For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover other than the way it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Yahweh pardon everyone who sets his heart to seek God, Yahweh, the God of his fathers, even if they aren’t clean according to the purification of the sanctuary.”
Yahweh listened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. The children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness. The Levites and the priests praised Yahweh day by day, singing with loud instruments to Yahweh. Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who had good understanding in the service of Yahweh. So they ate throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings, and making confession to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
The whole assembly took counsel to keep another seven days, and they kept another seven days with gladness. For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly for offerings one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. All the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly who came out of Israel, and the foreigners who came out of the land of Israel, and who lived in Judah, rejoiced. So there was great joy in Jerusalem; for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was nothing like this in Jerusalem.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv18, 20, 22, 24 He knew that faith and sincerity of heart was…
He knew that faith and sincerity of heart was more agreeable to God, than the observation of the ceremonies, and therefore he prayed unto God to pardon this fault unto the people which did not offend of malice but of ignorance.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv18–26 2Ch 30:18 For a multitude of the people, [even]…
2Ch 30:18 For a multitude of the people, [even] many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one
Ver. 18. Many of Ephraim and Manasseh, &c.] Who had been a long while without God, without law, and without a teaching priest; {2Ch 15:3} these came rudely and unreverently to the passover, and some way smarted for it. In the gospel, he that came in without a wedding garment on his back, went not out without fetters on his feet. And "for this cause many are weak and sickly amongst you, and some are fallen asleep," i.e., dead outright. {1Co 11:30}
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The good Lord pardon every one.] Iehovah optimus praestet Spiritu suo quod isti temporis importunitate praetermiserunt: the good Lord make us by his Spirit, what, through want of time or means, is wanting to this poor people, and graciously accept their weak but willing services, &c.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24 Otherwise than it was written: they had so eager…
Otherwise than it was written: they had so eager a desire to partake of this ordinance, that, rather than neglect it, they would venture upon it with some ceremonial uncleanness upon them.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v21 After the passover followed the feast of unleavened bread,…
After the passover followed the feast of unleavened bread, which continued seven days. How that was observed we are here told, and every thing in this account looks pleasant and lively. 1. Abundance of sacrifices were offered to God in peace-offerings, by which they both acknowledged and implored the favour of God, and on part of which the offerers feasted with their friends during these seven days (Ch2 30:22), in token of their communion with God and the comfort they took in his favour and their reconciliation to him. To keep up this part of the service, that God's altar might be abundantly regaled with the fat and blood and his priests and people with the flesh of the peace-offerings, Hezekiah gave out of his own stock 1000 bullocks and 7000 sheep, and the princes, excited by his pious example, gave the same number of bullocks and a greater number of sheep, and all for peace-offerings, Ch2 30:24. By this God was honoured, the joy of the festival was kept up, and the strangers were encouraged to come again to Jerusalem. It was generously done of the king and the princes thus plentifully to entertain the whole congregation; but what is a great estate good for but that it puts men into a capacity of doing so much the more good? Christ feasted those that followed him. I believe neither Hezekiah nor his princes were the poorer at the year's end for this their pious liberality. 2. Many good prayers were put up to God with the peace-offerings, Ch2 30:22. They made confession to the Lord God of their fathers, in which the intent and meaning of the peace-offerings were directed and explained. When the priests sprinkled the blood and burnt the fat they made confession, so did the people when they feasted on their part. They made a religious confession of their relation to God and dependence upon him, a penitent confession of their sins and infirmities, a thankful confession of God's mercies to them, and a supplicatory confession of their wants and desires; and, in all these, they had an eye to God as the God of their fathers, a God in covenant with them. 3. There was a great deal of good preaching. The Levites (whose office it was, Deu 33:10) taught the people the good knowledge of the Lord, read and opened the scriptures, and instructed the congregation concerning God and their duty to him; and great need there was of this, after so long a famine of the word as there had been in the last reign. Hezekiah did not himself preach, but he spoke comfortably to the Levites that did, attended their preaching, commended their diligence, and assured them of his protection and countenance. Hereby he encouraged them to study hard and take pains, and put a reputation upon them, that the people might respect and regard them the more. Princes and magistrates, by owning and encouraging faithful and laborious preachers, greatly serve the interest of God's kingdom among men. 4. They sang psalms every day (Ch2 30:21): The Levites and priests praised the Lord day by day, both with songs and musical instruments, thus expressing their own and exciting one another's joy in God and thankfulness to him. Praising God should be much of our work in our religious assemblies. 