Hezekiah

20And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

The other things Hezekiah did are written down in another book. It tells how strong he was. It tells how he made a pool and a water tunnel. The tunnel brought water into the city. All of it is in the book of the history of the kings of Judah.

21And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

Then Hezekiah died like his fathers before him. His son Manasseh became king after him.

1Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.

Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.

2And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done.

He did what was right in God's eyes. He lived the way David, his ancestor, had lived.

3He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.

In the first month of his first year as king, Hezekiah opened the doors of God's house. He also fixed them.

4And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street,

Then he brought in the priests and the Levites. Priests led the worship at God's house, and Levites helped them. He gathered them all in the open square on the east side.

5And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.

He said, "Listen to me, Levites. Make yourselves clean and ready for God. Make God's house clean and ready too. It belongs to the God your fathers worshiped. Carry every dirty thing out of the holy place.

6For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs.

Our fathers were not faithful to God. They did what was evil in his eyes. They walked away from him. They turned their faces away from the place where he lived among us. They turned their backs on him.

7Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel.

They also shut the doors of the front porch of God's house. They let the lamps go out. They did not burn incense there, and incense is sweet-smelling smoke. They did not bring burnt offerings, which are animals burned as gifts to God.

8Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes.

So the LORD was angry with Judah and Jerusalem. He let hard and frightening things happen to them. Now other people stare at them and make fun of them. You can see all of this with your own eyes.

9For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.

That is why our fathers were killed in battle. That is why our sons, daughters, and wives were taken away as prisoners.

10Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.

Now I want to make an agreement with the LORD, the God of Israel. Then maybe his hot anger will turn away from us.

11My 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.

My sons, do not be lazy now. The LORD picked you to stand in front of him and serve him. He picked you to do his work and to burn incense."

12Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah:

Then the Levites got to work. From the family of Kohath came Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah. From the family of Merari came Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehalelel. From the family of Gershon came Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah.

13And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel: and of the sons of Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah:

From the family of Elizaphan came Shimri and Jeiel. From the family of Asaph came Zechariah and Mattaniah.

14And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel.

From the family of Heman came Jehiel and Shimei. From the family of Jeduthun came Shemaiah and Uzziel.

15And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD.

They called their relatives together and made themselves ready for God. Then they went to clean God's house. They did what the king had told them, and his order came from God's own words.

16And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad into the brook Kidron.

The priests went inside God's house to clean it. They carried out every unclean thing they found there. They put it all in the courtyard outside. Then the Levites took it away to the Kidron Valley.

17Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.

They started this work on the first day of the first month. On the eighth day they reached the porch of God's house. They spent eight more days on the house itself. They finished on the sixteenth day of the first month.

18Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof.

Then they went to King Hezekiah and told him the news. "We have cleaned all of God's house," they said. "We cleaned the altar for burnt offerings and all its tools. We cleaned the table for the special bread and all its dishes.

19Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and, behold, they are before the altar of the LORD.

King Ahaz threw some of the temple things away while he was king, because he was not faithful to God. We have fixed those things and made them ready again. They are now sitting in front of the LORD's altar."

20Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.

Early the next morning King Hezekiah called the leaders of the city together. They went up to God's house.

21And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD.

They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats. These were a sin offering, a gift to God to make wrong things right. It was for the kingdom, for God's house, and for Judah. The king told the priests, who came from Aaron's family, to offer them on the altar.

22So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar.

So they killed the bulls. The priests took the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. Then they killed the rams and sprinkled that blood on the altar. Then they killed the lambs and sprinkled that blood on the altar too.

23And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them:

Then they brought the male goats for the sin offering. They brought them in front of the king and all the people. The people laid their hands on the goats.

24And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.

The priests killed the goats and put the blood on the altar. This was to make things right between God and all Israel. The king had said these offerings should be made for all Israel.

25And 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 so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.

The king had the Levites stand in God's house with cymbals, harps, and lyres. These are all music instruments. David had given this order long before, along with Gad the king's seer and Nathan the prophet. A seer and a prophet both told people what God said. This order came from the LORD through them.

26And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.

The Levites stood there with the instruments David had made. The priests stood there with the trumpets.

27And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.

Hezekiah gave the word to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When it began, the song to the LORD began too. The trumpets played, and so did the instruments of David, king of Israel.

28And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.

