The Keeping of

ness.

the Passover.

counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with glad(24) For Hezekiah king of Judah did 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. sanctified themselves. (25) And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congrega

good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.

strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced. (26) So there was great joy in Jerusalem for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel

:

principal aim is to foster a due reverence for the external ordinances and traditional customs of religion. (20) And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah.Comp. Gen. xx. 17, “ And Abraham prayed unto God; and God healed Abimelech and his wife," &c. In the present instance the prayer of Hezekiah is thought of as averting a visitation of Divine wrath in the shape of disease and death. (Comp. Lev. xv. 31, "Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my dwelling-place, that is among them.")

For the word heal in connection with uncleanness

comp. Isa. vi. 5, 10. See also chap. vii. 14, supra; Hos. v. 13, xiv. 4.

(21) Kept the feast.... with great gladness. -See 1 Chron. xiii. 8, xv. 16, seq., 28, and similar passages.

And the Levites.-With stringed instruments. And the priests.-With clarions. Praised.-Were praising; throughout the seven days' festival.

Singing.-Omit.

With loud instruments unto the Lord.With instruments of strength to Jehovah. This curious phrase apparently means instruments with which they ascribed strength to Jehovah; that is to say, with which they accompanied their psalms of praise. (Comp. the many psalms which glorify the strength of the God of Israel-e.g., Ps. xxix. 1, "Ascribe unto Jehovah, ye sons of God, ascribe unto Jehovah glory and strength.")

There is, however, something to be said for the Authorised Version. (Comp. chap. v. 12, 13; 1 Chron. xv. 28, xvi. 42, from which it appears that the chronicler preferred music that was loud and strong.)

(22) Spake comfortably. See margin, and comp. Isa. xl. 2.

That taught the good knowledge of the Lord. Rather, were showing good skill for (in honour of) Jehovah, in their chanting and playing. The king encouraged the musicians with kindly words of praise.

The

They did eat throughout the feast.-Literally, they ate the feast, like "they ate the passover." meaning is that the assembly ate the sacrificial meals, which were supplied from the flesh of the "peace offerings." The phrase is peculiar to this passage.

The

LXX. has κal σvveréλeσav, "and they finished:" a difference which implies no great change in the Hebrew writing, but is against the context.

ouoλoyoú

Making confession.-LXX. rightly, μένοι. The meaning is "yielding hearty thanks," "acknowledging" the Divine goodness. Everywhere else the Hebrew word means "to confess guilt" (Neh. ix. 3; Lev. v. 5; Num. v. 7).

(23) Took counsel.-Determined, the result of taking counsel (verse 2).

To keep.-Literally, to do or make.

Other seven days. As a prolongation of the festivities. (Comp. chap. vii. 9.)

With gladness.-Simhah, an adverbial accusative. But some Hebrew MSS. express the with, as in chap. vii. 10. The chronicler is fond of dwelling upon the joy of the ancient festivals, as though he would suggest greater whole-heartedness and magnificence to the people and princes of his own day.

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(24) Did give gave.-Had presented (Exod. XXXV. 24)-scil., for sacrifice as a těrûmāh, or heave offering." The gifts of king and princes for the Mazzôth festival were so abundant that they sufficed not only for the feast itself, but also for an additional week of rejoicing.

And a great number of priests.-Literally, and priests had sanctified themselves in multitude, or to abundance. The priests no longer hung back as they had done previously (verses 3 and 15; chap. xxix. 34). There was now no lack of persons duly purified for the sacrifice of so many victims.

(25) And all the congregation.-Three classes of persons took part in the festival-(1) the Judæans, including the priests and Levites; (2) their Israelite guests; (3) the "strangers"-gêrîm-i.e., the proselytes, both those who came from the northern kingdom and those who dwelt in Judah. The word gerim is not the same as gârîm (chap. xv. 9), with which Lange's comment confuses it. (Comp. Lev. xvii. 12.)

(26) For since the time of Solomon... there was not the like.-The chronicler himself thus compares this great festival with the twofold Feast of the Dedication of the Temple (chap. vii. 1—10). That festival, like this one, had been prolonged seven days, because the Feast of Tabernacles immediately followed upon it; and "there had been no other since the time

The Courses of

heaven.

