Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible



Shimri and Jeuel from the Elizaphanites; Zechariah and Mattaniah from the Asaphites; Jehiel and Shimei from the Hemanites; Shemaiah and Uzziel from the Jeduthunites. They gathered their brothers together, consecrated themselves, and went according to the king's command by the words of the Lord to cleanse the Lord's temple. read more.
The priests went to the entrance of the Lord's temple to cleanse it. They took all the detestable things they found in the Lord's sanctuary to the courtyard of the Lord's temple. Then the Levites received them and took them outside to the Kidron Valley. They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the Lord's [temple]. They consecrated the Lord's temple for eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished. Then they went inside to King Hezekiah and said, "We have cleansed the whole temple of the Lord, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the table for the rows [of the bread of the Presence] and all its utensils. All the utensils that King Ahaz rejected during his reign when he became unfaithful we have set up and consecrated. They are in front of the altar of the Lord." King Hezekiah got up early, gathered the city officials, and went up to the Lord's temple. They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. Then he told the descendants of Aaron, the priests, to offer them on the altar of the Lord. So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. They slaughtered the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They slaughtered the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar. Then they brought the sin offering goats right into the presence of the king and the congregation, who laid their hands on them. The priests slaughtered the goats and put their blood on the altar for a sin offering, to make atonement for all Israel, for the king said that the burnt offering and sin offering were for all Israel. Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord's temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. Then Hezekiah ordered that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. When the burnt offerings began, the song of the Lord and the trumpets began, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. The whole assembly was worshiping, singing the song, and blowing the trumpets-all of this [continued] until the burnt offering was completed. When the burnt offerings were completed, the king and all those present with him bowed down and worshiped. Then King Hezekiah and the officials told the Levites to sing praise to the Lord in the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with rejoicing and bowed down and worshiped.

Then David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers and to have them raise their voices with joy accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals. Verse ConceptsHarpsLyreMusiciansMusical Instruments, types ofSingersOccupationsSingingSongsCymbalsInstrumentalistsLyres

When the builders had laid the foundation of the Lord’s temple, the priests, dressed in their robes and holding trumpets, and the Levites descended from Asaph, holding cymbals, took their positions to praise the Lord, as King David of Israel had instructed. Verse ConceptsBuildingClothing, Kinds OfBuildingMusical Instruments, types ofTrumpetOrchestrasCymbalsPraising GodSaul And DavidThe First Temple


David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all kinds of fir wood instruments, lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals. Verse ConceptsArts And Crafts, Types ofMusiciansMusical Instruments, types ofSongsFir TreesTreesWorship, Elements OfMusical Instruments, Made OfOrchestrasCymbalsTambourinesHarpsLyresinstrumentsdrums

Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. Verse ConceptsHarpsLyreMusical Instruments, types ofSeers

Praise Him with resounding cymbals;
praise Him with clashing cymbals.
Verse ConceptsMusical Instruments, types ofCymbalsdrums

Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. Verse ConceptsHarpsLyreMusical Instruments, types ofSeers

As for the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, note that they are written in the Events of Samuel the Seer, the Events of Nathan the Prophet, and the Events of Gad the Seer, Verse ConceptsBooks, Not PreservedSeersWritingaccomplishments

Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. Verse ConceptsHarpsLyreMusical Instruments, types ofSeers

Then the prophet Gad said to David, “Don’t stay in the stronghold. Leave and return to the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth. Verse ConceptsForestsNamed Prophets Of The Lord

When David got up in the morning, a revelation from the Lord had come to the prophet Gad, David’s seer: Verse ConceptsSeersWord Of GodNamed Prophets Of The Lord

Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. Verse ConceptsHarpsLyreMusical Instruments, types ofSeers


Asaph was the chief and Zechariah was second to him. Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel played the harps and lyres, while Asaph sounded the cymbals Verse ConceptsHarpsMusical Instruments, types ofOrchestrasCymbalsLyres

“After that you will come to the Hill of God where there are Philistine garrisons. When you arrive at the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place prophesying. They will be preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres. Verse ConceptsFlutesHigh PlacesLyreMusical Instruments, types ofProphecy, Methods Of OtShrinesTambourinesHarpsLyresSchooldrums



Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. Verse ConceptsHarpsLyreMusical Instruments, types ofSeers

Lift up a song—play the tambourine,
the melodious lyre, and the harp.
Verse ConceptsMusical Instruments, types ofHarpsinstrumentsdrums

the Levitical singers of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, and of their sons and their relatives, dressed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps and lyres, were standing east of the altar, and with them were 120 priests blowing trumpets. The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the Lord with one voice. They raised [their] voices, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and musical instruments, in praise to the Lord: For He is good; His faithful love endures forever; the temple, the Lord's temple, was filled with a cloud.


