القراءة بلغتين

كانَ حِزقِيَّا ٱبنَ خَمسٍ وعِشْرينَ سَنَةً حينَ مَلَكَ، ومَلَكَ تِسعًا وعِشْرينَ سَنَةً في أُورَشَليم. وٱسمُ أُمِّه أَبِيَّة، بِنتُ زَكَرِيَّا

وصَنَعَ القَويمَ في عَينَيِ الرَّبِّ ككُلِّ ما صَنَعَ داوُدُ أَبوه

وفي السَّنَةِ الأُولى مِن مُلكِه، في الشَّهرِ الأَوَّل، فَتَحَ حِزقِيَّا أَبْوابَ بَيتِ الرَّبِّ ورَمَّمَها

وأَدخَلَ الكَهَنَةَ واللَّاوِيِّينَ وجَمَعَهم في السَّاحَةِ الشَّرقِيَّةِ

وقالَ لَهم: «إِسمَعوا لي أَيُّها اللَّاوِيُّون. قَدِّسوا الآنَ أَنفُسَكم وقَدِّسوا بَيتَ الرَّبِّ، إِلٰهِ آبائِكم، وأَخرِجوا القَبيحَةَ مِنَ القُدْس

لِأَنَّ آباءَنا قد خالَفوا وفَعَلوا الشَّرَّ في عَينَيِ الرَّبِّ إِلٰهِنا وتَرَكوه وحَوَّلوا وُجوهَهم عن مَسكِنِ الرَّبِّ ووَلَّوا أَدْبارَهم

وأَغلَقوا أَبْوابَ الرِّواقِ وأَطفَأوا المَصابِيح، ولَم يُحرِقوا البَخور، ولَم يُصعِدوا مُحرَقَةً في القُدْسِ لإِلٰهِ إِسْرائيل

فلِذٰلك كانَ غَضَبُ الرَّبِّ على يَهوذا وأُورَشَليم، وجَعَلهم عُرضَةً لِلرُّعبِ والدَّهَشِ والصَّفير، كما أَنتُم تَرَونَ بِأَعيُنِكم

هُوَذا آباؤُنا قد سَقَطوا بِالسَّيف، وأَبناؤُنا وبَناتُنا ونِساؤُنا في الأَسْرِ بِسَبَبِ ذٰلك

والآنَ فإِنَّ في نَفْسي أَن أَقطَعَ عَهدًا مع الرَّبّ، إِلٰهِ إِسْرائيل، حتَّى يُحَوِّلَ عنَّا حِدَّةَ غَضَبِه

يا بَنِيَّ، لا تَتَهاوَنوا الآن، لِأَنَّ اللهَ قدِ ٱخْتارَكم لِتَقِفوا أَمامَه حتَّى تَعبُدوه وتَكونوا لَه خادِمينَ ومُحرِقينَ البَخور»

فقامَ اللَّاوِيُّون: ماحَتُ بنُ عَماسايَ ويوئيلُ ٱبنُ عَزَرْيا مِن بَني القَهاتِيِّين، ومِن بَني مَراري: قيشُ بنُ عَبْدِيَ وعَزَرْيا بنُ يَهْلَلَئيل، ومِنَ الجِرْشونِيِّين: يوآحُ بنُ زِمَّةَ وعادَنُ بنُ يوآحُ

وَمِنْ بَنِي أَلِيصَافَانَ: شِمْرِي وَيَعِيئِيلُ، وَمِنْ بَنِي آسَافَ: زَكَرِيَّا وَمَتَّنْيَا،

ومِن بَني هَيمان: يَحيئيلُ وشِمْعي، ومِن بَني يَدوتون: شَمَعْيا وعُزِّيئيل

وجَمَعوا إِخوَتَهم وتَقَدَّسوا وأَتَوا بِحَسَبِ أَمرِ المَلِكِ وكَلامِ الرَّبِّ لِيُطَهِّروا بَيتَ الرَّبّ

ودَخَلَ الكَهَنَةُ إِلى داخِلِ بَيتِ الرَّبِّ لِيُطَهِّروه، وأَخرَجوا كُلَّ نَجاسَةٍ وَجَدوها في هَيكَلِ الرَّبِّ إِلى دارِ بَيتِ الرَّبّ، فأَخَذَها اللَّاوِيُّونَ لِيَحمِلوها خارِجًا إِلى وادي قِدْرون

