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2
Chronicles Chapter Thirty
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 30
Hezekiah
having consulted his nobles about keeping the passover the second month, and
determined upon it, sent messengers throughout Israel and Judah, to acquaint
them with it, at which some mocked, and others seriously attended to it, 2 Chronicles 30:1
so it was celebrated in a solemn manner, though some were not qualified for it
according to the law, and for whose pardon Hezekiah prayed, and it was granted,
2 Chronicles 30:13,
also the feast of unleavened bread was kept seven days, and a festival of seven
days more was likewise observed with great joy and gladness, 2 Chronicles 30:21.
2 Chronicles
30:1 And Hezekiah
sent to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh,
that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the
Passover to the Lord
God of Israel.
YLT
1And Hezekiah sendeth unto
all Israel and Judah, and also letters he hath written unto Ephraim and
Manasseh, to come in to the house of Jehovah in Jerusalem, to make a passover
to Jehovah, God of Israel.
And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah,.... Sent
messengers to them, not only to the subjects of his own kingdom, Judah, but to
all the Israelites that dwelt in it, who were come thither for the sake of
religion, and the worship of God:
and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh; which are put
for all the ten tribes, as appears from 2 Chronicles 30:10
and are distinguished from Israel in the preceding clause:
that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem; not that he
laid his commands upon them to come, they not being his subjects, namely, those
of the ten tribes; but he hereby admonished them of their duty, and gave them a
kind invitation, signifying the doors of the temple were open for them, and
they were welcome to come thither:
to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel; to the glory
of his name, who was the common Lord of them all, and whose command it was to
keep the passover, and that at Jerusalem, and nowhere else, see Deuteronomy 16:1.
2 Chronicles
30:2 2 For
the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep
the Passover in the second month.
YLT
2And the king taketh
counsel, and his heads, and all the assembly in Jerusalem, to make the passover
in the second month,
For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the
congregation in Jerusalem,.... He and his nobles, and the great
sanhedrim or senate of the nation, had consulted together:
to keep the passover in the second month; in the month
Ijar, as the Targum, because they could not keep it in the first month, as it
should have been kept, according to the law of God, for the reasons following.
2 Chronicles
30:3 3 For
they could not keep it at the regular time,[a] because a
sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people
gathered together at Jerusalem.
YLT
3for they have not been able
to make it at that time, for the priests have not sanctified themselves
sufficiently, and the people have not been gathered to Jerusalem.
For they could not keep it at the time,.... In the
month Nisan, as the Targum adds, on the fourteenth day of the month, as the law
enjoined, because the cleansing of the temple was not finished until the
sixteenth day, see 2 Chronicles 29:17
and, besides this, two other reasons follow:
because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently; that is, a
sufficient number of them were not sanctified, to slay all the passover lambs
the people that came to the feast would want:
neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem; they had no
notice of it, nor summons for it; and it was required that, at such a time, all
the males in the land should appear at Jerusalem; but this custom having been
long disused, it required time to acquaint them of the revival of it.
2 Chronicles
30:4 4 And
the matter pleased the king and all the assembly.
YLT
4And the thing is right in
the eyes of the king, and in the eyes of all the assembly,
And the thing pleased the king, and all the congregation. They all
unanimously agreed to it, and determined it should be done.
2 Chronicles
30:5 5 So
they resolved to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to
Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel
at Jerusalem, since they had not done it for a long time in the prescribed
manner.
YLT
5and they establish the
thing, to cause to pass over an intimation into all Israel, from Beer-Sheba
even unto Dan, to come in to make a passover to Jehovah, God of Israel, in
Jerusalem, for not for a long time had they done as it is written.
So they established a decree, to make proclamation throughout all
Israel,.... Passed a vote, that heralds should be appointed and sent to
proclaim it throughout the land, that all might know it, and none plead
ignorance:
from Beersheba even to Dan; the one being the
southern and the other the northern boundary of the whole land of Israel:
that they should come to keep the passover unto the Lord God of
Israel at Jerusalem: the only proper place where it was to be kept:
for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was
written; as prescribed in the law those of the ten tribes had not
observed it from the time of the schism of Jeroboam, and many in the kingdom of
Judah had neglected it, at least had not kept it as the law required; for the
phrase which we render "of a long time" rather respects a multitude
of persons than length of time, who had been very deficient in their observance
of this ordinance; the Targum is, that"many had not done it in its time,
in Nisan,'and suggests that it was kept twice this year, first in Nisan by a
few, and now again in the second month Ijar, and which is the sense of some
Talmudic writersF16T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 12. 2. , but has no
foundation in the text.