Wake up, my soul!
Wake up, harp and lyre!
I will wake up the dawn.
Verse ConceptsDawnSleeplessnessRising EarlyMorning DevotionsWake Up!Early Risingawakening

Show 7 more verses
David and the officers of the army also set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who were to prophesy accompanied by lyres, harps, and cymbals. This is the list of the men who performed their service: From Asaph's sons: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah, sons of Asaph, under Asaph's authority, who prophesied under the authority of the king. From Jeduthun: Jeduthun's sons: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah-six-under the authority of their father Jeduthun, prophesying to the accompaniment of lyres, giving thanks and praise to the Lord. read more.
From Heman: Heman's sons: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. All these sons of Heman, the king's seer, were [given] by the promises of God to exalt him, for God had given Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. All these men were under their own fathers' authority for the music in the Lord's temple, with cymbals, harps, and lyres for the service of God's temple. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the king's authority. Together with their relatives who were all trained and skillful in music for the Lord, they numbered 288.

I turn my ear to a proverb;
I explain my riddle with a lyre.
Verse ConceptsProblem SolvingHarpsAccompanimentWise Proverbs

Therefore, I will praise You with a harp
for Your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing to You with a lyre,
Holy One of Israel.
Verse ConceptsGod, Holiness OfHarpsLyreMusical Instruments, types ofI Will Praise You With Musicinstruments

with a ten-stringed harp
and the music of a lyre.
Verse ConceptsMusicTen TimesHarpsinstruments

Sing to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and melodious song.
Verse ConceptsCreativityHarpsinstruments

Wake up, harp and lyre!
I will wake up the dawn.
Verse ConceptsDawnMusical Instruments, types ofWake Up!awakeninginstruments


Then the Levites stood up: Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah from the Kohathites; Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel from the Merarites; Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah from the Gershonites; Shimri and Jeuel from the Elizaphanites; Zechariah and Mattaniah from the Asaphites; Jehiel and Shimei from the Hemanites; Shemaiah and Uzziel from the Jeduthunites. read more.
They gathered their brothers together, consecrated themselves, and went according to the king's command by the words of the Lord to cleanse the Lord's temple. The priests went to the entrance of the Lord's temple to cleanse it. They took all the detestable things they found in the Lord's sanctuary to the courtyard of the Lord's temple. Then the Levites received them and took them outside to the Kidron Valley. They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the Lord's [temple]. They consecrated the Lord's temple for eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished. Then they went inside to King Hezekiah and said, "We have cleansed the whole temple of the Lord, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the table for the rows [of the bread of the Presence] and all its utensils. All the utensils that King Ahaz rejected during his reign when he became unfaithful we have set up and consecrated. They are in front of the altar of the Lord." King Hezekiah got up early, gathered the city officials, and went up to the Lord's temple. They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. Then he told the descendants of Aaron, the priests, to offer them on the altar of the Lord. So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. They slaughtered the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They slaughtered the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar. Then they brought the sin offering goats right into the presence of the king and the congregation, who laid their hands on them. The priests slaughtered the goats and put their blood on the altar for a sin offering, to make atonement for all Israel, for the king said that the burnt offering and sin offering were for all Israel. Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord's temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. Then Hezekiah ordered that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. When the burnt offerings began, the song of the Lord and the trumpets began, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. The whole assembly was worshiping, singing the song, and blowing the trumpets-all of this [continued] until the burnt offering was completed. When the burnt offerings were completed, the king and all those present with him bowed down and worshiped. Then King Hezekiah and the officials told the Levites to sing praise to the Lord in the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with rejoicing and bowed down and worshiped. Hezekiah concluded, "Now you are consecrated to the Lord. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the Lord's temple." So the congregation brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all those with willing hearts brought burnt offerings. The number of burnt offerings the congregation brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord. Six hundred bulls and 3,000 sheep were consecrated. However, since there were not enough priests, they weren't able to skin all the burnt offerings, so their Levite brothers helped them until the work was finished and until the priests consecrated themselves. For the Levites were more conscientious to consecrate themselves than the priests were. Furthermore, the burnt offerings were abundant, along with the fat of the fellowship offerings and with the drink offerings for the burnt offering. So the service of the Lord's temple was established. Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over how God had prepared the people, for it had come about suddenly.

