government was to abolish every kind of idolatry, whether of foreign or domestic origin. The

"bamath," or "high places," were abolished; the matsebhoth, or stone pillars and statues erected for

the worship of Baal, were broken down; and the Asherah,* or wooden symbol of the lascivious

worship of Astarte, was cut down. Nay, even the brazen serpent, which had apparently been

preserved** since the time of Moses, and had, no doubt in degenerate times, become almost an

object of worship, was now destroyed, having received the appellation*** which, when made an

idol, it deserved -Nechushtan, "brazen," a piece of brass (2 Kings 18:4).

* The word is here used collectively. Astarte, whose very name seems to suggest defilement, was

the same as Aphrodite, and Venus. Her worship was conjoined with that of Baal; her emblem was

a tree, with its branches, but without roots, planted upright in the ground. Once we read of an

image of Asherah (2 Kings 21:7). Comp. the elaborate Art. Astarte, by Professor Schlo ttmann in

Riehm's Hand-Worterb.

** This does not necessarily imply that it was kept either in the Temple or the Tabernacle. To this

there is no allusion in the Old Testament. Some critics have regarded it as a later imitation of the

brazen serpent of Moses; but this seems contrary to the plain meaning of the text.

*** It is doubtful whether the expression "called it" (2 Kings 18:4) refers to Hezekiah or to Israel.

But the result would be the same whether we supply one or the other subject.

In general, the sacred text describes Hezekiah as unequaled in religious earnestness and in

conformity to the Divine law by any even of the pious kings that had preceded, or who succeeded

him, and it places him on a level with "David his father." And this is fully vin dicated by his

abolition of even that form of Jehovah-worship on "heights" which Solomon, as well as Asa,

Jehoshaphat, Jehoash, Amaziah, and Uzziah had tolerated (1 Kings 3:2;15:12, 14;22:43; 2 Kings

12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35).

But the reformation initiated was not only negative, and Hezekiah restored the services of the

Temple in their completeness and purity. From the detailed account in the Book of Chronicles, we

learn that "the house of the Lord" had actually been closed (2 Chronicles 29:3, 7). By this we

understand the closing of the Sanctuary itself, that is, of the holy and most holy places, since Ahaz

continued to use the court of the priests, although for sacrifices at the heathen altar which he had

reared. But now the doors of the Sanctuary were repaired, and once more thrown open. Then

Hezekiah "gathered" the priests and Levites in "the wide place on the east,"* probably some well -

known locality in the eastern part of the Temple -buildings** (comp. Ezra 10:9; Nehemiah 8:1, 3,

* So in 2 Chronicles 29:4, rendered literally.

** This, rather than the Court of the Priests.

This for the purpose of calling upon them to sanctify themselves, and to remove the heathen

abominations which had defiled the Temple. And with this object, the king made in their hearing

an earnest review of the sinful past, with its consequent judgments, and a declaration of his

purpose "to make a covenant with the Lord."

The response to his appeal was immediate and hearty. In the account of the work now taken in

hand by representatives of the Levites they appear once more according to their ancient division

into the three families of Kohath, Merari, and Gershon, as David had arranged their courses (1

Chronicles 23:6-23, comp. ver. 27). With these were conjoined as a special b ranch, probably on

account of their pre -eminence (Numbers 3:30), the representatives of the house of Elizaphan, a

chief of the Kohathites (Exodus 6:18). Next in the enumeration we find the representatives of the

three ancient divisions of Levite musicians - the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and Jeduthun (comp. 1

Chronicles 25:1-6; 2 Chronicles 5:12).