Bible Commentaries

Which Ahaz his father had shut up, 2 Chronicles 28:24.

Which was before the eastern gate of the temple.

That filthy altar, which Ahaz had put in the place of God’s altar, 2 Kings 16:11, &c., and the idols or other abominable or polluting things which were there.

Out of the holy place; the temple, or the priests’ court, which also is called a holy place, Leviticus 6:16 10:13 Numbers 28:7.

Either,

1. Metaphorically; they have wilfully, and obstinately, and contumeliously forsaken God, and his house and worship; that posture being a signification of contempt. Or,

2. Literally and properly. For Ahaz having removed the altar of God into a by-place, 2Ki 16, and directing his worship towards the east, after the manner of the heathens, whom he designed to follow; and not to the west, as the Israelites did by God’s command, in which quarter the ark was; he must needs consequently turn his back upon the altar, and house, and ark of God.

To astonishment and to hissing, i.e. to such calamities as all that see and hear of shall be astonished at, and hiss at those who by their own sin and folly have brought such miseries upon themselves. See Poole "1 Kings 9:8".

Or were, though they were presently released, 2 Chronicles 28:5,14,15.

My sons; so he calls them indifferently, though many of them were elder than himself, because he was by his tender love and affection, as he was by his office obliged to be, a nursing-father to them. See Isaiah 49:23.

Be not now negligent, in sanctifying yourselves and the temple, 2 Chronicles 29:5, and in quickening and preparing yourselves and the people to God’s service.

The inner part of the house of the Lord; not the holy of holies, into which only the high priest might enter, and that but once in a year; but the holy place.

Into the court, to wit, the priests’ court, called here the court, by way of eminency.

In sixteen days purging the house, and porch, and courts, and all the chambers belonging to the temple. This is noted to imply partly the universal abuse and defilement of all the parts of it by Ahaz, which required so much time to remove; and partly the diligence of the priests in this work.

The number of seven is famous and customary in sacred matters, and is here used in regard of the vast numbers and various kinds of sins, the guilt whereof yet lay upon the kingdom, which was now to be expiated. Indeed, in case of one particular sin of ignorance done by the people, there was but one bullock to be offered, Leviticus 4:13,14, but here the sins were many and presumptuous, &c.

A sin-offering for the kingdom; to make atonement for the sins of the king, and the royal family, and the court.

For the sanctuary; for all the idolatry and uncleanness wherewith the temple had been polluted, which, as it had been cleansed naturally by the priests’ hands, so now was to be purged morally by sacrifices.

For Judah; for the sins of all the people of Judah.

i.e. The king and the elders of the congregation in the name of the whole congregation.

For all Israel, i.e. for Judah and Benjamin, and all the rest of the tribes, whereof a considerable number were now in his dominions.

Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the Lord; now that you have reconciled yourselves and the house to God’s favour, and that he is willing and ready to accept your sacrifices.

Burnt-offerings; wherein there was more generosity than in the ether sacrifices, because they were wholly burnt and offered to God, and the people had no share in them as they had in the rest.

i.e. All the offerings consecrated to God besides the burnt-offerings already mentioned.

The priests were too few, to wit, such as were sanctified and fit for their work, as the following words show; for otherwise the number of the priests was more than sufficient for this employment.

They could not flay all the burnt-offerings; and much less all the other sacrifices, which were more numerous; the flaying whereof was the priest’s proper work, Leviticus 1:5,6.

The Levites did help them; necessity excusing their deviation from the rule, as it hath excused others in like cases.

And also the burnt-offerings were in abundance; or,

for the burnt-offerings were to be offered also in abundance. So it is a reason why the priests could not flay all the burnt-offerings, as was said, 2 Chronicles 29:34, because there was so much other work for them; for the burnt-offerings were not only to be flayed, but also to be offered, to wit, wholly, and with them

the fat of peace-offerings, & c.

It was, as a very great, so a sudden change, that the people, who but the other day were so ready to comply with wicked Ahaz in his idolatrous and impious prescriptions, were now so free and forward in God’s service; whereby it plainly appeared to be the work of the Almighty God changing their hearts by his Holy Spirit.