And they brought near the he-goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them: and the priests killed them, and they made a sin offering with their blood upon the altar, to make atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel. And he set the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for the commandment was of the Lord by his prophets.

And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, [{302}] and the priests with the trumpets. And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord began also, and the trumpets, together with the instruments of David king of Israel. And all the congregation worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped. Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises unto the Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped.

Then Hezekiah answered and said, "Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the Lord, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the Lord."

And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings.

So the service of the house of the Lord was set in order. And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, because of that which God had prepared for the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the Lord, the God of Israel. For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.

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THE POOL OF SILOAM.

In connection with the "Pool of Siloam" a most interesting discovery has been made. A tunnel hewn in the rock carries the water down the west side of the Kidron Valley to a pool in the Tyropoeon, so that it might be used by the people in the lower part of the city. In June, 1880, an inscription was discovered near the mouth of this tunnel which says that the work was carried on from both ends, that the workmen met in the middle, and that the length was 1,200 cubits. It is generally supposed that the tunnel was made during the reign of King Hezekiah.