8 And when Hezekiah H3169 and the princes H8269 came H935 and saw H7200 the heaps, H6194 they blessed H1288 the LORD, H3068 and his people H5971 Israel. H3478
And he blessed H1288 him, and said, H559 Blessed H1288 be Abram H87 of the most high H5945 God, H410 possessor H7069 of heaven H8064 and earth: H776 And blessed H1288 be the most high H5945 God, H410 which hath delivered H4042 thine enemies H6862 into thy hand. H3027 And he gave H5414 him tithes H4643 of all.
And the king H4428 turned H5437 his face H6440 about, H5437 and blessed H1288 all the congregation H6951 of Israel: H3478 (and all the congregation H6951 of Israel H3478 stood;) H5975 And he said, H559 Blessed H1288 be the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 which spake H1696 with his mouth H6310 unto David H1732 my father, H1 and hath with his hand H3027 fulfilled H4390 it, saying, H559
Wherefore David H1732 blessed H1288 the LORD H3068 before H5869 all the congregation: H6951 and David H1732 said, H559 Blessed H1288 be thou, LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 our father, H1 for H5704 ever H5769 and ever. H5769 Thine, O LORD, H3068 is the greatness, H1420 and the power, H1369 and the glory, H8597 and the victory, H5331 and the majesty: H1935 for all that is in the heaven H8064 and in the earth H776 is thine; thine is the kingdom, H4467 O LORD, H3068 and thou art exalted H4984 as head H7218 above all. Both riches H6239 and honour H3519 come of thee, H6440 and thou reignest H4910 over all; and in thine hand H3027 is power H3581 and might; H1369 and in thine hand H3027 it is to make great, H1431 and to give strength H2388 unto all. Now therefore, our God, H430 we thank H3034 thee, and praise H1984 thy glorious H8597 name. H8034 But who am I, and what is my people, H5971 that we should be H6113 able H3581 to offer so willingly H5068 after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own H3027 have we given H5414 thee. For we are strangers H1616 before H6440 thee, and sojourners, H8453 as were all our fathers: H1 our days H3117 on the earth H776 are as a shadow, H6738 and there is none abiding. H4723 O LORD H3068 our God, H430 all this store H1995 that we have prepared H3559 to build H1129 thee an house H1004 for thine holy H6944 name H8034 cometh of thine hand, H3027 and is all thine own. I know H3045 also, my God, H430 that thou triest H974 the heart, H3824 and hast pleasure H7521 in uprightness. H3476 As for me, in the uprightness H4339 of mine heart H3824 I have willingly offered H5068 all these things: and now have I seen H7200 with joy H8057 thy people, H5971 which are present H4672 here, to offer willingly H5068 unto thee. O LORD H3068 God H430 of Abraham, H85 Isaac, H3327 and of Israel, H3478 our fathers, H1 keep H8104 this for ever H5769 in the imagination H3336 of the thoughts H4284 of the heart H3824 of thy people, H5971 and prepare H3559 their heart H3824 unto thee: And give H5414 unto Solomon H8010 my son H1121 a perfect H8003 heart, H3824 to keep H8104 thy commandments, H4687 thy testimonies, H5715 and thy statutes, H2706 and to do H6213 all these things, and to build H1129 the palace, H1002 for the which I have made provision. H3559 And David H1732 said H559 to all the congregation, H6951 Now bless H1288 the LORD H3068 your God. H430 And all the congregation H6951 blessed H1288 the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers, H1 and bowed down their heads, H6915 and worshipped H7812 the LORD, H3068 and the king. H4428
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 31
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 31 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 31
2Ch 31:1-10. The People Forward in Destroying Idolatry.
1. all Israel … present went out to the cities of Judah—The solemnities of this paschal season left a deep and salutary impression on the minds of the assembled worshippers; attachment to the ancient institutions of their country was extensively revived; ardor in the service of God animated every bosom; and under the impulse of the devout feelings inspired by the occasion, they took measures at the close of the passover for extirpating idolatrous statues and altars out of every city, as at the beginning of the festival they had done in Jerusalem.
Judah and Benjamin—denote the southern kingdom.
