beasts, because the atonement was, according to the king's words, to be for all Israel. “All Israel” are probably not only all the inhabitants of the kingdom of Judah, but Israelites in general (the twelve tribes), for whom the temple in Jerusalem was the only lawful sanctuary. דּם את חטּא signifies to bring the blood to the altar for an atonement, in the manner prescribed in Lev 4:30, Lev 4:34.
Verse 25
Hezekiah, moreover, restored again the music with which the Levites were wont to accompany the sacrificial act, and which David, with the prophets Gad and Nathan, had arranged. The ו consec. with ויּעמד expresses the secution of thought, and 2Ch 29:25 corresponds to the 2Ch 29:21. First, the beasts to be sacrificed were prepared for the sacrifice, and then to the Levites was committed the performance of instrumental and vocal music during the sacrificial act. In reference to the musical instruments, see on 1Ch 15:16. The Levites were appointed to sing, “according to the command of David;” but this command was בּיד, by interposition of Jahve, viz., given by His prophets. David had consequently made this arrangement at the divine suggestion, coming to him through the prophets. With המּלך הזה cf. 1Ch 21:9. נביאיו בּיד is in explanatory apposition to יהוה בּיד, and נביאיו is not to be referred to David, although David is called in 2Ch 8:14 “man of God.”
Verses 26-27
2Ch 29:26-27 דויד כּלי are the musical instruments the use of which David introduced into the public worship; see 1Ch 23:5. - The first clause, 2Ch 29:27, “And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt-offering upon the altar,” is repeated from 2Ch 29:21 to form a connection for what follows: “At the time when the sacrificial act began, the song of Jahve commenced,” i.e., the praising of Jahve by song and instrumental music (יהוה שׁיר = ליהוה שׁיר, 1Ch 25:7), and (the blowing) of trumpets, “and that under the leading (ידי על) of the instruments of David.” This is to be understood as denoting that the blowing of the trumpets regulated itself by the playing of the stringed instruments-suited itself to the song and the music of the stringed instruments.
Verse 28
During the offering of the burnt-offering, until it was ended, the whole congregation stood worshipping; and the song of the Levites, accompanied by the music of the stringed instruments and the trumpet-blowing of the priests, continued. משׁורר השּׁיר, “the song was singing,” stands for “the body of singers sang;” and the trumpets also stand for the trumpeters.
Verse 29
At the conclusion of the sacrificial act (להעלות