2 Chronicles 30:6 6 Then the runners went
throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the king and his leaders,
and spoke according to the command of the king: “Children of Israel, return to
the Lord
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; then He will return to the remnant of you
who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.
YLT
6And the runners go with
letters from the hand of the king and his heads, into all Israel and Judah,
even according to the command of the king, saying, `O sons of Israel, turn back
unto Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and He doth turn back unto the
escaped part that is left of you from the hand of the kings of Asshur;
So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes
throughout all Israel and Judah,.... Both through the kingdoms of the ten
tribes of Israel, and the kingdom of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin:
and according to the commandment of the king, saying; so they were
ordered by the king to say, when they delivered the letters which by the king's
commandment they carried; or this was the purport of them, as follows,
especially of those that were sent to the ten tribes:
ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Israel; from whom they had revolted, and from whose worship they had
departed, by setting up and serving the calves at Dan and Bethel:
and he will return to the remnant of you that are escaped out of
the hand of the king of Assyria; Pul and Tiglathpileser, who had both
invaded their land, and the latter had taken many of their cities, and carried
the inhabitants captive, 2 Kings 15:19.
2 Chronicles 30:7 7 And do not be like your
fathers and your brethren, who trespassed against the Lord God of their
fathers, so that He gave them up to desolation, as you see.
YLT
7and do not be like your
fathers, and like your brethren, who trespassed against Jehovah, God of their
fathers, and He giveth them to desolation, as ye do see.
And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which
trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers,.... By worshipping the
calves, and neglecting the service of God in the temple at Jerusalem; the
Targum is,"which acted deceitfully with the Word of the Lord their
God:"
who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see; some part of
the land of Israel being already made desolate by the kings of Assyria, which
was very visible.
2 Chronicles 30:8 8 Now do not be
stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord; and enter His
sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God, that
the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you.
YLT
8`Now, harden not your neck
like your fathers, give a hand to Jehovah, and come in to His sanctuary, that
He hath sanctified to the age, and serve Jehovah your God, and the fierceness
of His anger doth turn back from you;
Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were,.... Obstinate
and refractory, like heifers unaccustomed to the yoke, which draw back from it,
and will not submit to it:
but yield yourselves unto the Lord; be subject unto him, or
"give the hand"F17תנו יד "date manum", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. to
him, as a token of subjection and homage, or of entering into covenant with
him, promising for the future to serve and obey him:
and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever; set apart for
worship and service, until the Messiah should come:
and serve the Lord your God; there, in the temple,
according to his prescribed will:
that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you; which had
already broke out, in suffering the Assyrians to invade their land, and
distress them.
2 Chronicles 30:9 9 For if you return to the Lord, your brethren
and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them
captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the Lord your God is
gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return
to Him.”
YLT
9for in your turning back
unto Jehovah, your brethren and your sons have mercies before their captors,
even to return to this land, for gracious and merciful [is] Jehovah your God,
and He doth not turn aside the face from you, if ye turn back unto Him.'
For if ye turn again unto the Lord,.... To the fear or
worship of the Lord, as the Targum:
your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them
that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land; who had been
carried away by Tiglathpileser, see Psalm 106:46,
for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful; so he had
proclaimed his name, as they must know, Exodus 34:6,
and will not turn away his face from you; in wrath and
anger; or withdraw his Shecaniah from you, as the Targum; his gracious and
glorious presence:
if ye return unto him; his fear and worship, as
the same paraphrase.
2 Chronicles 30:10 10 So the runners passed from
city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun;
but they laughed at them and mocked them.
YLT
10And the runners are passing
over from city to city, in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, even unto Zebulun:
and they are laughing at them, and mocking at them,
So the posts passed from city to city, through the country of
Ephraim and Manasseh, even unto Zebulun,.... Through all the ten
tribes, not being hindered or forbid by Hoshea king of Israel, who was one of
the best of their kings, and was very willing his people should go and worship
at Jerusalem if they thought fit; so that they had no excuse to make, as
before, that they were forbid by their king going thither; and which it is very
probable Hezekiah knew, and therefore took the freedom to send posts throughout
his kingdom:
but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them; the
messengers that brought the letters, the contents of which they despised, and
paid no regard to; this was the behaviour of many, and probably of the greater
part, but not of all, as follows.
2 Chronicles 30:11 11 Nevertheless some from
Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.
YLT
11only, certain from Asher,
and Manasseh, and from Zebulun, have been humbled, and come in to Jerusalem.
Nevertheless, divers of Asher, and Manasseh, and of Zebulun, humbled
themselves,.... Confessed their idolatries and impieties, and expressed
sorrow and repentance for them, and were willing to obey the commands of God,
and attend his worship and ordinances:
and came to Jerusalem; to keep the passover.
