2 Chronicles 29:23 (KJV)

What does 2 Chronicles 29:23 mean?

2 Chronicles 29:23 describes how male goats were brought forward as a sin offering before King Hezekiah and the gathered people, and the people laid their hands on the goats. This act was part of a ritual to symbolize the transfer of the people's sins onto the animals before they were sacrificed.

King Hezekiah is leading a religious reform in Judah, restoring proper worship in the temple after a period of neglect. The verse shows a public, communal act where both the king and the congregation participate in the ritual, emphasizing the seriousness of sin and the need for atonement. The laying on of hands is a symbolic gesture, showing identification with the offering and the desire for forgiveness.

The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 29:23

• "forth" (נָגַשׁ, nagash): This word often means to bring near or present. Here, it highlights the deliberate act of bringing the goats forward for a specific purpose in the ritual.
• "goats" (שָּׂעִיר, sa'ir): This term refers specifically to male goats, which were commonly used for sin offerings in Israelite worship, underlining the ritual's seriousness.
• "offering" (חַטָּאָה, chatta'ah): This word means "sin offering," pointing to the purpose of the sacrifice—to deal with sin and restore the relationship between the people and God.
• "laid" (סָמַךְ, samakh): This verb means to lay or press hands upon. It is a physical act that symbolizes transferring guilt or identification with the animal being sacrificed.
• "hands" (יָד, yad): The use of hands in this context stresses the personal involvement of those participating in the ritual, not just a distant or symbolic action.

Why 2 Chronicles 29:23 matters

• This verse clarifies that the sin offering was a communal act, involving both leadership and the people, not just the priests alone.
• It connects to the larger narrative of Hezekiah's reforms, showing a return to the prescribed worship practices after a time of spiritual neglect.
• The detail about laying hands on the goats helps readers understand the ancient practice of symbolically transferring sin, which is a key concept in Old Testament sacrificial rituals.