5. Having kept the seven days of the feast in this religious manner, they had so much comfort in the service that they kept other seven days, Ch2 30:23. They did not institute any new modes of worship, but repeated and continued the old. The case was extraordinary: they had been long without the ordinance; guilt had been contracted by the neglect of it; they had now got a very great congregation together, and were in a devout serious frame; they knew not when they might have such another opportunity, and therefore could not now find in their hearts to separate till they had doubled the time. Many of them were a great way from home, and had business in the country to look after, for, this being the second month, they were in the midst of their harvest; yet they were in no haste to return: the zeal of God's house made them forget their secular affairs. How unlike those who snuffed at God's service, and said, What a weariness is it! Or those who asked, When will the sabbath be gone? The servants of God should abound in his work. 6. All this they did with gladness (Ch2 30:23); they all rejoiced, and particularly the strangers, Ch2 30:25. So there was great joy in Jerusalem, Ch2 30:26. Never was the like since the dedication of the temple in Solomon's time. Note, Holy duties should be performed with holy gladness; we should be forward to them, and take pleasure in them, relish the sweetness of communion with God, and look upon it as matter of unspeakable joy and comfort that we are thus favoured and have such earnests of everlasting joy. 7. The congregation was at length dismissed with a solemn blessing, Ch2 30:27. (1.) The priests pronounced it; for it was part of their office to bless the people (Num 6:22, Num 6:23), in which they were both the people's mouth to God by way of prayer and God's mouth to the people by way of promise; for their blessing included both. In it they testified both their desire of the people's welfare and their dependence upon God and that word of his grace to which they commended them. What a comfort is it to a congregation to be sent home thus crowned! (2.) God said Amen to it. The voice of the priests, when they blessed the people, was heard in heaven and came up to the habitation of God's holiness. When they pronounced the blessing God commanded it, and perhaps gave some sensible token of the ratification of it. The prayer that comes up to heaven in a cloud of incense will come down again to this earth in showers of blessings.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv18–26 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord…
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:
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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.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv19, 20, 22, 24 The sanctuary - With that purification which was required…
The sanctuary - With that purification which was required of them that came in God's sanctuary. So he calls it to distinguish from that internal purity which they are here acknowledged to have. The great thing required in our attendance on God's ordinances is, that we prepare our heart to seek him; that the inward man be engaged, that we make heart work of it. All is nothing without this.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv18, 22, 25, 26 Verse 18. A multitude of the people - had…
Verse 18. A multitude of the people - had not cleansed themselves] As there were men from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, they were excusable, because they came from countries that had been wholly devoted to idolatry.
The good Lord pardon every one] "The Lord, who is good, have mercy on this people who err." - T.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv18–24 2Ch 30:18. A multitude of the people had not…
2Ch 30:18. A multitude of the people had not cleansed themselves — Either they did not know, after such a long night of ignorance and superstition, what ceremonies were required, in order to their purification, or they had not time to use them. Yet having an eager and pious desire to commemorate their wonderful deliverance out of the Egyptian bondage, they were permitted, in their uncleanness, to eat the passover, lest they should be discouraged if they were denied it, in this their return to the true religion. But Hezekiah prayed for them — It was his zeal that had called them together in such haste, and he would not that they should fare the worse for being straitened for time in their preparation. He therefore thought himself concerned to be an intercessor for those that ate the passover otherwise than it was written. And he had confidence that God was so gracious that he would not, on account of the omission of some prescribed ceremony, be wroth with men whose hearts were upright before him.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv22, 23, 25, 26 The “knowledge” intended is perhaps chiefly ritualistic and musical…
The “knowledge” intended is perhaps chiefly ritualistic and musical - such knowledge as enabled them to conduct the service of the sanctuary satisfactorily.