Josiah observed the Lord's Passover and slaughtered the Passover [lambs] on the fourteenth day of the first month. He appointed the priests to their responsibilities and encouraged them to serve in the Lord's temple. He said to the Levites who taught all Israel the holy things of the Lord, "Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. Since you do not have to carry it on your shoulders, now serve the Lord your God and His people Israel. read more.
"Organize your ancestral houses by your divisions according to the written instruction of David king of Israel and that of his son Solomon. Serve in the holy place by the divisions of the ancestral houses for your brothers, the lay people, and the distribution of the tribal household of the Levites. Slaughter the Passover [lambs], consecrate yourselves, and make preparations for your brothers to carry out the word of the Lord through Moses." Then Josiah donated 30,000 sheep, lambs, and kid goats, plus 3,000 bulls from his own possessions, for the Passover sacrifices for all the lay people who were present. His officials also donated willingly for the people, the priests, and the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, leaders of God's temple, gave 2,600 Passover sacrifices and 300 bulls for the priests. Conaniah and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, officers of the Levites, donated 5,000 Passover sacrifices for the Levites, plus 500 bulls. So the service was established; the priests stood at their posts and the Levites in their divisions according to the king's command. Then they slaughtered the Passover [lambs], and while the Levites were skinning the [animals], the priests sprinkled the blood they had been given. They removed the burnt offerings so that they might be given to the divisions of the ancestral houses of the lay people to offer to the Lord, according to what is written in the book of Moses; [they did] the same with the bulls. They roasted the Passover [lambs] with fire according to regulation. They boiled the holy [sacrifices] in pots, in kettles, and in bowls; and they quickly brought [them] to the lay people. Afterwards, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, since the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were busy offering up burnt offerings and fat until night. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron. The singers, the descendants of Asaph, were at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer. Also, the gatekeepers were at each gate. Because their Levite brothers had made preparations for them, none of them left their tasks. So all the service of the Lord was established that day for observing the Passover and for offering burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord, according to the command of King Josiah. The Israelites who were present [in Judah] also observed the Passover at that time and the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. No Passover had been observed like it in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel ever observed a Passover like the one that Josiah observed with the priests, the Levites, all Judah, the Israelites who were present [in Judah], and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Then David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers and to have them raise their voices with joy accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals. Verse ConceptsHarpsLyreMusiciansMusical Instruments, types ofSingersOccupationsSingingSongsCymbalsInstrumentalistsLyres

When the builders had laid the foundation of the Lord’s temple, the priests, dressed in their robes and holding trumpets, and the Levites descended from Asaph, holding cymbals, took their positions to praise the Lord, as King David of Israel had instructed. Verse ConceptsBuildingClothing, Kinds OfBuildingMusical Instruments, types ofTrumpetOrchestrasCymbalsPraising GodSaul And DavidThe First Temple


David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all kinds of fir wood instruments, lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals. Verse ConceptsArts And Crafts, Types ofMusiciansMusical Instruments, types ofSongsFir TreesTreesWorship, Elements OfMusical Instruments, Made OfOrchestrasCymbalsTambourinesHarpsLyresinstrumentsdrums

Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. Verse ConceptsHarpsLyreMusical Instruments, types ofSeers

Praise Him with resounding cymbals;
praise Him with clashing cymbals.
Verse ConceptsMusical Instruments, types ofCymbalsdrums