All the people worshiped. The singers sang. The trumpet players played. This went on until the burnt offering was finished.

29And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.

When the offerings were done, the king bowed down low. Everyone with him bowed down and worshiped too.

30Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise 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.

King Hezekiah and his leaders told the Levites to sing praise to the LORD. They used the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang with joy. They bowed their heads and worshiped.

31Then 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 free heart burnt offerings.

Then Hezekiah said, "You have given yourselves to the LORD. Come near now. Bring your gifts and thank-you offerings to God's house." So the people brought gifts and thank-you offerings. Everyone who wanted to also 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.

The people brought seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs. All of these were burnt offerings for the LORD.

33And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.

The animals set apart for God were six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep.

34But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

But there were not enough priests to take the skins off all the animals. So their Levite relatives helped them until the work was done. They helped until more priests had made themselves ready. The Levites had worked harder than the priests at getting themselves ready.

35And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.

There were many burnt offerings. There was also fat from the peace offerings and wine poured out with each burnt offering. So the work of God's house was set up in good order again.

36And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

Hezekiah and all the people were glad. God had made the people ready for this. It had all happened very fast.

1And 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 God of Israel.

King Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah. He also wrote letters to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. He asked them to come to the LORD's house in Jerusalem. There they would keep the Passover, the meal that remembers how God once saved Israel.

2For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.

The king, his leaders, and all the people in Jerusalem talked it over. They decided to keep the Passover in the second month of the year.

3For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

They could not keep it at the usual time. Not enough priests had made themselves ready for holy work. The people had not gathered in Jerusalem yet either.

4And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

This plan seemed good to the king and to all the people.

5So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.

So they made a rule and sent the news all through Israel. It went from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the far north. Everyone was asked to come to Jerusalem for the Passover of the LORD. For a long time they had not kept it the way the law said.

6So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

Messengers carried letters from the king and his leaders through Israel and Judah. The king told them what to say. "People of Israel, come back to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Then he will come back to those of you who are left. You are the ones who escaped the kings of Assyria."

7And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

"Do not be like your fathers and your brothers. They turned away from the LORD, the God of their fathers. So he let their land be left empty and ruined. You can see it for yourselves."

8Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

"Do not be stubborn as your fathers were. Give yourselves to the LORD. Come into his holy house, which he has set apart forever. Serve the LORD your God. Then his burning anger will turn away from you."

9For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

"If you come back to the LORD, this will happen. The people who took your brothers and children away will be kind to them. They will come home to this land again. The LORD your God is kind and full of mercy. He will not turn his face away if you come back to him."

10So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

The messengers went from town to town through Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun. But the people there laughed at them and made fun of them.

11Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

Even so, some people from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun were humble. They came to Jerusalem.

12Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.

In Judah, God's hand was on the people. He gave them all one heart to obey the king and his leaders. This was just as the LORD had said.

13And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

A huge crowd came together in Jerusalem in the second month. They came to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when bread is made without yeast.

14And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.

They got up and took away the altars in Jerusalem. An altar is a stone table for giving gifts to a god. They took away the altars for burning sweet-smelling incense too. They threw them all into the Kidron valley stream.

15Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.

On the fourteenth day of the second month they killed the Passover lambs. The priests and the Levites, the men who helped the priests, felt ashamed. So they made themselves ready for holy work. Then they brought burnt offerings into the LORD's house.

16And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.

They stood in their proper places, as the law of Moses, God's man, said. The Levites handed the blood to the priests. The priests sprinkled it.

17For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.

Many people in the crowd had not made themselves ready for holy things. So the Levites killed the Passover lambs for each person who was not clean. They set the lambs apart for the LORD.

18For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one

Many of the people had not washed and made themselves clean. Many of them came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun. They ate the Passover anyway, which was not what the law said. But Hezekiah prayed for them. He said, "The LORD is good. May he forgive every person"

19That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

"who has set his heart on looking for God, the LORD, the God of his fathers. May he forgive them even if they are not clean the way the holy rules say."

20And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

The LORD listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.

21And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.

The people of Israel who were in Jerusalem kept the feast for seven days. They ate bread made without yeast, and they were very glad. Every day the Levites and the priests praised the LORD. They played loud instruments for him.

22And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.