2 Chronicles 30:12 12 Also the hand of God was
on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and
the leaders, at the word of the Lord.
YLT
12Also, in Judah hath the
hand of God been to give to them one heart to do the command of the king and of
the heads, in the matter of Jehovah;
Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart,.... To make
them unanimous in this service, hearty and willing to it, to a man, which was
owing to the power and efficacy of divine grace:
to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word
of the Lord; to keep the passover, which they did not only in obedience to
their superiors, and their orders, but considering these as agreeable to the
word and will of God.
2 Chronicles 30:13 13 Now many people, a very
great assembly, gathered at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in
the second month.
YLT
13and much people are
gathered to Jerusalem, to make the feast of unleavened things in the second
month -- a mighty assembly for multitude.
And there assembled at Jerusalem much people,.... Out of
the several tribes:
to keep the feast of unleavened bread: the passover,
which was eaten with unleavened bread:
in the second month: the month Ijar:
a very great congregation; such as had not been
seen on such an occasion for many years.
2 Chronicles 30:14 14 They arose and took away
the altars that were in Jerusalem, and they took away all the incense
altars and cast them into the Brook Kidron.
YLT
14And they arise and turn
aside the altars that [are] in Jerusalem, and all the perfume altars they have
turned aside, and cast [them] to the brook Kidron;
And they arose,.... Before they slew and ate the passover:
and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem; which Ahaz
had set up in every corner of Jerusalem, to offer sacrifices upon, 2 Chronicles 28:24.
and all the altars for incense took they away; for as there
were some to offer sacrifices on, there were others to burn incense upon, not
to the Lord, but to idols, as the Targum adds:
and cast them into the brook Kidron; having reduced them to
dust and ashes, see 2 Chronicles 29:16.
2 Chronicles 30:15 15 Then they slaughtered the
Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the second month. The
priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought
the burnt offerings to the house of the Lord.
YLT
15and they slaughter the
passover-offering on the fourteenth of the second month, and the priests and
the Levites have been ashamed, and sanctify themselves, and bring in
burnt-offerings to the house of Jehovah.
Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second
month,.... For though they could not keep it in the month in which it
should have been kept, for the reasons before given, yet they kept it on the
day of the month in which it was observed:
and the priests and the Levites were ashamed; of their
negligence and backwardness to service, and to fit themselves for it, when they
saw the people so forward and ready to attend to it:
and they sanctified themselves; by washing their bodies
and their garments:
and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord; to be offered
up on the altar of burnt offerings, to expiate their own sins, and the sins of
the people; though some take these to be the passover offerings; but they were
not offered until the fifteenth day, and besides were peace offerings,
mentioned 2 Chronicles 30:22,
rather these were the daily sacrifices.
2 Chronicles 30:16 16 They stood in their place
according to their custom, according to the Law of Moses the man of God; the
priests sprinkled the blood received from the hand of the Levites.
YLT
16And they stand on their
station according to their ordinance; according to the law of Moses the man of
God the priests are sprinkling the blood out of the hand of the Levites,
And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the
law of Moses the man of God,.... The priests in their place, and the
Levites in theirs, in which they were ordered to stand when they offered
sacrifice:
the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of
the hand of the Levites; the blood either of the burnt offerings before
mentioned, or of the passover lambs, which the Levites slew, and received the
blood of them in basins; and which the priests took of them, and sprinkled, not
on the door posts of houses, as in Egypt, but on the altar round about, and
which none but priests might do, Leviticus 1:5.
2 Chronicles 30:17 17 For there were many
in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves; therefore the Levites had
charge of the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was
not clean, to sanctify them to the Lord.
YLT
17for many [are] in the
assembly who have not sanctified themselves, and the Levites [are] over the
slaughtering of the passover-offerings for every one not clean, to sanctify
[him] to Jehovah:
For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified,.... Or
purified from uncleanness, contracted either by idolatry, or through such
things which, according to the ceremonial law, made them unclean, and from
which they had not now time to cleanse themselves according to the law:
therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the
passovers for everyone that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the Lord; this they did
for the masters of families, who were ceremonially unclean, who otherwise might
have killed their passover lambs themselves, see Exodus 12:6, but
now the Levites did it for them, that their passovers might be sanctified and
consecrated to the Lord; for, as Philo the Jew saysF18De Vita Mosis,
l. 3. p. 686. & de Decalogo, p. 766. , one day in a year the whole
sacrificed, everyone acted as a priest, and brought and slew his own sacrifice,
meaning at the passover.