4,000 are to be gatekeepers, and 4,000 are to praise the Lord with the instruments that I have made for worship.” Verse ConceptsInventionsOrchestrasPortersFour ThousandInstrumentalistsinstruments

Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. Verse ConceptsHarpsLyreMusical Instruments, types ofSeers

David and the officers of the army also set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who were to prophesy accompanied by lyres, harps, and cymbals. This is the list of the men who performed their service: Verse ConceptsCommanderHarpsLyreMinistry, Nature OfMusicMusical Instruments, types ofServanthood, And Worship Of GodCymbalsInstrumentalistsLyres

David appointed some of the Levites to be ministers before the ark of the Lord, to celebrate the Lord God of Israel, and to give thanks and praise to Him. Asaph was the chief and Zechariah was second to him. Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel played the harps and lyres, while Asaph [sounded] the cymbals and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel [blew] the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.

Then David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers and to have them raise their voices with joy accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals. Verse ConceptsHarpsLyreMusiciansMusical Instruments, types ofSingersOccupationsSingingSongsCymbalsInstrumentalistsLyres

When the builders had laid the foundation of the Lord’s temple, the priests, dressed in their robes and holding trumpets, and the Levites descended from Asaph, holding cymbals, took their positions to praise the Lord, as King David of Israel had instructed. Verse ConceptsBuildingClothing, Kinds OfBuildingMusical Instruments, types ofTrumpetOrchestrasCymbalsPraising GodSaul And DavidThe First Temple


David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all kinds of fir wood instruments, lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals. Verse ConceptsArts And Crafts, Types ofMusiciansMusical Instruments, types ofSongsFir TreesTreesWorship, Elements OfMusical Instruments, Made OfOrchestrasCymbalsTambourinesHarpsLyresinstrumentsdrums

Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. Verse ConceptsHarpsLyreMusical Instruments, types ofSeers

Praise Him with resounding cymbals;
praise Him with clashing cymbals.
Verse ConceptsMusical Instruments, types ofCymbalsdrums

Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. Verse ConceptsHarpsLyreMusical Instruments, types ofSeers

The singers, the descendants of Asaph, were at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer. Also, the gatekeepers were at each gate. None of them left their tasks because their Levite brothers had made preparations for them. Verse ConceptsGatekeepersMusicMusiciansSingersSeersSingingPorters

Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. Verse ConceptsHarpsLyreMusical Instruments, types ofSeers

When David got up in the morning, a revelation from the Lord had come to the prophet Gad, David’s seer: Verse ConceptsSeersWord Of GodNamed Prophets Of The Lord

Asaph was the chief and Zechariah was second to him. Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel played the harps and lyres, while Asaph sounded the cymbals Verse ConceptsHarpsMusical Instruments, types ofOrchestrasCymbalsLyres

David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all kinds of fir wood instruments, lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals. Verse ConceptsArts And Crafts, Types ofMusiciansMusical Instruments, types ofSongsFir TreesTreesWorship, Elements OfMusical Instruments, Made OfOrchestrasCymbalsTambourinesHarpsLyresinstrumentsdrums

David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before God with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. Verse ConceptsMusical Instruments, types ofSongsTrumpetCymbalsMusic To CelebrateTambourinesHarpsLyresdrums



Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. Verse ConceptsHarpsLyreMusical Instruments, types ofSeers

Lift up a song—play the tambourine,
the melodious lyre, and the harp.
Verse ConceptsMusical Instruments, types ofHarpsinstrumentsdrums

When He took the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Verse ConceptsSweet Odoursequipping, physicalMusical Instruments, types ofPriesthood, In NtPriests, Tasks In Nt TimesHeaven, Glimpsed By HumansFour CreaturesHarpsTwenty SomeBowing Before MessiahElders In HeavenTwenty Four Elders

David and the officers of the army also set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who were to prophesy accompanied by lyres, harps, and cymbals. This is the list of the men who performed their service: Verse ConceptsCommanderHarpsLyreMinistry, Nature OfMusicMusical Instruments, types ofServanthood, And Worship Of GodCymbalsInstrumentalistsLyres

Wake up, my soul!
Wake up, harp and lyre!
I will wake up the dawn.
Verse ConceptsDawnSleeplessnessRising EarlyMorning DevotionsWake Up!Early Risingawakening

