And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD.
2 CHRONICLES 29:21KJVWhat does 2 Chronicles 29:21 mean?
2 Chronicles 29:21 describes how seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats were brought as a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah, and the priests, who were descendants of Aaron, were commanded to offer these animals on the altar to the LORD. This verse shows a specific ritual act meant to seek forgiveness and purification for the people and their place of worship.
King Hezekiah is leading a national religious renewal after a period of neglect and idolatry in Judah. He gathers the priests and Levites to restore proper worship in the temple. The verse details the exact animals and numbers used for the sin offering, emphasizing the seriousness and completeness of the act, as well as the involvement of the priests according to the traditions given to Aaron’s descendants.
The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 29:21
- "Seven" (שִׁבְעָה, shiv'ah): The repeated use of the number seven often symbolizes completeness or perfection in Hebrew thought, highlighting the thoroughness of this offering.
- "Sin offering" (חַטָּאָה, chatta'ah): This term refers to a sacrifice specifically meant to deal with sin and restore a right relationship with God, showing that the ritual was about seeking forgiveness.
- "Priests" (כֹּהֵן, kohen) and "sons of Aaron" (בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן, bnei Aharon): These phrases stress that only those from Aaron’s family line, as commanded in the Law, could perform this sacred duty, underlining the importance of following the proper order in worship.
Why 2 Chronicles 29:21 matters
- This verse clarifies that the sin offering was made not just for individuals but for the whole kingdom, the temple itself, and the tribe of Judah, showing the wide scope of the need for cleansing.
- The detailed instructions and the use of the number seven emphasize the seriousness and completeness of the national repentance and renewal.
- By naming the priests as "sons of Aaron," the verse connects this ritual back to the original commands given in the Law of Moses, showing a return to faithful worship after a period of neglect.