2 Chronicles 30:18 18 For a multitude of the
people, many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed
themselves, yet they ate the Passover contrary to what was written. But
Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord provide
atonement for everyone
YLT
18for a multitude of the
people, many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, have not been
cleansed, but have eaten the passover otherwise than it is written; but
Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, `Jehovah, who [is] good, doth receive
atonement for every one
For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh,
Issachar and Zebulun,.... All which were of the ten tribes, where idolatry had
prevailed for a long time:
had not cleansed themselves; from impurity contracted
by idolatry and other things:
yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written; because they
ate it in their uncleanness, which was not according to the law, that required
that such should be clean that ate of any holy things, see John 18:28 but
since these people came a great way off, and there was no deferring it to
another month, the king chose rather they should be admitted to eat of it,
though in their uncleanness:
but Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, the good Lord pardon
everyone; God, who is gracious and merciful, and of his goodness, grace,
and mercy, forgive such who, though ceremonially unclean, ate of the passover,
and especially since they were sincere and cordial in their services; and
therefore he hoped that this breach of the ceremonial law would not be laid to
their charge. Goodness is such a well known attribute of God, that the very
Heathens ascribe it to their deities; hence we read of a temple of the
"good god", the gods being the givers of good things to men; Jupiter,
or Jove, the supreme god, is supposed to be meantF19Pausan.
Arcadica, sive, l. 8. p. 513. Vid. Ciceronem de Nat. Deor. l. 3. prope finem. .
2 Chronicles 30:19 19 who
prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers,
though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the
sanctuary.”
YLT
19who hath prepared his heart
to seek God -- Jehovah, God of his fathers -- yet not according to the
cleansing of the sanctuary;'
That prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers,.... Who was
heartily desirous of worshipping God, and observing his ordinances, which had
been enjoined their fathers, and they had kept; though Aben Ezra, as Kimchi
observes, refers this to Hezekiah:
whose whole heart he directed, or prepared to seek the Lord, &c. by
prayer and supplication for everyone of the said persons:
though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the
sanctuary: according to the ceremonial law, which the service of the temple
required; since, though they were attended with a ceremonial impurity, had a
moral purity, and their hearts were right with God.
2 Chronicles 30:20 20 And the Lord listened to
Hezekiah and healed the people.
YLT
20and Jehovah hearkeneth unto
Hezekiah, and healeth the people.
And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah,.... Heard his prayer,
and accepted of it, and granted what he desired:
and healed his people; that is, forgave their
sins, as Kimchi interprets it; forgiveness being expressed by healing, for
which he refers to Psalm 41:4 to which
may be added Psalm 103:3 and
which was known either by a prophet sent to declare it, or by not punishing
them for their offence.
2 Chronicles 30:21 21 So the children of Israel
who 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
to the Lord,
accompanied by loud instruments.
YLT
21And the sons of Israel,
those found in Jerusalem, make the feast of unleavened things seven days with
great joy; and giving praise to Jehovah day by day are the Levites and the
priests, with instruments of praise before Jehovah.
And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the
feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness,.... Which,
according to the law of Moses, were always to follow the passover, Exodus 12:18.
and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day,
singing with loud instruments unto the Lord; or instruments of
strengthF20בכלי עז
"cum instrumentis fortitudinis", Vatablus. ; so called not from the
matter of them, or manner in which they were made, but either from the sound of
them, as our version, or from the strength and power of God, which they set
forth in praise; the Targum is,"with instruments of praise,'and so the
word is sometimes used, see Psalm 8:2 compared
with Matthew 21:16, the
priests blew with trumpets, and the Levites played on harps, psalteries,
&c. and this they did every day when the sacrifices were offered, during
the seven days of unleavened bread.
2 Chronicles 30:22 22 And Hezekiah gave
encouragement to all the Levites who taught the good knowledge of the Lord; and they ate
throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings and making confession
to the Lord
God of their fathers.
YLT
22And Hezekiah speaketh unto
the heart of all the Levites, those giving good understanding concerning
Jehovah, and they eat the appointed thing seven days; sacrificing sacrifices of
peace-offerings, and making confession to Jehovah, God of their fathers.
And Hezekiah spake comfortably to all the Levites,.... Or
"to the heart"F21על לב "ad cor", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. of them,
such things as were very encouraging to them to go on in the work and worship
of God, commending their singing, exhorting them to diligence in instructing
the people, promising them his favour and protection:
even those that taught the good knowledge of the Lord; who
instructed the people well in his word, worship, and ordinances; though some
restrain this to their skill in singing the praises of God, both vocally and
instrumentally, and their abilities and diligence in teaching others:
and they did eat throughout the feast: or did eat
the feast; that is, the sacrifices of it; not the Levites only, but the king,
and all the congregation:
offering peace offerings; part of which belonged
to the Lord, another part to the priests, and a third to the offerers, on which
they feasted with their friends; and this they did throughout all the seven
days of the feast:
and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers; confessing
their sins of omission and commission they had been guilty of; owning the
goodness, grace, and mercy of God towards them; blessing and praising his name
for the restoration of his worship and ordinances among them.
