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Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

2 Chronicles 30

2 Chronicles 30:2

IN THE SECOND MONTH - Hezekiah and his counselors considered that the permission of the Law (see the marginal reference) might, under the circumstances, be extended to the whole people. It had been found impossible to complete the cleansing of the temple until the fourteenth day of the first month w... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Chronicles 30:5

THEY HAD NOT DONE IT ... - Some prefer, “they had not kept it in full numbers, as it was written” - i. e. “they (the Israelites of the northern kingdom) had not (for some while) kept the Passover in full numbers, as the Law required.”... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Chronicles 30:6

THE POSTS WENT - The bearers of the letters were probably the “runners” who formed a portion of the king’s body-guard (2 Kings 10:25 note). THE KINGS OF ASSYRIA - Pul, Tiglath-pileser, and Shalmaneser may all be referred to in this passage (compare the marginal reference and 2 Kings 17:3). The pass... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Chronicles 30:11

Compare 2 Chronicles 30:18. Hence, five of the ten tribes certainly sent representatives. Two - Reuben and Gad - were in captivity. One - Dan - was absorbed into Judah. Simeon and Naphtali, which alone remained, seem to have been more than ordinarily idolatrous 2 Chronicles 34:6.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Chronicles 30:14

The continuance of the idolatrous altars to this time shows that Hezekiah had been more anxious to construct than to destroy, to establish the Yahweh-worship than to root out idolatry. Now, however, that the more important work was done, the temple open, and the daily service restored, attention cou... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Chronicles 30:15

The laggart priests and Levites, who from want of zeal for the Yahweh-worship, or from actual inclination to idolatry, had neglected to purify themselves (2 Chronicles 30:3 and marginal reference), were now shamed by the general ardor, and sanctified themselves for the Paschal festival. AND BROUGHT... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Chronicles 30:16

AFTER THEIR MANNER - According to the Mishna, the custom was for the priests to stand in two rows extending from the altar to the outer court, where the people were assembled. As each offerer killed his lamb the blood was caught in a basin, which was handed to the nearest priest, who passed it on to... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Chronicles 30:22

The “knowledge” intended is perhaps chiefly ritualistic and musical - such knowledge as enabled them to conduct the service of the sanctuary satisfactorily. THEY DID EAT THROUGHOUT THE FEAST - literally, “they did eat the feast;” i. e. “they kept the feast,” which was essentially kept by the eating... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Chronicles 30:23

TO KEEP OTHER SEVEN DAYS - This was a voluntary addition to the requirements of the Law - the fruit and sign of the abounding zeal which characterized the time. Hezekiah and the princes probably proposed it to the people, and presented them with sacrificial animals.... [ Continue Reading ]

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