²⁹And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves and worshipped.
29. bowed themselves and worshipped] i.e. first bowed down (on their knees) and then completely prostrated themselves.
³⁰Moreover 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 worshipped.
30. to sing praises] Since (1) the Hebrew word for “Psalms” means “Praises,” and (2) the words of David and Asaph are specially mentioned in this verse, it is clear that the Chronicler by this phrase means “to sing Psalms.”
31–36 (not in Kings).
A Great Sacrifice of Burnt Offerings and Thank Offerings.
³¹Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves[¹] 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. ³²And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord.
[¹] Hebrew filled your hand.
31. answered and said] i.e. answered the thoughts or expectation of the people as expressed by the Sacrifices and the Songs; compare Job iii. 2 (Revised Version).
ye have consecrated yourselves] Hebrew “filled your hand”; compare xiii. 9; Exodus xxviii. 41.
sacrifices and thank offerings] The phrase means simply the special type of sacrifices which were termed “thank offerings.” The fat of such offerings was burnt on the altar, the breast and right thigh were reserved for the priests, but the remainder belonged to the offerer and was used for a joyous meal (Leviticus vii. 12 ff.). The burnt offering was entirely consumed on the altar, no portion being kept by priests or offerer (Leviticus i. 1–13): hence such sacrifices represented a greater cost and are accordingly said to be given by those who were “of willing heart,” i.e. conspicuously pious and generous.