وٱبتَدَأُوا في اليَومِ الأَوَّلِ مِنَ الشَّهرِ الأَوَّلِ بِالتَّقْديس. وفي اليَومِ الثَّامِنِ مِنَ الشَّهرِ وَصَلوا إِلى رِواقِ الرَّبّ، وقَدَّسوا بَيتَ الرَّبِّ في ثَمانِيَةِ أَيَّام، وٱنتَهَوا في اليَومِ السَّادِسَ عَشَرَ مِنَ الشَّهرِ الأَوَّل

ثُمَّ ذَهَبوا إِلى حِزقِيَّا المَلِكِ ودَخَلوا علَيه وقالوا: «قد طَهَّرْنا بَيتَ الرَّبِّ كُلَّه ومَذبَحَ المُحرَقَةِ وجَميعَ آنِيَتِه ومائِدَةَ التَّنْضيدِ مع جَميعِ آنِيَتِها

وجَميعُ الآنِيَةِ الَّتي نَبَذَها المَلِكُ آحازُ في مُلكِه، حينَ خالَفَ الرَّبّ، أَعَدْناها إِلى مَكانِها وقَدَّسْناها، وها هي أَمامَ مَذبَحِ الرَّبّ»

فبَكَّرَ حِزقِيَّا المَلِكُ وجَمَعَ رُؤَساءَ المَدينَة، وصَعِدَ إِلى بَيتِ الرَّبّ

فجاؤُوا بِسَبعَةِ ثيرانٍ وسَبعَةِ كِباشٍ وسَبعَةِ حُمْلانٍ وسَبعَةِ تُيوسٍ لِذَبيحَةِ الخَطيئَةِ عنِ المَملَكَةِ وعنِ القُدْسِ وعن يَهوذا، فأَمَرَ الكَهَنَةَ بَني هارونَ بِأَن يُصعِدوا المُحرَقاتِ على مَذبَحِ الرَّبّ

فذَبَحوا الثِّيران، وأَخَذَ الكَهَنَةُ الدَّمَ ورَشُّوه على المَذبَح، ثُمَّ ذَبَحوا الكِباشَ ورَشُّوا الدَّمَ على المَذْبَح، ثُمَّ ذَبَحوا الحُمْلانَ ورَشُّوا الدَّمَ على المَذبَح

ثُمَّ قَدَّموا تُيوسَ ذَبيحَةِ الخَطيئَةِ أَمامَ المَلِكِ والجَماعَة، ووَضَعوا أَيدِيَهم علَيها

وذَبَحَها الكَهَنَةُ وجَعَلوا مِن دَمِها ذَبيحَةَ خَطيئَةٍ تَكْفيرًا عن كُلِّ إِسْرائيل، لِأَنَّ المَلِكَ أَمَرَ بِالمُحرَقَةِ وذَبيحَةِ الخَطيئَةِ لِأَجلِ كُلِّ إِسْرائيل

وأَقامَ اللَّاوِيِّينَ في بَيتِ الرَّبِّ بِصُنوجٍ وعيدانٍ وكِنَّارات، بِحَسَبِ ما رَسَمَ داوُدُ وجادٌ، رائي المَلِك، وناتانُ النَّبِيّ، لِأَنَّه أَمرُ الرَّبِّ على لِسانِ أَنبِيائِه

فَوَقَفَ اللاَّوِيُّونَ بِآلاَتِ دَاوُدَ، وَالْكَهَنَةُ بِالأَبْوَاقِ.

وأَمَرَ حِزقِيَّا بإِصعادِ المُحرَقَةِ على المَذبَح، وعِندَ الشُّروعِ في المُحرَقَةِ ٱبتَدَأَ نَشيدُ الرَّبِّ بِالأَبْواقِ وآلاتِ داوُد، مَلِكِ إِسْرائيل

فسَجَدَتِ الجَماعَةُ بِأَسرِها وأَنشَدَ المُنشِدونَ ونَفَخَ النَّافِخونَ في الأَبْواق، كُلُّ ذٰلك إِلى أَن تَمَّتِ المُحرَقَة

ولَمَّا ٱنتَهَوا مِنَ المُحرَقَة، جَثا المَلِكُ وجَميعُ مَن مَعَه وسَجَدوا

وأَمَرَ حِزقِيَّا المَلِكُ والرُّؤَساءُ اللَّاوِيِّينَ بِأَن يُسَبِّحوا الرَّبَّ بِكَلامِ داوُدَ وآسافَ الرَّائي، فسَبَّحوا بِفَرَحٍ وٱنحَنَوا وسَجَدوا

