THE SECOND BOOK OF THE
CHRONICLES

2 Chronicles 30

1Hezekiah proclaimeth a solemn passover to be kept in the second month, and calleth all Judah and Israel to the celebration of it. 13The assembly, having destroyed the altars of idolatry in Jerusalem, keep the feast fourteen days. 27The priests bless the people.


1AND Hezekiah 1sent to 2all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to 3Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the 4passover unto the LORD God of Israel.

1 Namely, messengers or ambassadors.

2 Namely, who were under his dominion. See 2 Chron. 15 on verse 17; 2 Chron. 21 on verse 2.

3 And the other ten tribes, verse 5, who yet were left in the land, and were rather in a loving and friendly way invited by him than as the rest, by way of authority commanded to appear at this feast.

4 See Lev. 23 on verse 5.

2For the king had taken counsel, and his 5princes, and 6all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover 7in the seconda month.

5 That is, counselors.

6 That is, those who represented the entire congregation as the commissioners of the priests, and the fathers of the families who dwelt at Jerusalem. See 2 Chron. 19:8.

7 The customary time of the feast of Passover was the fourteenth day of the first month, Exod. 12:5; Num. 9:5, but when a lawful impediment happened, whereby the Passover could not be kept that day, then it was to be kept in the month following, that is, of the fourteenth day of the second month, Num. 9:11. Now for as much as the priests and Levites were employed the first month in cleaning the temple, which they finished not till the sixteenth day of the same month, 2 Chron. 29:17, in that respect they could not keep the customary time, and therefore chose the extraordinary time for the celebration of the Passover, which was a month after.

a Num. 9:10.

3For they could not keep it 8at that time, 9because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

8 Namely, when they were busy in cleaning the temple; which time was the customary time to keep the Passover.

9 Two causes are here yet added why the Passover could not be kept at the usual time: I. because, in the time of the cleansing of the temple, the priests themselves were not all sanctified, or, the sanctified ones were not fully sanctified; II. because at that time the people were not yet gathered together from all parts or places mentioned in verse 1.

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

5So they 10established a decree to make 11proclamation throughout all Israel, 12from Beer-sheba 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 13as it was written.

10 Or, they decreed. Hebr. made the word or the thing to stand.

11 Or, voice; namely, of declaration or proclamation. Also Exod. 36:6. See the annotation at 1 Kings 22 on verse 36.

12 That is, from the south end of the land of Canaan to the north end. See Judges 20:1; 1 Kings 4 on verse 25.

13 Or, was prescribed; that is, as the Lord had appointed and commanded the same in His law. Also verse 18.

6So the 14postsb 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 15return to the 16remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand 17of the kings of Assyria.

14 That is, the runners or messengers. Also verse 10.

b messenger carrying letters*

15 God is said to turn Himself unto people, when He is gracious unto them, coming to them with His favors and mercies, from whom He seemed to have been separated by His punishments. Psalm 90:13; Zech. 1:3.

16 Hebr. escaping. Also 2 Kings 19:30, 31. See the annotation.

17 Namely, of Pul, 2 Kings 15:19; 1 Chron. 5:26, and of Tiglath-pileser, 2 Kings 15:29; 2 Chron. 28:20.

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 18to desolation, as ye see.

18 Compare 2 Chron. 29:8.

8Now be ye not 19stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but 20yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into 21his sanctuary, which he hath 22sanctified 23for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

19 See of this phrase Exod. 32 on verse 9.

20 Hebr. give the hand; that is, be ye obedient and faithful unto Him; spoken by way of comparison, as the giving of the hand is so used among men. Also 1 Chron. 29:24; Ezra 10:19; Jer. 50:15. Some take it in this sense: Give the hand unto the LORD, that is, give unto Him the glory of His power.

21 That is, into His temple, where they were to appear in the court of the people.

22 See Lev. 8 on verse 10.

23 See Gen. 13 on verse 15.

9For if ye turn again unto the LORD, 24your brethren and your children shall find 25compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: forc the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

24 See at the end of verse 6.

25 Hebr. shall be unto mercy.

c Exod. 34:6.

10So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but 26they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

26 Namely, the Israelites.

11Nevertheless divers 27of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

27 That is, of the tribe of Asher, and of Manasseh, etc.

12Also in Judah 28the hand of God was to give them one 29heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by 30the word of the LORD.

28 That is, the powerful working and operation of God. The sense is: that God by His Spirit did effectually work a good affection or inclination in their hearts to obey this pious command of the king.

29 That is, affection, inclination, will, purpose. Compare 1 Chron. 12:17; Jer. 32:39; Acts 4:32.

30 Namely, whereby it was commanded to keep the feast of the Passover, Exod. 12:6; Lev. 23:5; Num. 9:5.

13¶And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the 31second month, a 32very great congregation.