2 Chronicles 30:23 23 Then the whole assembly
agreed to keep the feast another seven days, and they kept it another
seven days with gladness.
YLT
23And all the assembly take
counsel to keep other seven days, and they keep seven days [with] joy;
And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days,.... They
consulted among themselves, and with the king and his nobles about it, who all
agreed to it:
and they kept other seven days with gladness; not
altogether in the same manner they had kept the preceding seven days; they did
not slay and eat passover lambs, nor did they eat unleavened bread, but offered
peace offerings, and feasted upon them; and sung the praises of God, and
attended to the instructions of the priests and Levites, being in a very
agreeable frame of mind for religious exercises.
2 Chronicles 30:24 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah
gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep, and the leaders
gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and a great
number of priests sanctified themselves.
YLT
24for Hezekiah king of Judah
hath presented to the assembly a thousand bullocks, and seven thousand sheep;
and the heads have presented to the assembly bullocks a thousand, and sheep ten
thousand; and priests sanctify themselves in abundance.
For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation one
thousand bullocks, and seven thousand sheep,.... He separated them,
as Kimchi interprets it, from his own herds and flocks; or out of his own
substance, at his own expense purchased them; or lifted them up, as the word
signifies, as heave offerings to the Lord; and gave them to the people for
thank offerings to feast upon:
and the princes gave to the congregation one thousand bullocks,
and ten thousand sheep: for the same purposes, following the king's example:
and a great number of priests sanctified themselves; besides those
who had before, that they might be fit to offer this great number of
sacrifices.
2 Chronicles 30:25 25 The whole assembly of Judah
rejoiced, also the priests and Levites, all the assembly that came from Israel,
the sojourners who came from the land of Israel, and those who dwelt in Judah.
YLT
25And all the assembly of
Judah rejoice, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the assembly, those
coming in from Israel, and the sojourners, those coming in from the land of
Israel, and those dwelling in Judah,
And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and Levites,.... The
people that were gathered together out of the several cities of Judah, which no
doubt was the largest congregation, with whom the priests and Levites are
joined, as being of that kingdom, and dwellers in Jerusalem, where their office
lay:
and all the congregation that came out of Israel; out of the
ten tribes, particularly Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, 2 Chronicles 30:18,
and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah,
rejoiced; the proselytes, even such as were circumcised, who ate of the
passover, and kept the feast of unleavened bread, as well as the other days of
rejoicing, the former of which none might partake of but circumcised persons;
and it can hardly be thought that any other would come out of Israel on such an
occasion, see Exodus 12:48.
2 Chronicles 30:26 26 So there was great joy in
Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there
had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.
YLT
26and there is great joy in
Jerusalem; for from the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there is
not like this in Jerusalem,
So there was great joy in Jerusalem,.... Not merely carnal,
expressed in eating and drinking, and making merry with one another, but
spiritual, on account of the restoration of temple service, and the feasts of
the Lord:
for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel,
there was not the like in Jerusalem; not the like joy, so
spiritual, sincere, and hearty; nor such a number of persons rejoicing together
on such an occasion; nor for so many days together, which were as many as at
the dedication of the temple by Solomon.
2 Chronicles 30:27 27 Then the priests, the
Levites, arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard; and their
prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, to heaven.
YLT
27and the priests, the
Levites, rise and bless the people, and their voice is heard, and their prayer
cometh in to His holy habitation, to the heavens.
Then the priests the Levites arose,.... The priests who were
of the tribe of Levi; for there were some in Israel that were not, but were
made of any of the people, as in the times of Jeroboam; though some supply the
copulative "and"; so the Targum: "and blessed the people";
which was the proper work and business of the priests to do; though, while they
were blessing, the Levites might be singing:
and their voice was heard; meaning not by the
people, though undoubtedly it was, but by the Lord; the Targum is,"their
prayer was heard or received;'for the blessing was delivered in a petitionary
way, Numbers 6:24, and
was no other than a request that God would bless them, which he did:
and their prayer came up to his holy dwellingplace, even unto
heaven; see Psalm 3:4 by what
means it was known their prayer was heard and accepted cannot be said; there
might be some visible token of it, as the people were dismissed, and departed.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)