2 Chronicles 29:5

5 He said, "Levites, listen to me! Set yourselves apart to the Lord. Set apart the temple of the Lord. He's the God of your people. Remove anything that is 'unclean' from the temple.

2 Chronicles 29:5 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 29:5

And said unto them, hear me, ye Levites; sanctify yourselves,
&c.] By washing their bodies and their garments, that no pollution might attend them in their service, see ( Isaiah 52:11 )

and sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers;
by carrying out of it all manner of uncleanness, as they did, ( 2 Chronicles 29:16 ) ,

and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place;
or the abomination; the altar, like that at Damascus, which Ahaz, removing the altar of the Lord, had placed in the court of the priests; or, as Kimchi thinks, an idol, which he had set upon that altar.

2 Chronicles 29:5 In-Context

3 In the first month of Hezekiah's first year as king, he opened the doors of the LORD's temple. He repaired them.

4 He brought the priests and Levites in. He gathered them together in the open area on the east side of the temple.

5 He said, "Levites, listen to me! Set yourselves apart to the Lord. Set apart the temple of the Lord. He's the God of your people. Remove anything that is 'unclean' from the temple.

6 Our people weren't faithful. They did what was evil in the sight of the LORD our God. They deserted him. They turned their faces away from the place where he lives. They turned their backs on him.

7 They also shut the doors of the temple porch. They put the lamps out. They didn't burn incense at the temple. They didn't sacrifice burnt offerings to the God of Israel there.