31 See on verse 2.

32 Hebr. in or to multitude greatly.

14And they arose and took away the 33altars that were in Jerusalem, and all 34the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.

33 Understand the idolatrous altars, which Ahaz, against the Word of God, had set up here and there in the streets in Jerusalem to offer thereupon animals unto idols, 2 Chron. 28:24.

34 Or, incense-instruments; as vessels of incense, pans, bowls. Other, altars for incense; or, places for incense.

15Then they killed the 35passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and 36the priests and the Levites were 37ashamed, and 38sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.

35 That is, the paschal lamb. See Exod. 12 on verse 21.

36 Namely, those who beforehand had not sanctified themselves. See verse 3; 2 Chron. 29:34.

37 Namely, about their negligence, when they saw that the zeal, not only of their companions but also of the congregation, was greater in this business than theirs.

38 See 2 Chron. 29 on verse 5.

16And they stood 39in 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.

39 That is, in their due places, which were appointed to them by God. Compare 2 Chron. 35:10.

17For there were many in the congregation that were not sanc-tified: 40therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing 41of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.

40 The sense is, in as much as every father of the family was to kill his paschal lamb in his own house, Exod. 12:3, and that many had not hallowed themselves for it, that therefore the Levites had to do this work in their stead

41 Hebr. pesachim; that is, of the passings by, or, of the passovers. Understand the lambs that were killed in remembrance of the angel’s passing by, or passing over, Exod. 12:13.

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 42otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD 43pardon every one

42 See on verse 5.

43 He prays that the Lord would forgive them their uncleanness, and that He would work in them the spiritual sanctification by His Spirit. Other, reconcile forever everyone that prepareth his heart, etc.

19That 44prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the 45purification of the sanctuary.

44 See 2 Chron. 19 on verse 3.

45 Understand the ceremonial, which is here distinguished from the moral, consisting in a firm and settled resolution of heart to seek God.

20And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and 46healed the people.

46 That is, He forgave them their sins, and sanctified them by His Spirit, and punished them not for their ceremonial uncleanness. Others understand this of the curing of some bodily disease, which God would have sent upon the people, because they had not cleansed themselves. Compare 1 Cor. 11:30.

21And the children of Israel that were 47present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD 48day by day, singing 49with loud instruments unto the LORD.

47 Hebr. found; that is, were present there, and were come to this feast.

48 That is, as long as the feast lasted. Also 2 Chron. 31:1.

49 Hebr. with instruments of strength, that is, which gave a great sound, such as is the sound of trumpets. Other, praising with instruments the power of the LORD.

22And Hezekiah spake 50comfortably unto all the Levites 51that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and 52they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.

50 That is, what was acceptable unto them, and most delightful to hear. See Gen. 34 on verse 3.

51 That is, of the things that belonged to the service of the Lord. Other, that taught the good knowledge of the Lord, or, that gave heed to the good knowledge of the Lord.

52 Namely, those who kept the feast of the Passover. Hebr. they did eat the set feast, that is, the sacrifices that were to be eaten on the feast day. Also 2 Kings 18:31, every man to eat his vine, and his fig tree is to eat the fruit thereof.

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

24Ford Hezekiah king of Judah 53did 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 54sanctified themselves.

d 2 Chron. 35:7.

53 Hebr. lifted up for the congregation. Also in the sequel; that is, gave or presented to the congregation to be offered; also Num. 31:28; 2 Chron. 35:7, 8. The sense is, that these animals were given to the congregation by the king and his princes for thank offerings for them, whereof they then also had their share to eat it with joy and rejoicing before the Lord.

54 Namely, that they might be suitable to offer the aforementioned animals unto the Lord.

25And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of 55Israel, and 56the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.

55 Out of the ten tribes. See verses 11 and 18.

56 Who were by descent no Israelites, nor Jews, but notwithstanding were converted to the true God and were circumcised, and so incorporated among the people of God. Otherwise they were not permitted to eat of the Passover, Exod. 12:48.

26So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for 57since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.

57 The meaning is, those being excluded, that is, from the time of Rehoboam, in which Israel had rent themselves from Judah and had not kept with them such a Passover.

27¶Then the 58priests the Levites arose and 59blessed the people: and their voice 60was heard, and their prayer came up 61to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.

58 That is, descended from Levi.

59 According to that charge given to the priests, Num. 6:23.

60 Namely, of God, and that according to His promises, Num. 6:27.

61 Hebr. to the dwelling place of His holiness, namely, of the Lord, that is, to His holy dwelling place.