CHAPTER XXXI.—(1) Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were

the Priests and Levites.

cut down the groves, and threw down

(2) And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his ser- 6 or, dates.

of Solomon that could compare with this in respect of duration, or abundance of sacrifices, or number of participants, or the joy that distinguished it" (Bertheau).

(27) Then the priests the Levites.-And the Levitical priests; not any irregular ministrants. Some Hebrew MSS., the LXX., Syriac, and the Vulg. read, "And the priests and the Levites"; but comp. chap. xxiii. 18.

And their voice was heard.-The priestly blessing was a prayer that Jehovah would bless. (See Num. vi. 22-27.) That the prayer was heard on the present occasion, the writer infers from the progress of reform among the people, and the wonderful deliverance from Assyria, as related in the ensuing chapters.

Their prayer came up.-Entered into His holy dwelling (comp. Isa. xviii. 6, lxviii. 5) into the heavens. Notice the characteristic omission of the sacred Name.

XXXI.

PROGRESS OF THE RELIGIOUS REFORMATION. (1) Destruction of the images and high places in both kingdoms. (Comp. 2 Kings xviii. 4.)

Now when all this was finished.-And when they had finished all this—that is, the business of the Passover.

All Israel that were present went out.Their iconoclastic zeal had been thoroughly roused by the festival in which they had just taken part.

The images.-Maççebûth, "pillars." (See Hos. iii. 4, and 2 Chron. xiv. 2.)

The groves.-The Asherim. The sacred trunks, emblematic of physical fertility. (Comp. Hos. iv. 13.) In Ephraim also and Manasseh.-That is, in the territory of the northern kingdom, which was at this time in the last stage of political weakness, and rapidly drifting towards final ́ ruin. The band of Jewish and Israelite zealots would not, therefore, be likely to encounter any serious opposition.

Until they had utterly destroyed.— ‘Ad lekalleh (chap. xxiv. 10). Literally, so far as to finishing.

(2) The courses. . . their courses.-Hezekiah restored the system of service in rotation, ascribed to

David. (Comp. chap. viii. 14, "according to the order of David.")

Every man according to his service.-See the same phrase in Num. vii. 5, 7. Literally, after the mouth (i.e., rule, prescription) of his service.

The priests and Levites.-Literally, to the priests and Levites. The words depend upon those which immediately precede. LXX., καὶ τὰς ἐφημερίας ἑκάστου κατὰ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ λειτουργίαν τοῖς ἱερεῦσι καὶ τοῖς Λευίταις. To minister praise.-The chronicler's usual definition of the Levitical functions.

In the gates... Lord.-Literally, in the gates of the camps of Jehovah. Comp. 1 Chron. ix. 18, 19, where the phrase is explained.

...

(3) He appointed also set feasts.-Rather, And the king's portion (i.e., the part he contributed) from his property was for the burnt offerings -viz., for the burnt offerings of the morning and the evening, and the burnt offerings on the Sabbath, and the new moons, the set feasts. The king gave the victims for the sacrifices prescribed in Num. xxviii., xxix., out of his own revenues. See the account of his wealth (chap. xxxii. 27-29). The "set feasts the three great festivals, &c., enumerated in Num. l.c. (4) Moreover.-Literally, And he said to the people, to wit, to the dwellers in Jerusalem. (Comp. chap. xxiv. 8; 1 Chron. xxi. 17.)

were

The portion of the priests and the Levites.The firstfruits and tithes, ordained in Exod. xxiii. 19; Lev. xxvii. 30-33; Num. xviii. 12, 20-24; Deut. xxvi.

That they might be encouraged in the law. -Rather, that they might stick fast unto the law. For this use of chazaq, comp. 2 Sam. xviii. 9, "his head stuck fast in the terebinth." The meaning is, that they might be enabled to devote themselves wholly and solely to their religious duties, without being distracted by any secular anxieties. (See Neh. xiii. 10, " And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given; for the Levites and the singers that did the work were fled every one to his field.")

(5) And... came abroad.-Literally, And when the word broke forth-i.e., spread abroad.

