The Second Book of the Chronicles
2 Chronicles 30
Chapter XXX · Vol. II, pp. 880–881
1 Hezekiah proclaimeth a solemn passover on the second month for Judah and Israel. 13 The assembly, having destroyed the altars of idolatry in Jerusalem, keep the feast fourteen days. 27 The priests and Levites bless the people.
1 And Hezekiah sent to all aIsrael and Judah, and wrote letters also to bEphraim and Manasseh,1 that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to ckeep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.
a ch.11.13,16.
b Ten tribes, ch.25.7.
1 Ephraim and Manasseh lay contiguous to Jerusalem, but not nearer than Reuben and Gad, and not so near as Simeon and Dan. Three reasons seem to have produced this special notice of the invitation to Ephraim, of which Manasseh was a dependency, as Benjamin was of Judah. (1) After Judah Ephraim was the greatest tribe. (2) It seems to have been the most hopelessly addicted to idolatry, and therefore its omission might have been expected, Ho.4.17; 13.1. (3) The king, by his pious and energetic letter, seeks to aid the noble efforts of Hosea for the reformation and salvation of his country. This special invitation to Ephraim seems to have arisen from the partial reformation produced by the preaching of Hosea, ch.13.12; 14.8, in which Manasseh, a dependency of Ephraim, as Benjamin was of Judah, had, most probably, participated. See Ps.80.2.—C.
2 For the king had dtaken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover ein the second month.2
d 1 Ch.13.1. Pr.11.14; 15.22; 24.6.
e Nu.9.10,11.
2 So it was provided that, in cases of uncleanness or temporary absence, the passover might be held in the second month instead of the first. Compare Ex.12.2,18 with Nu.9.10,11.—C.
3 For they could not keep it at fthat time, because the priests ghad not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
f ch.29.3,17. Ex.12.3,6,18. Le.23.5.
g ch.29.34.
4 And the thing pleased the king3 and all the congregation.
3 Heb. was right in the eyes of the king.
5 So they established a decree to make proclamation hthroughout all Israel, from 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 as it was written.
6 So the posts4 went with the letters from5 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.6
4 Literally 'the runners;' they were king's messengers rather than posts. The soldiers of the king's guard were employed in this service.—P.
5 Heb. from the hand.
6 This implies that a portion of the people of the northern kingdom had already been carried off captive by the king of Assyria. This took place during the reign of Pekah, when Pul and Tiglath-pileser made captives of the tribes east of the Jordan, and portions of the northern tribes, 2 Ki.15.29. 1 Ch.5.26.—P.
7 And 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,7 as ye see.
7 The poverty and misery of a country are always to be traced to the sins of that country, which may be either personal, as lewdness, drunkenness, lying, dishonesty; conventional, as quarrelsomeness, conspiracies, seditions; or judicial, as partiality, injustice, oppression. Some of these may exist apart, but are generally found united, for they almost necessarily generate one another, and in every form they originate from neglecting or despising the word and the worship of God.—C.
8 Now be ye not stiff-necked,i as your fathers were, but jyield 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.
i Heb. harden not your necks.
j Heb. give the hand, 1 Ch.29.24. Ezr.10.19.
9 For 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.
10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they rlaughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
11 Nevertheless sdivers of Asher, and Manasseh, and of Zebulun, humbled 9themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
s Ac.17.34. ch.11.16; ver.18.
9 There are some to mock at every attempted reformation, and at every message from God; this, however, should never lead any one to be 'weary in well-doing;' for there are still some who will hear (see ver.18), even as 'some mocked' when Paul preached Jesus and the resurrection; but Dionysius and Damaris, with others, clave to him, and believed, Ac.17.32,34.—C.
12 Also in Judah the thand 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.1
t Ps.110.3. Ex.12.6. Ac.2.46. Je.32.39.
1 The true theory of all government. In the people one heart—by grace, the gift of God—implicit obedience to the king and the princes, the constituted authorities; but these authorities legislating for God, and requiring nothing of the people without or beyond the authority and sanction of 'the word of the Lord.'—C.
13 And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread uin the second month, a very great congregation.
u Nu.9.10,11. ver.2,3,15,17,18. Ex.23.17.
14 And they arose and took away the xaltars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.
x ch.28.14; 29.16. Is.2.17-21.
15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the ypriests and the Levites were ashamed,2 and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt-offerings into the house of the LORD.
16 And they stood in their place3 after their manner, zaccording to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.
17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore athe Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.4
a ch.29.34; 35.11.
