INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 31 This chapter begins with the destruction of idolatrous worship, the appointment of the courses of the priests and Levites, and the royal bounty for sacrifices, 2 Chronicles 31:1, next follows the order Hezekiah gave, that the people at Jerusalem, and throughout the l... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW WHEN ALL THIS WAS FINISHED,.... The temple cleansed, the priests and Levites sanctified, the passover and feast of unleavened bread observed, and other seven days of rejoicing kept: ALL ISRAEL THAT WERE PRESENT WENT OUT TO THE CITIES OF JUDAH, AND BRAKE THE IMAGES IN PIECES, AND CUT DOWN THE GR... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HEZEKIAH APPOINTED THE COURSES OF THE PRIESTS, AND THE LEVITES AFTER THEIR COURSES,.... As they were fixed by David, and were in the times of Jehoshaphat, and had been since interrupted, and which Hezekiah now restored, and placed them in their regular order: EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS SERVICE,... [ Continue Reading ]
HE APPOINTED ALSO THE KING'S PORTION OF HIS SUBSTANCE,.... Out of his own treasury, of his royal bounty, over and above what was usual for kings to give for their own sacrifices, the treasury of the temple being exhausted, and the people being brought into low circumstances in the last reign: FOR T... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, HE COMMANDED THE PEOPLE THAT DWELT IN JERUSALEM TO GIVE THE PORTION OF THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES,.... What was assigned unto them by the law of God by tithes, firstfruits, c. THAT THEY MIGHT BE ENCOURAGED IN THE LAW OF THE LORD in the study of it; that they might gain greater knowledge... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AS SOON AS THE COMMANDMENT CAME ABROAD,.... Not only was published in the city of Jerusalem, but the report of it, or rather that itself, was spread throughout the cities of Judah: THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BROUGHT IN ABUNDANCE THE FIRSTFRUITS OF CORN, WINE, AND OIL, AND HONEY; the three first of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND CONCERNING THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH, THAT DWELT IN THE CITIES OF JUDAH,.... As for the supplement "concerning", I see no need of it; the sense is, that when the king's edict was known by the inhabitants of the cities in the country, as well as at Jerusalem: THEY ALSO BROUGHT IN THE TITH... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE THIRD MONTH THEY BEGAN TO LAY THE FOUNDATION OF THE HEAPS..... The month Sivan, as the Targum, in which month was the feast of Pentecost, called the feast of the harvest, Exodus 23:16, for then barley harvest was ended, and wheat harvest began, and the firstfruits were brought: AND FINISHED... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HEZEKIAH AND THE PRINCES CAME AND SAW THE HEAPS,.... Of the tithes and firstfruits: THEY BLESSED THE LORD; for the great increase of the fruits of the earth, and for making the people so willing to bring in the dues to the priests and Levites: AND HIS PEOPLE ISRAEL; wished all happiness a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN HEZEKIAH QUESTIONED WITH THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES CONCERNING THE HEAPS. How they came to be so large, or why they let them lie where they did.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AZARIAH THE CHIEF PRIEST OF THE HOUSE OF ZADOK ANSWERED HIM,.... Who was the high priest of the family of Eleazar, in the line of Zadok, made high priest in Solomon's time, when Abiathar was thrust out; Jarchi takes him to be the same Azariah that was in the days of Uzziah, 2 Chronicles 26:17,... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN HEZEKIAH COMMANDED TO PREPARE CHAMBERS IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD,.... Either to build new ones, or fit up those that were built: AND THEY PREPARED [THEM]; got them ready to lay up the stores in.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BROUGHT IN THE OFFERINGS, AND THE TITHES, AND THE DEDICATED THINGS, FAITHFULLY,.... Kept nothing back for their own private use, but faithfully delivered in and laid up the whole that was brought which remained; this was done by the priests and Levites, in whose hands and care they were: OVER W... [ Continue Reading ]
AND 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,.... These ten were assistants to the other two, were under them, and at their command, and were to be ready... [ Continue Reading ]
AND KORE THE SON OF IMNAH THE LEVITE, THE PORTER TOWARDS THE EAST,.... At the east gate of the temple; see 1 Chronicles 26:17 WAS OVER THE FREEWILL OFFERINGS OF GOD, TO DISTRIBUTE THE OBLATIONS OF THE LORD; to the priests and Levites, for whose use they were; or to deliver out the fine flour, oil,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NEXT TO HIM WERE EDEN AND MIJAMIN, AND JESHUA, AND SHEMAIAH, AMARIAH, AND SHECANIAH,.... As Kore was the principal, and his business lay chiefly with the priests in the temple, and in Jerusalem, these men under him were employed in distributing to the priests, IN THE CITIES OF THE PRIESTS; in t... [ Continue Reading ]
BESIDE THEIR GENEALOGY OF MALES, FROM THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARDS,.... Their office was not only to give to the priests, but to those of their males in their genealogy, who were three years old and upwards; for under that age, according to Kimchi, they were not fit to come into the temple; nor have... [ Continue Reading ]
BOTH TO THE GENEALOGY OF THE PRIESTS BY THE HOUSE OF THEIR FATHERS,.... As to the priests registered according to their families from the age before observed, a portion was given: so to the Levites, FROM TWENTY YEARS OLD AND UPWARD, IN THEIR CHARGES, BY THEIR COURSES; for though originally they wer... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TO THE GENEALOGY OF ALL THEIR LITTLE ONES, THEIR WIVES, AND THEIR SONS, AND THEIR DAUGHTERS, THROUGH ALL THE CONGREGATION,.... These were all genealogized and registered, wives and children, sons and daughters, whether small or grown up; and a portion was distributed to them according to their n... [ Continue Reading ]
ALSO OF THE SONS OF AARON THE PRIESTS, WHICH WERE IN THE FIELDS OF THE SUBURBS OF THEIR CITIES, IN EVERY SEVERAL CITY,.... Which were allowed to them out of the several tribes, and where they dwelt, when it was not the turn of their course to officiate in the temple; now to these, as well as to thos... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THUS DID HEZEKIAH THROUGHOUT ALL JUDAH,.... Settled the courses of the priests and Levites, and made a provision for them and their families: AND WROUGHT THAT WHICH WAS GOOD AND RIGHT AND TRUTH BEFORE THE LORD HIS GOD: or did that which was truly right and good, according to the law and will of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN EVERY WORK THAT HE BEGAN IN THE SERVICE OF THE HOUSE OF GOD,.... In cleansing the temple, providing sacrifices, placing the priests and Levites order, taking care of the maintenance of them, AND IN THE LAW AND IN THE COMMANDMENTS; in the observation of all the laws, statutes, and judgments o... [ Continue Reading ]