2 Chronicles 29:6

For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) Trespassed.—Dealt unfaithfully.

Turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord.—Comp. Jeremiah 2:27 : “They have turned their backs unto me, and not their faces.” (Comp. also Ezekiel 8:16.)

Turned their backs.—Literally, gave neck (nathan ‘ōreph); a phrase here used as equivalent to turned neck (pānāh ‘ōreph), Jeremiah 2:27, et al. The ordinary meaning is “to put to flight,” as in Psalm 18:41. It is clear from the next verse that the description is meant to apply to Ahaz and his generation.

Benson Commentary

2 Chronicles 29:6. Our fathers have trespassed — He does not say my father, because it became him, as a son, to be as tender as might be of his father’s name; and because his father would not have been permitted to do all these things, if the people had not neglected their duty. Urijah the priest, in particular, had joined with Ahaz in setting up an idolatrous altar. Have turned away their faces, &c., and turned their backs — Have wilfully and obstinately forsaken God and his worship; that posture being a signification of contempt.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

29:1-19 When Hezekiah came to the crown, he applied at once to work reform. Those who begin with God, begin at the right end of their work, and it will prosper accordingly. Those that turn their backs upon God's ordinances, may truly be said to forsake God himself. There are still such neglects, if the word be not duly read and opened, for that was signified by the lighting the lamps, and also if prayers and praise be not offered up, for that was signified by the burning incense. Neglect of God's worship was the cause of the calamities they had lain under. The Lord alone can prepare the heart of man for vital godliness: when much good is done in a little time, the glory must be ascribed to him; and all who love him or the souls of men, will rejoice therein. Let those that do good work, learn to do it well.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Sanctify now yourselves - Compare the marginal reference. Hezekiah follows David's example, knowing, probably, that the priests had in the preceding time of idolatry contracted many defilements.

The "filthiness," or "uncleanness" 2 Chronicles 29:16, might consist, in part, of mere dust and dirt, in part, of idolatrous objects introduced by Ahaz before he finally shut up the temple 2 Kings 16:10-16.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

6, 7. our fathers have trespassed—Ahaz and the generation contemporary with him were specially meant, for they "turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord," and whether or not they turned east to the rising sun, they abandoned the worship of God. They "shut up the doors of the porch," so that the sacred ritual was entirely discontinued.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Either,

1. Metaphorically; they have wilfully, and obstinately, and contumeliously forsaken God, and his house and worship; that posture being a signification of contempt. Or,

2. Literally and properly. For Ahaz having removed the altar of God into a by-place, 2 Kings 16, and directing his worship towards the east, after the manner of the heathens, whom he designed to follow; and not to the west, as the Israelites did by God’s command, in which quarter the ark was; he must needs consequently turn his back upon the altar, and house, and ark of God.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For our fathers have transgressed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord our God,.... Meaning their more immediate ancestors, his father and theirs, who had committed idolatry; which is a great trespass, and than which there is not a greater evil in the sight of God, nor more provoking to him:

and have forsaken him; his word, worship, and ordinances:

and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord; the temple, by neglecting that, and the service of it, and attending the high places: and turned their backs; upon it; though some think this refers to a rite or custom, introduced by Ahaz before he shut up the temple, that instead of looking to the west, when they worshipped, where was the ark of the Lord, he ordered them to turn their faces to the east, where his altar stood.

Geneva Study Bible

For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. from the habitation of the Lord] Cp. 2 Chronicles 24:18 “they left the house of the Lord” (see note).

habitation] Heb. “tabernacle,” as in Exodus 25:9, al.

2 Chronicles 29:6

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Hezekiah gathered the priests and Levites together "into the open space of the east," i.e., in the eastern open space before the temple, not "in the inner court" (Berth.), - see on Ezra 10:9 -and called upon them (2 Chronicles 29:5) to sanctify themselves, and then to sanctify the house of the Lord. To purify the temple they must first sanctify themselves (cf. 2 Chronicles 29:15), in order to proceed to the work of sanctifying the house of God in a state of Levitical purity. The work was to remove all that was unclean from the sanctuary. הנּדּה is Levitical uncleanness, for which in 2 Chronicles 29:16 we have הטּמאה; here the abominations of idolatry. The king gave the reason of his summons in a reference to the devastation which Ahaz and his contemporaries had wrought in the house of God (2 Chronicles 29:6, 2 Chronicles 29:7), and to the wrath of God which had on that account come upon them (2 Chronicles 29:8, 2 Chronicles 29:9). "Our fathers" (2 Chronicles 29:6), that is, Ahaz and his contemporaries, for only these had been guilty of displeasing God in the ways mentioned in 2 Chronicles 29:6 and 2 Chronicles 29:7, "have turned away their face from the dwelling of Jahve, and turned their back (upon it)." These words are a symbolical expression for: they have ceased to worship Jahve in His temple, and exchanged it for idolatry.