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312 instruments unto the. And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that were well skilled in the service of the. So they did eat throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings, and making confession to the, the God of their fathers. And the whole congregation took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness. For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation for offerings a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced. So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem. Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, even unto heaven.

22. spake comfortably] i.e. with kindly and appreciative words. For the phrase cp. Is. xl. 2.

making confession] Or, as mg., "giving thanks."

23. other seven days] Cp. vii. 9 (Solomon's Dedication Feast).

24. sanctified themselves] Cp. xxix. 34.

25. the strangers] i.e. men of alien descent dwelling in Israel with certain conceded, not inherited, rights, and with most of the obligations of the native Israelite. LXX. Cp. ii. 17; 1 Chr. xxii. 2 for the unfavourable side of a "stranger's" position.

26. since the time of Solomon] For Solomon's great festival, see v. 2 ff.

there was not the like] Cp. what is said of Josiah's Passover; xxxv. 18 (note).

27. the priests the Levites] So in xxiii. 18, but only in these two places in Chron. The phrase is Deuteronomic, and implies that at the stage of ritual development represented in Deuteronomy all Levites were potentially priests. Such was not in any case the view of the Chronicler, and perhaps we ought to read "the priests and the Levites" both here and in xxiii. 18.