa disso. 10 Agora, contudo, no meu coração tenho a firme intenção de renovar a aliança com o Senhor, o Deus de Israel; a sua ira há de desviar-se de nós. 11 Meus filhos, não sejam mais descuidados no cumprimento dos vossos deveres, a partir de agora, pois o Senhor vos escolheu para o servirem e lhe oferecerem incenso."

12 Então os seguintes levitas entraram em ação:

do clã de Coate:

Maate, filho de Amasai, e Joel, filho de Azarias

do clã de Merari:

Cis, filho de Abdi, e Azarias, filho de Jealelel

do clã de Gerson:

Joá, filho de Zima, e Éden, filho de Joá

13 do clã de Elizafã:

Simri e Jeiel

do clã de Asafe:

Zacarias e Matanias

14 do clã de Hemã:

Jeuel e Simei

do clã de Jedutun:

Semaías e Uziel.

15 Estes convocaram, por sua vez, os seus companheiros, santificaram-se e começaram a limpar e a santificar o templo, de acordo com as ordens do rei, que correspondiam à palavra do Senhor. 16 Os sacerdotes limparam o interior do templo e trouxeram para o pátio exterior a imundície que ali se encontrava; os levitas levaram todo esse lixo para o ribeiro de Cedron. 17 Começaram esse trabalho no primeiro dia do primeiro mês*29.17 Mês de Abibe ou Nisan. Entre a lua nova do mês de março e o mês de abril.; ao fim de oito dias tinham chegado ao pátio exterior, e dezasseis dias depois estava tudo limpo e a casa do Senhor santificada.

18 Depois pediram uma audiência ao rei Ezequias, no palácio, e relataram-lhe o serviço executado: "Acabámos de purificar o templo, o altar dos holocaustos e todos os utensílios, assim como a mesa dos pães da Presença e os seus acessórios. 19 Mais ainda, conseguimos recuperar e santificar todos os recipientes que o rei Acaz tinha deitado fora, na sua transgressão, quando mandou encerrar o templo; encontram-se junto do altar do Senhor."

20 Na manhã seguinte, muito cedo, o soberano Ezequias dirigiu-se ao templo do Senhor, acompanhado dos membros da administração da cidade. 21 Mandou sacrificar sete novilhos, sete carneiros, sete ovelhas e sete bodes e ofereceu-os pela nação e pelo templo. Ordenou especificamente aos sacerdotes que os imolassem em holocaustos sobre o altar do Senhor. 22 Os novilhos foram mortos e os sacerdotes aspergiram o sangue sobre o altar; fizeram o mesmo com o sangue dos carneiros e dos cordeiros; os bodes foram oferecidos pelo pecado. 23 Estes foram levados à presença do rei e dos membros da administração local que o acompanhavam, os quais puseram as mãos sobre os animais. 24 Os sacerdotes mataram-nos e ofereceram-nos sobre o altar, como expiação pelo pecado de toda a nação, porque tinha sido uma indicação expressa do rei que os holocaustos fossem oferecidos para expiação do pecado de todo o Israel.

25 Seguidamente, o rei organizou os levitas no templo do Senhor, num grupo orquestral com acompanhamento de címbalos, alaúdes e harpas, conforme as diretivas dadas por David e por Gad, o vidente, e pelo profeta Natã, que eles próprios receberam do Senhor. 26 Os levitas estavam de pé, com os instrumentos de David, e os sacerdotes formavam um conjunto com cornetas.

27 Ezequias deu então ordem para que oferecessem o holocausto sobre o altar. Ao mesmo tempo que começavam os sacrifícios, os instrumentos de música começaram a tocar cânticos ao Senhor, acompanhados pelas cornetas, ao som dos instrumentos de David, rei de Israel. 28 Durante toda a cerimónia, todos adoravam o Senhor, enquanto os cantores cantavam e os instrumentos tocavam, isto até terminar a oferta do holocausto.

29 Acabados os sacrifícios, o rei e a sua comitiva inclinaram-se perante o Senhor em adoração. 30 O rei ainda ordenou que os levitas cantassem, na presença do Senhor, alguns dos salmos de David e do vidente Asafe, o que fizeram com alegria, inclinando-se e adorando.

31 "Terminou esta cerimónia de consagração", disse Ezequias. "Agora, tragam aqui à casa do Senhor os vossos próprios holocaustos e ofertas de louvor." O povo, de todas as partes da nação, trouxe os seus holocaustos e ofertas de gratidão; aqueles que quiseram trouxeram também holocaustos.

32 No total sacrificaram 70 novilhos, 100 carneiros e 200 cordeiros. 33 Trouxeram ainda 600 bois e 3000 ovelhas como ofertas santas. 34 Verificou-se, aliás, que eram poucos os sacerdotes para preparar tantos holocaustos; por isso, os seus irmãos levitas puseram-se a ajudá-los, até que outros sacerdotes decidissem santificar-se e participar naquele serviço; porque os levitas foram muito mais prestes na sua dedicação que os sacerdotes. 35 Houve pois uma grande abundância de holocaustos, ofertas de vinho e ofertas de paz.

Dessa forma, foi restaurado o culto no templo do Senhor e retomados os sacrifícios. 36 Ezequias e todo o povo estavam felizes com a prontidão com que o culto foi restabelecido.

1 Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done.

3 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them. 4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, 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. 6 For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs.*29.6 turned their…: Heb. given the neck 7 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel. 8 Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes.*29.8 trouble: Heb. commotion 9 For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us. 11 My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.*29.11 be not…: or, be not now deceived*29.11 burn…: or, offer sacrifice

12 Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah: 13 And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel: and of the sons of Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah: 14 And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel. 15 And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD.*29.15 by the words…: or, in the business of the LORD 16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad into the brook Kidron. 17 Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end. 18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof. 19 Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and, behold, they are before the altar of the LORD.

20 Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD. 21 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD. 22 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar. 23 And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them:*29.23 forth: Heb. near 24 And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel. 25 And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.*29.25 commandment of the LORD: Heb. commandment by the hand of the LORD*29.25 by: Heb. by the hand of 26 And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 27 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.*29.27 when: Heb. in the time*29.27 the instruments: Heb. hands of instruments 28 And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.*29.28 singers: Heb. song 29 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.*29.29 present: Heb. found 30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped. 31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.*29.31 consecrated…: or, filled your hand 32 And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD. 33 And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep. 34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.*29.34 did help…: Heb. strengthened them 35 And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order. 36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.