them together into the broad place on the east, 5and said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites; now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD, the God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place. 6For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the sight of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs. 7Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel. 8Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to be [1]tossed to and fro, to be an astonishment, and an hissing, as ye see with your eyes. 9For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, that his fierce anger may turn away from us. 11My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to minister unto him, and that ye should be his ministers, and burn incense.
4. into the broad place on the east] The place meant was part of the Temple area, the space before the water-gate; cp. Ezra x. 9, "the broad place before the house of God" (R.V.).
5. now sanctify yourselves] Cp. Ex. xix. 10—15.
6. from the habitation of the LORD] Cp. xxiv. 18 "they forsook the house of the LORD" (see note).
habitation] Heb. "tabernacle," as in Ex. xxv. 9, al.
7. Contrast 2 Kin. xvi. 10—16, where Ahaz appears as an innovator in ritual but also as a zealous advocate of worship in the Temple.
the lamps] Cp. xiii. 11; Ex. xxv. 31 ff.
8. to be tossed to and fro] Better, as mg., to be a terror (or "cause of trembling"). The judgement on Israel fills the surrounding nations with trembling for themselves. The rendering of the text "tossed to and fro" is inferior because the Heb. word describes "trembling" and not "motion from place to place."
10. a covenant] Cp. xv. 12.
11. to stand before him] Deut x. 8.
- ↑ Or, a terror