Ephraim also and Manasseh—refer to the northern kingdom. This unsparing demolition of the monuments of idolatry would receive all encouragement from the king and public authorities of the former; and the force of the popular movement was sufficient to effect the same results among the tribes of Israel, whatever opposition the power of Hoshea or the invectives of some profane brethren might have made. Thus the reign of idolatry being completely overthrown and the pure worship of God re-established throughout the land, the people returned every one to his own home, in the confident expectation that, through the divine blessing, they would enjoy a happy future of national peace and prosperity.
2-5. Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests, &c.—The king now turned his attention to provide for the orderly performance of the temple-worship—arranging the priests and Levites in their courses, assigning to every one his proper place and functions—and issuing edicts for the regular payment of those dues from which the revenues of the sanctuary were derived. To set a proper example to his subjects, his own proportion was announced in the first instance, for to the king it belonged, out of his privy purse, to defray the expenses of the altar, both stated and occasional (Nu 28:3, 4, 9, 11, 19); and in making this contribution from his own means, Hezekiah followed the course which David and Solomon had taken before him (see 2Ch 8:14; 1Ki 9:25). Afterwards he reappointed the people's dues to the temple; and from its being necessary to issue a royal mandate in reference to this matter, it appears that the sacred tribute had been either totally neglected, or (as the idolatrous princes were known to appropriate it to their own purposes) the people had in many cases refused or evaded the duty. But with the improved state of public feeling, Hezekiah's commandment was readily obeyed, and contributions of first-fruits and tithes were poured in with great liberality from all parts of Judah, as well as from Israel. The first-fruits, even of some articles of produce that were unfit for sacrifice (Le 2:11), such as honey (Margin, "dates"), were appropriated to the priests (Nu 18:12, 13; De 18:4). The tithes (Le 27:31) were intended for the support of the whole Levitical tribe (Nu 18:8, 20, 24).
6, 7. and laid them by heaps—The contributions began to be sent in shortly after the celebration of the passover, which had taken place in the middle of the second month. Some time would elapse before the king's order reached all parts of the kingdom. The wheat harvest occurred in the third month, so that the sheaves of that grain, being presented before any other, formed "the foundation," an under-layer in the corn stores of the temple. The first-fruits of their land produce which were successively sent in all the summer till the close of the fruit and vintage season, that is, the seventh month, continued to raise heap upon heap.
9. Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps—The object of his enquiries was to ascertain whether the supplies afforded the prospect of a sufficient maintenance for the members of the sacred order.
10. Azariah … answered … we have had enough—This is probably the person mentioned (2Ch 26:17), and his reply was to the following purport: There has been an abundant harvest, and a corresponding plenty in the incoming of first-fruits and tithes; the people have testified their gratitude to Him who has crowned the year with His goodness by their liberality towards His servants.
2Ch 31:11-19. Hezekiah Appoints Officers to Dispose of the Tithes.
11-18. Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord—storehouses, granaries, or cellars; either the old ones, which had been allowed through neglect to fall into decay, were to be repaired, or additional ones built. Private individuals brought their own first-fruits to the temple; but the tithes were levied by the Levites, who kept a faithful account of them in their several places of abode and transmitted the allotted proportion to the priests. Officers were appointed to distribute equal rations to all in the cities of the priests who, from age or other reasons, could not repair to the temple. With the exception of children under three years of age—an exception made probably from their being considered too young to receive solid food—lists were kept of the number and age of every male; of priests according to their fathers' house, and Levites from twenty years (see Nu 4:3; 28:24; 1Ch 23:24). But, besides, provision was also made for their wives, daughters, and servants.
18. for in their set office they sanctified themselves—This is the reason assigned for providing for the wives and children out of the revenues of the sanctuary, that priests, withdrawing from those secular pursuits by which they might have maintained their households, devoted themselves entirely to the functions of the ministry.
2Ch 31:20, 21. His Sincerity of Heart.
20. Hezekiah … wrought that which was good and right—He displayed the qualities of a constitutional king, in restoring and upholding the ancient institutions of the kingdom; while his zealous and persevering efforts to promote the cause of true religion and the best interests of his subjects entitled him to be ranked with the most illustrious of his predecessors (2Ki 18:15).