He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.

2 CHRONICLES 29:3KJV
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2 Chronicles 29:3 (KJV)

What does 2 Chronicles 29:3 mean?

2 Chronicles 29:3 says that in the very first year and first month of his reign, King Hezekiah opened the doors of the temple of the LORD and repaired them. This action marks the beginning of Hezekiah’s efforts to restore proper worship in Jerusalem after a period of neglect.

Hezekiah had just become king of Judah, and the temple—the central place for worshiping God—had been closed and fallen into disrepair during his father’s rule. By opening and fixing the temple doors right away, Hezekiah showed his priority was to renew the people’s relationship with God and restore the temple’s role in their national life.

The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 29:3

  • "opened" (פָּתַח, patach): This word means to open something that was shut or closed. The use of this word highlights that the temple had been deliberately closed off before Hezekiah acted.
  • "repaired" (חָזַק, chazaq): This word often means to strengthen or make something firm. Here, it suggests not just fixing broken doors but making them strong and usable again, emphasizing restoration rather than just minor repairs.
  • "house" (בַּיִת, bayit): This is the common Hebrew word for "house," but in this context, it refers specifically to the temple, the house of the LORD, making clear that the focus is on the central place of worship.

Why 2 Chronicles 29:3 matters

  • This verse clarifies that Hezekiah’s reforms began immediately, showing his urgency and commitment to restoring worship as a top priority for his reign.
  • The detail about opening and repairing the doors shows that the temple had been neglected or even intentionally closed, which helps explain the spiritual state of the nation at the time.
  • The verse sets the stage for the rest of the chapter, where Hezekiah’s broader reforms and the renewal of temple worship are described in detail.

Where else these words appear

“doors” Hebrew H1817 · used in 78 verses

  • Genesis 19:6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
  • 2 Kings 4:4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.
  • Nehemiah 13:19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.

“opened” Hebrew H6605 · used in 133 verses

  • Genesis 7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
  • Nehemiah 6:5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;
  • Isaiah 14:17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?