2
He did what was right from ADONAI's perspective, following the example of everything David his ancestor had done.
3
In the first month of the first year of his reign, he reopened the doors of the house of ADONAI and repaired them.
4
Then he brought in the cohanim and L'vi'im, assembled them in the open space to the east,
5
and said to them, "Listen to me, L'vi'im: consecrate yourselves now, consecrate the house of ADONAI the God of your ancestors, and remove the filth from the Holy Place.
6
For our ancestors acted treacherously, they did what is evil from the perspective of ADONAI our God, they abandoned him, they turned their faces away from where ADONAI lives and turned their backs on him.
7
They sealed the doors of the vestibule, put out the lamps and stopped burning incense and offering burnt offerings in the Holy Place to the God of Isra'el.
8
"Because of this, ADONAI's anger has settled on Y'hudah and Yerushalayim; and he has made them an object of horror, astonishment and mocking - as you can see with your own eyes.
9
Here, our ancestors have fallen by the sword; and on this account our sons, daughters and wives have gone into captivity.
10
"Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with ADONAI the God of Isra'el, so that his furious anger will turn away from us.
11
My sons, now is not a time for being negligent; for you are the ones ADONAI chose to stand before him and serve him as his ministers, offering him incense."
12
Then the L'vi'im set about the task - Machat the son of 'Amasai and Yo'el the son of 'Azaryahu from the descendants of the K'hati; of the sons of M'rari, Kish the son of 'Avdi and 'Azaryahu the son of Yehallel'el; of the Gershuni, Yo'ach the son of Zimah and 'Eden the son of Yo'ach;