Hezekiah spoke kind words to the Levites who taught the people well about the LORD. For seven days the people ate their share of the feast. They gave peace offerings, which are gifts shared as a meal. They told the LORD, the God of their fathers, what they had done wrong.

23And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.

Then everyone agreed to keep the feast seven more days. So they kept seven more days with joy.

24For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.

Hezekiah king of Judah gave the crowd a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep. The leaders gave a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep. And many priests made themselves ready for holy work.

25And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.

Everyone was glad. The people of Judah were glad, with the priests and the Levites. The people who came from Israel were glad too. So were the foreigners from Israel and those living in Judah.

26So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.

There was great joy in Jerusalem. Nothing like this had happened there since Solomon, son of David, was king of Israel.

27Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.

Then the priests and the Levites stood up and blessed the people. God heard their voice. Their prayer reached his holy home in heaven.

1Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

When all this was finished, the Israelites who were there went out to the towns of Judah. They smashed the stone pillars used to worship other gods. They cut down the wooden poles set up for the goddess Asherah. They tore down the altars and hilltop worship spots in Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. They kept going until every one was gone. Then all the Israelites went back home to their own towns and land.

2And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the LORD.

Hezekiah set the priests and Levites back into their work groups. Priests offered the gifts at the altar. Levites helped them and led the singing. Each man had his own job. Some handled the burnt offerings and the peace offerings. Some served, gave thanks, and sang praise at the gates of the LORD's house.

3He appointed also the king’s portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the LORD.

The king gave part of his own goods for the burnt offerings. This paid for the morning and evening offerings every day. It also paid for the offerings on Sabbath days, new moon days, and the special feast days. The law of the LORD said to do it this way.

4Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the LORD.

He also told the people living in Jerusalem to give a share to the priests and Levites. Then those men could spend their time on the law of the LORD.

5And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.

As soon as the order went out, the Israelites brought in a lot. They brought the first and best of their grain, new wine, oil, and honey. They brought the first of everything their fields grew. They also brought a tenth of all they had.

6And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them by heaps.

The people of Israel and Judah who lived in Judah's towns brought gifts too. They brought one out of every ten cattle and sheep. They brought a tenth of the holy gifts set apart for the LORD their God. They laid it all down in big piles.

7In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.

They started building the piles in the third month. They finished in the seventh month.

8And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD, and his people Israel.

Hezekiah and his leaders came and looked at the piles. They praised the LORD and asked good things for his people Israel.

9Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.

Then Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the piles.

10And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.

Azariah, the chief priest from the family of Zadok, answered him. He said, "Since the people started bringing gifts to the LORD's house, we have had plenty to eat. There is still a lot left over. The LORD has blessed his people. All this extra is what is left."

11Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the LORD; and they prepared them,

Then Hezekiah told them to get storerooms ready in the LORD's house. So they got them ready.

12And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.

They carefully brought in the gifts, the tenths, and the things set apart for God. Cononiah the Levite was the man in charge of it all. His brother Shimei was his helper.

13And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.

Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were the watchers over the work. They worked under Cononiah and his brother Shimei. King Hezekiah and Azariah, the leader of God's house, had picked them.

14And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the oblations of the LORD, and the most holy things.

Kore son of Imnah, a Levite, was the guard at the east gate. He was in charge of the gifts people gave just because they wanted to. He handed out the offerings brought to the LORD and the most holy gifts.

15And next him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their set office, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as to the small:

Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah worked under him. They lived in the towns where the priests lived. They gave out shares to the other priests, group by group. The oldest and the youngest all got a share.

16Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even unto every one that entereth into the house of the LORD, his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses;

They also gave a share to the males written in the family lists, from three years old and up. These were the ones who came to the LORD's house for their daily work with their own group.

17Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses;

The priests were written in the lists by their families. The Levites were written down from twenty years old and up, by their jobs and their groups.

18And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness:

The lists also included all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. Everyone in the whole group was counted. They had faithfully kept themselves set apart for God.

19Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites.

Some priests from the family of Aaron lived on farmland outside their towns. In each town, men were picked by name for a job. They gave a share to every male among the priests. They gave a share to every Levite on the family lists.

20And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.

This is what Hezekiah did all through Judah. He did what was good and right and true before the LORD his God.

21And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

He worked hard at everything he started. He worked on the service of God's house, and on the law and the commands. He was trying to follow his God with his whole heart. And things went well for him.