How did Ezechias restore temple service after its neglect?

Ezechias began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Abia, the daughter of Zacharias. He did that which was pleasing in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. In the first year and the first month of his reign, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them.

Ezechias assembled the priests and the Levites in the east street and urged them to be sanctified, purify the house of the Lord, and carry out all filth from the sanctuary. He declared that their fathers had sinned and turned away from the tabernacle of the Lord, shutting the porch doors, putting out the lamps, and ceasing to offer incense and holocausts. Because of this wickedness, the wrath of the Lord had delivered Juda and Jerusalem to destruction, sword, and captivity. Ezechias stated his intention to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel so that divine indignation might turn away, exhorting the ministers not to be negligent since the Lord had chosen them to stand before Him, minister, worship, and burn incense. In response, fourteen leaders from seven groups arose: Mahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azarias of the sons of Caath; Cis the son of Abdi and Azarias the son of Jalaleel of the sons of Merari; Joah the son of Zemma and Eden the son of Joah of the sons of Gerson; Samri and Jahiel of the sons of Elisaphan; Zacharias and Mathanias of the sons of Asaph; Jahiel and Semei of the sons of Heman; and Semeias and Oziel of the sons of Idithun. Gathering their brethren and sanctifying themselves, they entered according to the commandment of the king and the precept of the Lord to purify the house. The priests entered the temple to sanctify it, bringing out all uncleanness to the entrance, whereupon the Levites carried it abroad to the torrent Cedron. Cleansing began on the first day of the first month; they reached the porch on the eighth day, and completed the purification of the temple on the sixteenth day. They then reported to King Ezechias that they had sanctified the house of the Lord, the altar of holocaust, the table of proposition, and all the vessels and furniture that King Achaz had defiled.

Rising early, King Ezechias assembled the rulers of the city and went up to the house of the Lord. They offered seven bullocks, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven he-goats for sin, for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Juda, which the priests the sons of Aaron offered upon the altar. The priests killed the victims and poured their blood upon the altar, while the king and the multitude laid hands upon the sin-offering goats, which the priests killed, sprinkling their blood before the altar as an expiation for all Israel. Ezechias stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, psalteries, and harps according to the regulation of King David, Gad the seer, and Nathan the prophet, while the priests stood with trumpets. When the holocausts were offered upon the altar, praises were sung to the Lord with trumpets and David’s instruments, and the whole multitude adored while the singers and trumpeters fulfilled their office until the holocaust was finished. When the oblation was ended, the king and all present bowed down and adored. Ezechias and the princes then commanded the Levites to praise the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the seer, which they performed with great joy, bowing the knee and adoring.

Ezechias then invited the assembly to offer voluntary victims and praises. The multitude brought seventy bullocks, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs for holocausts, alongside six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep. Because the sanctified priests were too few to flay all the holocausts, their brethren the Levites assisted them until the work was ended and more priests were sanctified, for the Levites are sanctified with an easier rite than the priests. With abundant holocausts, peace offerings, and libations, the service of the house of the Lord was completed. Ezechias and all the people rejoiced because the ministry of the Lord was accomplished, for the resolution of doing this thing was taken suddenly.