(11) My sons.—A condescending term from the king; just as my father was a term of respect (2Kings 2:12; 2Kings 5:13; 2Kings 13:14).

Be not now negligent.—The Niphal form of the verb shalah (“to be at ease”) occurs nowhere else. The margin is incorrect.

The Lord hath chosen you.—You hath the Lord chosen. The pronoun is emphatic. (Comp. the similar words: 1Chronicles 23:13; Deuteronomy 10:8.)

To stand before him, (in order) to serve him, is the construction.

And that ye should minister.—Literally, And to become to him ministers and thurifers.

The thoughts and the style of the royal address make it evident enough that it is a free composition, in the well-known manner of ancient historians.

29:1-19 When Hezekiah came to the crown, he applied at once to work reform. Those who begin with God, begin at the right end of their work, and it will prosper accordingly. Those that turn their backs upon God's ordinances, may truly be said to forsake God himself. There are still such neglects, if the word be not duly read and opened, for that was signified by the lighting the lamps, and also if prayers and praise be not offered up, for that was signified by the burning incense. Neglect of God's worship was the cause of the calamities they had lain under. The Lord alone can prepare the heart of man for vital godliness: when much good is done in a little time, the glory must be ascribed to him; and all who love him or the souls of men, will rejoice therein. Let those that do good work, learn to do it well.He hath delivered them to ... hissing - See 1 Kings 9:8 note. It was an expression which Hezekiah might naturally use, for it had occurred in a prophecy of Micah M1 Corinthians 6:16, his contemporary and monitor Jeremiah 26:18-19, which was probably uttered toward the close of the reign of Ahaz. In Jeremiah the phrase becomes common (marginal references). 10, 11. Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the Lord God—Convinced of the sin and bitter fruits of idolatry, Hezekiah intended to reverse the policy of his father, and to restore, in all its ancient purity and glory, the worship of the true God. His commencement of this resolution at the beginning of his reign attests his sincere piety. It also proves the strength of his conviction that righteousness exalteth a nation; for, instead of waiting till his throne was consolidated, he devised measures of national reformation at the beginning of his reign and vigorously faced all the difficulties which, in such a course, he had to encounter, after the people's habits had so long been moulded to idolatry. His intentions were first disclosed to this meeting of the priests and Levites—for the agency of these officials was to be employed in carrying them into effect. My sons; so he calls them indifferently, though many of them were elder than himself, because he was by his tender love and affection, as he was by his office obliged to be, a nursing-father to them. See Isaiah 49:23.

Be not now negligent, in sanctifying yourselves and the temple, 2 Chronicles 29:5, and in quickening and preparing yourselves and the people to God’s service.

My sons,.... So, as the father of his people, he speaks of them in the most tender and affectionate manner:

be not now negligent; backward to this good work, slothful, sluggish, and remiss in it; according to Jarchi and Kimchi, the word has the signification of error, and the sense may be, do not continue in the error in which you have been, in neglecting the service of God:

for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense; on the altar of incense, which was the work of the priests, and for which they were selected from the rest of their brethren; and Hezekiah's discourse was directed to them, as well as to the Levites, 2 Chronicles 29:4.

My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.