And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street,
This gathering belongs to Hezekiah's restoration of true religion and worship after the temple had been forsaken, neglected and defiled under Ahaz and the people had worshiped idols, when its worship was purified and restored. Hezekiah was only twenty-five, though the son of a bad father, and he made gathering the priests and Levites his first work.
By that gathering he began the needed reformation and revival, turning Judah from idolatry by bringing the priests and Levites back to their service in the temple so they could consecrate themselves, cleanse God's house, open the temple, remove idolatry, re-establish the worship of the true God, and restore religious life. The work took ability and determination, because although the people were dissatisfied with conditions under his father and grandfather, evil beliefs and practices still held them strongly. His reform pleased the Lord and was directed toward God's glory, and cleansing the temple and putting away idolatry prepared the way for God to bless and prosper his reign.
Clearing the temple of the accumulated rubbish of years prepared the way for calling the people by letters from city to city throughout the northern kingdom to forsake idols and return to God, for the great fourteen-day Passover with many sacrifices and great gladness that was the greatest revival since Solomon, and for the people under his direction breaking down idols, cutting down groves, and destroying high places and altars. The verse is part of an example of a king taking the initiative in a national religious revival.
This gathering belongs to Hezekiah's restoration of true religion and worship after the temple had been forsaken, neglected and defiled under Ahaz and the people had worshiped idols, when its worship was purified and restored. Hezekiah was only twenty-five, though the son of a bad father, and he made gathering the priests and Levites his first work.
By that gathering he began the needed reformation and revival, turning Judah from idolatry by bringing the priests and Levites back to their service in the temple so they could consecrate themselves, cleanse God's house, open the temple, remove idolatry, re-establish the worship of the true God, and restore religious life. The work took ability and determination, because although the people were dissatisfied with conditions under his father and grandfather, evil beliefs and practices still held them strongly. His reform pleased the Lord and was directed toward God's glory, and cleansing the temple and putting away idolatry prepared the way for God to bless and prosper his reign.
Clearing the temple of the accumulated rubbish of years prepared the way for calling the people by letters from city to city throughout the northern kingdom to forsake idols and return to God, for the great fourteen-day Passover with many sacrifices and great gladness that was the greatest revival since Solomon, and for the people under his direction breaking down idols, cutting down groves, and destroying high places and altars. The verse is part of an example of a king taking the initiative in a national religious revival.