فتَكَلَّمَ حِزقِيَّا وقال: «الآنَ كَرَّستُم أَنفُسَكم لِلرَّبّ، فتَقَدَّموا وقَدِّموا ذَبائِحَ وقَرابينَ شُكْرٍ في بَيتِ الرَّبّ». فقَدَّمَتِ الجَماعَةُ ذَبائِحَ وقَرابينَ شُكْر، وقَدَّمَ كُلُّ مُتَبَرِّعٍ مُحرَقات

وكانَ عَدَدُ المُحرَقاتِ الَّتي قَدَّمَتها الجَماعَةُ سَبْعين ثَوْرًا ومِئَةَ كَبشٍ ومِئَتَي حَمَل: كُلُّ هٰذه المُحرَقاتِ لِلرَّبّ

وكانَتِ الذَّبائِحُ المُقَدَّسَةُ سِتَّ مِئَةِ ثَورٍ وثَلاثَةَ آلافِ شاة

وكان الكَهَنَةُ أَقَلَّ مِن أَن يَقدِروا على سَلخِ المُحرَقاتِ كُلِّها، فساعَدَهم إِخوَتُهمُ اللَّاوِيُّونَ حَتَّى تَمَّ العَمَل، وحَتَّى قَدَّسَ الكَهَنَةُ أَنفُسَهم، لأَنَّ اللَّاوِيِّينَ كانوا أَكثَرَ ٱستِقامَةَ قَلْبٍ مِنَ الكَهَنَةِ في تَقْديسِ أَنفُسِهم

وكانَتِ المُحرَقاتُ بِكَثرَةٍ مع شُحومِ الذَّبائِحِ السَّلامِيَّةِ وسُكُبِ المُحرَقات، وهٰكذا أُعيدَت خِدمَةُ بَيتِ الرَّبّ

وفَرِحَ حِزقِيَّا وكُلُّ الشَّعبِ بأَنَّ اللهَ أَعَدَّ الشَّعبَ لِلعَمَلِ بِسُرعَة

Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.

He did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, according to all that David his father had done.

In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the LORD’s house and repaired them.

He brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them together into the wide place on the east,

and said to them, “Listen to me, you Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD, the God of your fathers, and carry the filthiness out of the holy place.

For our fathers were unfaithful, and have done that which was evil in the LORD our God’s sight, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs.

Also 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 to the God of Israel.

Therefore the LORD’s wrath was on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has delivered them to be tossed back and forth, to be an astonishment and a hissing, as you see with your eyes.

For behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.

Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, that his fierce anger may turn away from us.

My sons, don’t be negligent now; for the LORD has chosen you to stand before him, to minister to him, and that you should be his ministers and burn incense.”

Then the Levites arose: Mahath, the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah;

and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel; and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah;

and of the sons of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.

They gathered their brothers, sanctified themselves, and went in, according to the commandment of the king by the LORD’s words, to cleanse the LORD’s house.

The priests went into the inner part of the LORD’s house to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the LORD’s temple into the court of the LORD’s house. The Levites took it from there to carry it out to the brook Kidron.

Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the LORD’s porch. They sanctified the LORD’s house in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished.

Then they went in to Hezekiah the king within the palace and said, “We have cleansed all the LORD’s house, including the altar of burnt offering with all its vessels, and the table of show bread with all its vessels.

Moreover, we have prepared and sanctified all the vessels which King Ahaz threw away in his reign when he was unfaithful. Behold, they are before the LORD’s altar.”

Then Hezekiah the king arose early, gathered the princes of the city, and went up to the LORD’s house.

They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. He commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the LORD’s altar.

So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. They killed the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They also killed the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar.

They brought near the male goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly; and they laid their hands on them.

Then the priests killed them, and they made a sin offering with their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel; for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.

He set the Levites in the LORD’s house with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet; for the commandment was from the LORD by his prophets.

The Levites stood with David’s instruments, and the priests with the trumpets.

Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, the LORD’s song also began, along with the trumpets and instruments of David king of Israel.

All the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished.

When they had finished offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped.

Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. They sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped.

Then Hezekiah answered, “Now you have consecrated yourselves to the LORD. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the LORD’s house.” The assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings.

The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs. All these were for a burnt offering to the LORD.

The consecrated things were six hundred head of cattle and three thousand sheep.

But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings. Therefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was ended, and until the priests had sanctified themselves, for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings and with the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the LORD’s house was set in order.

Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of that which God had prepared for the people; for the thing was done suddenly.