The children of Israel.-Here the people of Jerusalem, who in the chronicler's day had a pre

The Officers to

Ruler (nagid) of the house of God.-Comp. 1 Chron. ix. 11. Azariah was named in verse 10, supra. (14) The porter toward the east. Compare 1 Chron. ix. 18. Korê had charge of "the freewill offerings of God," or voluntary gifts (Deut. xii. 17); and it was his duty "to distribute the oblations of the Lord and the most holy things" to the priests.

To distribute the oblations.-To give the Terûmah of Jehovah-i.e., the portion of the offerings which, though consecrated to Jehovah, was transferred by Him to the priests (Lev. vii. 14, 32, x. 14, 15).

And the most holy things-i.e., that part of the sin and trespass offerings (Lev. vi. 10, 22, vii. 6) and of the meat offerings (Lev. ii. 3, 10) which were to be eaten by the priests in the sanctuary.

(15) Next him.-By his hand ('al yādô). (Comp. 1 Chron. xxv. 2, 3.) The meaning is, "subordinate to him."

The six Levites here named as under the direction of Korê had the duty of distributing a proper share of the first fruits, tithes, and dedicated things to their brethren residing in the sacerdotal cities, where they themselves were stationed.

In their set office.-It seems better to connect the phrase so rendered with the following verb: "honestly to give" (comp. verse 12). So Vulg.: “ut fideliter distribuerent fratribus suis partes," &c. Others render be'emûnah, "in trust."

Rather, their

Their brethren by courses. brethren in the courses-i.e., those members of the Levitical classes who, not being on duty at the Temple, were dwelling in their towns; and those who were past service, and young children.

Great ..small.-Older.. younger.

(16) Beside their genealogy.-The verse is a parenthesis stating an exception, and should rather be rendered, “apart from their register of males from three years old and upward (to wit, the register) of all that came into the house of Jehovah for the daily portion (literally, for a day's matter in its day; chap. viii. 13; Neh. xi. 23) for their service in their offices according to their divisions." The meaning is that the Levites who were on duty in the Temple, and whose names were registered as such, along with their male children of three years old and upwards, were not provided for by Cononiah and his associates, as they received their daily portion in the sanctuary itself. Children, it appears, were allowed to accompany their fathers to the Temple, and to eat with them of the sacrifices.

Dispose of the Tithes.

into the house of the LORD, his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses; (17) both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses; (18) and to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness: (19) also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to

re

(17) Both to the genealogy.-The verse is a parenthesis relating to the registration of the priests and Levites, suggested by the occurrence of the word " gister" in verse 16. Translate, "And as to the regis ter of the priests, it was according to their clans (Heb., father-houses); and the Levites from twenty years old and upwards were in their offices in their divisions." For the latter statement, see 1 Chron. xxiii. 24.

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(18) And to the genealogy.-After the parenthetic statements of verses 16, 17 the thread of the narrative, broken off at verse 15, is taken up again at that point. The six Levites there named were in the priests' cities "to give (their portions) to their brethren," and further (verse 18) “ for the registering in the case of all their little ones, their wives and their sons and their daughters, of the whole corporation" (of priests). The board of Levites had to keep a register of all who had claims on the provisions which they had to distribute. The general sense is the same if, as seems better, we trace the connection thus: "to give to their brethren, and to those who were registered among all their little ones," &c., explaining lehithyahësh běkol-tappām as a relative sentence with the relative suppressed. (Comp. chap. xxx. 18, 19, and verse 19, ad fin.)

Through all the congregation.-Or, to a whole assembly-scil., of wives and children of the priests and Levites.

In their set office.-Or trust, or faithfulness ('emúnah). (See Note on 1 Chron. ix. 22.)

They sanctified themselves.-They used to show themselves holy (i.e., behave conscientiously) in regard to the holy (ie., the hallowed gifts, which they had to distribute). Perhaps, however, the Authorised Version is here substantially correct, the sense being that the Levites fulfilled their trust with perfect good faith.

(19) Also of the sons of Aaron the priests. -Officers were likewise appointed to distribute portions to the priests and Levites who dwelt on their farms outside of the sacerdotal cities. Render, "and for the sons of Aaron the priests, in the farms of the pasturage of their cities, in each several city, there were men who were specified by names, to give portions to every male among the priests, and to every one that was registered among the Levites."

