what still remained of the northern kingdom, the final response was truly encouraging (comp. vers.

10, 18). In Judah it was b oth hearty and unanimous (2 Chronicles 30:12). From the other parts of

the country "a multitude of people, even many," came from out of five of the tribes that still

constituted the kingdom of Israel. For Naphtali had been annexed to Assyria, and Reuben and Gad

been deported.* The festival in Jerusalem was followed by a spontaneous national movement

against idolatry.

* These tribes were Asher, Manasseh, Zebulun (2 Chronicles 30:11), Ephraim, and Issachar (ver.

For while the purification of the Temp le had been a public act of reform initiated by the king, it

was left to the people gathered in Jerusalem to remove the altars in the capital, whether in private

houses or in more public places, which were the remnant of the idolatrous worship introduced b y

Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:24).

The only drawback to the right observance of the Passover festivities was that many of the

worshippers "were not sanctified." Accordingly the Levites had to offer for them the Paschal lamb,

which, by the law, each offerer should have slain for himself and his house. This applied specially

to those who had come from the northern kingdom (ver. 18). If, none the less, they were allowed

to partake of the Paschal feast, this was a concession almost necessary in the circumstances, s ince

otherwise theirs would not at all have been a Passover; and for this Hezekiah implored and

obtained forgiveness from the Lord.*

* The expression in ver. 20, "The Lord...healed the people," refers to moral healing, that from

guilt. Comp. Psalm 41:4; 147:3; Jeremiah 3:22; Hosea 14:4. We add that ver. 22 should be

rendered, "All the Levites that understood good understanding about the service of the Lord," i.e.,

who were well skilled in the various services of the sanctuary devolving on them.

How deeply this revival had struck its roots appears from the voluntary resolve of the people to

follow up the seven days of the Passover by other seven days of festivity. For the wants of the

people during that time King Hezekiah and the princes made liberal provision (vers. 23, 24). It

was at this time also that the removal of all traces of idolatry from the land, briefly noticed in 2

Kings 18:4, took place. This was effected, as the fuller account in the Book of Chronicles

explains, by a spontaneous popular movement which extended beyond Judah to "Ephraim also and

Manasseh" (2 Chronicles 31:1), although, as we may reasonably conjecture, only in districts from

which the chief inhabitants had come to Jerusalem. Closely connected with the restoration of the

Temple s ervices were the arrangements now made for their orderly continuance. The "courses" of

the priests and Levites were once more settled. The public sacrifices of the congregations - daily,

Sabbatic, and festive - were provided by the king as his contribution. the "portion of his

substance." The latter was indeed very large (comp. 2 Chronicles 32:27-29); but the number of

sacrificial animals and other requisites furnished by the king according to the requirements of the

law (Numbers 28, 29) was correspondingly great. It has been calculated to have amounted to

"nearly 1,100 lambs, 113 bullocks, 37 rams, and 30 goats, besides vast quantities of flour, oil, and

wine for the accompanying meat and drink-offerings."*

* Canon Rawlinson in the Speaker's Comment. ad loc.

For the personal support of the ministering priests and Levites nothing more was required than the

re-enactment of the ancient provision of firstfruits, tithes, and firstlings (Exodus 23:19; Numbers

18:12, 21, etc.; Leviticus 27:30 -33). These, together with "the tithe of dedicated things"*

(Leviticus 27:30; Deuteronomy 14:28), were now offered in such quantity as not only to suffice

for the wants of the priesthood, but to leave a large surplusage, to the thankful joy and surprise of

Hezekiah and the p rinces.