4 Many of those who assembled at Jerusalem to keep the feast had not prepared for it by ceremonial purification. They were probably ignorant of the minute requirements of the law. On being fully instructed after reaching Jerusalem, the heads of families found that they could not themselves slay the paschal lambs, because they were unclean. In all such cases the Levites acted in their stead, and the priests received the blood from the Levites and sprinkled it on the altar.—P.
18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, bhad not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written: but Hezekiah cprayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one
b Nu.19.20. 1 Co.11.28.
c Ge.20.7,17. Ja.5.16. Is.45.11.
19 That dprepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the epurification of the sanctuary.5
d ch.19.3. Ps.51.16,17; 10.17.
5 The end of all outward ceremonial purification was to reach the heart—means to an end. But we may not neglect the means under pretence that if the end be gained all is well. Hezekiah prayed, and God pardoned; but the very act of pardon proved the sin to be pardoned, so that the case is an evidence of mercy in God, and not an example to encourage neglect of his outward ordinances.—C.
20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and fhealed the people.
f Ja.5.16,17. Ps.103.3. Is.57.18.
21 And the children of Israel that were present6 at Jerusalem kept gthe feast of unleavened bread seven days hwith great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments7 unto the LORD.
6 Heb. found.
g Ex.12.15. Le.23.6. 1 Co.5.7,8.
h Ne.8.10. ch.7.10; 29.36; ver.26.
A.M. 3278. B.C. 726.
7 Heb. instruments of strength.
22 And Hezekiah spake icomfortably unto all the Levites that taught the kgood knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace-offerings, and makingl confession to the LORD God of their fathers.
23 And the whole assembly took counsel tom keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.8
m 1 Ki.8.65.
8 Not another passover, but seven days of 'peace-offerings and confession to the Lord God of their fathers' (ver. 22), whom they had idolatrously forsaken, and to whose worship they now returned with gladness.—C.
24 For Hezekiah king of Judah ndid 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 oa great number of priests sanctified themselves.
n ch.35.7,8.
o ch.29.34.
25 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangersp that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.9
p Proselytes, Ex.12.48,49, with 43.
9 Three classes are mentioned as having kept the feast:—1. The whole people of Judah, i.e. of the southern kingdom, with the whole body of the priests and Levites. 2. All who joined them out of the northern kingdom, being Israelites. 3. Strangers, or proselytes, who had taken their abode within the bounds either of the northern or southern kingdom, and who conformed to the Jewish ritual.—P.
26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the qtime of Solomon, the son of David king of Israel, there was not the like in Jerusalem.1
q 1 Ki.8.65. ch.7.8,9.
1 The superiority of this passover to any solemnity since the days of Solomon, lay not merely in the additional seven days then also observed, 1 Ki.8.65; but also in the concourse of the tribes, that since the separation from Rehoboam, and the erection of the idols at Bethel and Dan, had never been so great or so encouraging as upon this occasion, 1 Ki.12.16,26-33. See also 2 Ch.16.1.—C.
Notes
[Ver. 1. It appears to me from the scope of the passage, that Ephraim and Manasseh are here mentioned not in their individual capacity, but as the representatives of the whole northern kingdom, just as Judah was the representative of the southern kingdom. Instead of addressing letters to each separate tribe, Hezekiah wrote to the chiefs of the two kingdoms. But in addition to this formal invitation, his messengers were instructed to go through all the cities of the land, and to address urgent verbal invitations to the whole people. P.]
Reflections.—God's ordinances ought not to be neglected on account of a mere circumstance. It is best to engage people to duty when they are in a proper temper. And we ought to stir up all whom we can to the worship and service of God, and that by the most engaging motives; representing to them the mercies and judgments of God, and his promises and threatenings. It is never too late for sinners to return while the calls of mercy are continued: and it is only impenitence persisted in that becomes fatal. If we do all that we can to encourage them, their blood must be on their own heads if they obstinately refuse. Better that our invitations should be derided than that God should be dishonoured, and one soul murdered by our sloth. And though few are saved, a remnant shall hear, fear, and humble themselves, and return to the Lord. What a shame it is when, on the contrary, ministers, through their inactivity, hinder the people in the service of God! But pleasant is the work when the worshippers of God have such delight in his service that they grudge neither cost nor time for it, and can hardly bear its conclusion. And God in mercy will provide his people with useful ministers, when many, who ought to be such, are scandalously negligent. He is a God of infinite grace; ready to accept our sincere confessions of our sins, hear our prayers, and forgive our transgressions. If we are but sincerely desirous to honour him he will, through the blood of his Son, readily pardon our manifold infirmities. Yea, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; who presents our persons and our services, and renders all acceptable in his sight.