Fields of the suburbs.-See Lev. xxv. 34; Num. xxxv. 5.

Expressed by name.-See 1 Chron. xii. 31; chap. xxviii, 15.

Sincerity of Hezekiah.

Assyria Invades Judah.

among the Levites.

(20) And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was

against the fenced cities, and thought 1to win them for himself. (2) And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to

LORD his God. (21) And in every work

them up.

that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God,

counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him. (So there was gathered

CHAPTER XXXII.-(1) After "these things, and the establishment thereof,

To all that were reckoned by genealogies.Registered. The relative is omitted before the verb hithyahesh, which is here the perfect as in verse 18, not the infinitive as in verse 16.

(20, 21) Conclusion of the account of Hezekiah's reformation.

(20) Truth (ha'emeth).—Faithfulness, or sincerity. (21) Commandments.-Heb., commandment. To seek his God.-In order to seek, or by way of seeking.

He did it with all his heart.-Comp. the frequent phrase," with a perfect heart" (1 Chron. xxviii. 9, and elsewhere); also "and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart," &c. (Deut. vi. 5).

XXXII.

THE INVASION OF SENNACHERIB-HEZEKIAH'S RECOVERY FROM DEADLY SICKNESS-HIS PRIDE AND WEALTH-HIS RECEPTION OF THE EMBASSY FROM BABYLON-END OF THE REIGN. The narrative is once more parallel to that of Kings (2 Kings xviii. 13-xx. 21), which is repeated in the Book of Isaiah (chaps. xxxvi.-xxxix.).

(1-23) Invasion and Divine overthrow of Sennacherib. (Comp. 2 Kings xviii. 13-xix. 37.) The Assyrian monarch's own record of the campaign may be read on his great hexagonal prism of terra-cotta, preserved in the British Museum, containing an inscription in 487 lines of cuneiform writing, which is lithographed in the Cuneiform Inscriptions of Western Asia, III. 38, 39, and printed in G. Smith's History of Sennacherib.

(1) After these things, and the establishment thereof.-Rather, After these matters, and this faithfulness (chap. xxxi. 20). For the date, see Note on 2 Kings xviii. 13.

Sennacherib.-So the Vulg. The LXX. gives Σενναχηρίμ οι είμ; Herodotus, Σαναχάριβος; Josephus, Zevvaxhpißos. The Hebrew is Sancherib. The real name as given by the Assyrian monuments is Sin-ahi-iriba, or erba ("Sin," i.e., the moon-god, "multiplied brothers"). And thought to win them for himself. Literally, and said to himself that he would break them open (chap. xxi. 17), or and commanded to break them open for himself. Kings states that he fulfilled his purpose; he came up against all the fenced

66

cities of Judah, and took them."

""

Sennacherib himself boasts as follows: And Hazakiyahu of the country of the Jews who had not submitted to my yoke, forty-six strong cities of his, fortresses, and the small cities of their neighbourhood, which were without number... I approached, I took." The chronicler's object is to relate the mighty deliverance of Hezekiah. Hence he omits such details as would weaken the im. pression he desires to produce. For the same reason nothing is said here of Hezekiah's submission and payment of tribute (2 Kings xviii. 14-16); and perhaps for the further reason (as suggested by Keil) that "these negotiations had no influence on the aftercourse and issue of the war," but not because (as Thenius alleges) the chronicler was unwilling to mention Hezekiah's (forced) sacrilege. They are omitted also in Isaiah, where the account is in other respects abridged as compared with Kings.

The brook.-Nachal. "The wady." The Gihon is meant, a watercourse in the Valley of Hinnom, supplied with water by the springs which Hezekiah closed in and diverted. See Note on verse 30, and 2 Kings xx. 20; comp. Sirach xlviii. 17, "Hezekiah fortified his city, and brought into their midst the Gog" (LXX., Vat.), or, "into its midst water" (LXX., Alex.).

That ran.-That was flowing over (Isa. xxx. 28, viii. 8). The overflow of the springs formed the

stream.

The kings of Assyria. - A vague rhetorical plural, as in chap. xxviii. 16.

(5) Also he strengthened himself.-And he took courage. (Chaps. xv. 8, xviii. 1.)