Show 5 more verses
Therefore, I will praise You with a harp
for Your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing to You with a lyre,
Holy One of Israel.
Verse ConceptsGod, Holiness OfHarpsLyreMusical Instruments, types ofI Will Praise You With Musicinstruments

with a ten-stringed harp
and the music of a lyre.
Verse ConceptsMusicTen TimesHarpsinstruments

Wake up, harp and lyre!
I will wake up the dawn.
Verse ConceptsDawnMusical Instruments, types ofWake Up!awakeninginstruments


All these sons of Heman, the king's seer, were [given] by the promises of God to exalt him, for God had given Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. All these men were under their own fathers' authority for the music in the Lord's temple, with cymbals, harps, and lyres for the service of God's temple. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the king's authority.

In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the Lord's temple and repaired them. Then he brought in the priests and Levites and gathered them in the eastern public square. He said to them, "Hear me, Levites. Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the Lord God of your ancestors. Remove everything detestable from the holy place. read more.
For our fathers were unfaithful and did what is evil in the sight of the Lord our God. They abandoned Him, turned their faces away from the Lord's tabernacle, and turned their backs on Him. They also closed the doors of the vestibule, extinguished the lamps, did not burn incense, and did not offer burnt offerings in the holy place of the God of Israel. Therefore, the wrath of the Lord was on Judah and Jerusalem, and He made them an object of terror, horror, and hissing, as you see with your own eyes. Our fathers fell by the sword, and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity because of this. It is in my heart now to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel so that His fierce wrath may turn away from us. My sons, don't be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand in His presence, to serve Him, and to be His ministers and burners of incense." Then the Levites stood up: Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah from the Kohathites; Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel from the Merarites; Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah from the Gershonites; Shimri and Jeuel from the Elizaphanites; Zechariah and Mattaniah from the Asaphites; Jehiel and Shimei from the Hemanites; Shemaiah and Uzziel from the Jeduthunites. They gathered their brothers together, consecrated themselves, and went according to the king's command by the words of the Lord to cleanse the Lord's temple. The priests went to the entrance of the Lord's temple to cleanse it. They took all the detestable things they found in the Lord's sanctuary to the courtyard of the Lord's temple. Then the Levites received them and took them outside to the Kidron Valley. They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the Lord's [temple]. They consecrated the Lord's temple for eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished. Then they went inside to King Hezekiah and said, "We have cleansed the whole temple of the Lord, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the table for the rows [of the bread of the Presence] and all its utensils. All the utensils that King Ahaz rejected during his reign when he became unfaithful we have set up and consecrated. They are in front of the altar of the Lord." King Hezekiah got up early, gathered the city officials, and went up to the Lord's temple. They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. Then he told the descendants of Aaron, the priests, to offer them on the altar of the Lord. So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. They slaughtered the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They slaughtered the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar. Then they brought the sin offering goats right into the presence of the king and the congregation, who laid their hands on them. The priests slaughtered the goats and put their blood on the altar for a sin offering, to make atonement for all Israel, for the king said that the burnt offering and sin offering were for all Israel. Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord's temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. Then Hezekiah ordered that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. When the burnt offerings began, the song of the Lord and the trumpets began, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. The whole assembly was worshiping, singing the song, and blowing the trumpets-all of this [continued] until the burnt offering was completed. When the burnt offerings were completed, the king and all those present with him bowed down and worshiped. Then King Hezekiah and the officials told the Levites to sing praise to the Lord in the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with rejoicing and bowed down and worshiped. Hezekiah concluded, "Now you are consecrated to the Lord. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the Lord's temple." So the congregation brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all those with willing hearts brought burnt offerings. The number of burnt offerings the congregation brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord. Six hundred bulls and 3,000 sheep were consecrated. However, since there were not enough priests, they weren't able to skin all the burnt offerings, so their Levite brothers helped them until the work was finished and until the priests consecrated themselves. For the Levites were more conscientious to consecrate themselves than the priests were. Furthermore, the burnt offerings were abundant, along with the fat of the fellowship offerings and with the drink offerings for the burnt offering. So the service of the Lord's temple was established.