They did eat throughout the feast - literally, “they did eat the feast;” i. e. “they kept the feast,” which was essentially kept by the eating of unleavened bread. The Levites kept the feast during the full term appointed for it, never failing in their duties, but taking their part day after day, both in the sacrifice of the victims and in singing praises to God.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26 Ephraim and....Issachar had not been mentioned before, v. 18.…
Ephraim and....Issachar had not been mentioned before, v. 18. H. --- Some indulgence was shewn to the tribes of Israel, which had been so long rebellious, for fear lest they should return no more; and because they had shewn a good will in procuring the Levites to slay the victims for them, as that was rightly judged a more sacred action than to partake of the feast. The law forbade, nevertheless, the unclean to approach to any thing sacred, Lev. xv. 31., and xxii. 4., and Num. ix. 6. C. --- But a dispensation was granted, (M.) as the Passover could not be celebrated in any but the first or the second month. The people had come with such eagerness, that they had not time to acquire the purity required. C. --- They were however truly penitent, and God dispensed with them. W.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv20, 21, 24 the Lord . . . healed the people--We imagine…
the Lord . . . healed the people--We imagine the whole affair to have been the following: In consequence of their transgressions they had cause to fear disease and even death (Lev 15:31). Hezekiah prayed for the nation, which was on the point of being diseased, and might therefore be regarded as sick already [BERTHEAU].
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv18, 20, 22, 26 18. Many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun,…
18. Many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves — Being at a distance and unfamiliar with the ceremonial requirements, they had nevertheless responded to Hezekiah’s call, (2Ch_30:11,) and the king decided that in their case an exception should be made, and he accordingly prayed the Lord to pardon the defect. In this prayer of Hezekiah we note that loftier view of worship which discerns, in the pure desire of an humble heart, something better than bondage to the mere letter of the law.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 18. of Ephraim etc.] The list of tribes given…
18. of Ephraim etc.] The list of tribes given here does not agree with the list in 2Ch_30:11, but in both cases it is probable that the Chronicler merely wishes by his list to designate men of the Northern Kingdom as opposed to those of the Southern. He could not make the distinction by using the term “Israel” here, for in Chron. “Israel” as a rule is not used in opposition to “Judah”; cp. 2Ch_11:3 (note).
it was written] R.V. it is written i.e. in the Mosaic Law.
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But Hezekiah prayed] R.V. For Hezekiah had prayed.
The good Lord pardon] According to the Heb. division 2Ch_30:18 ends with the word “pardon,” in the middle of the clause, as the A.V. (and R.V.) translate it. It is probable, however, that this Heb. division is right, and that it is the order of the words which needs correction. The phrase “the good Lord” (i.e. Jehovah “the good”) has no parallel in Heb. and is open to suspicion, but by a simple transposition we get, The LORD pardon the good. For “the good” cp. 2Ch_19:11.
18, 19. every one that prepareth his heart] Render, even him that setteth his whole heart (cp. R.V. mg.). This clause defines the preceding phrase (“The good”); see last note.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv18–26 (18) A multitude.—Marbîth (2chron 96; 1Ch_12:29). Only in the…
(18) A multitude.—Marbîth (2chron 96; 1Ch_12:29). Only in the Chronicles in this sense. Else where the term means “increase” of children (1Sa_2:33), or of money, i.e., interest (τόκον, Lev_25:37).
Ephraim . . . Zebulun.—The names indicate a documental source.
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Had not cleansed themselves.—As was natural in the case of persons who had long been estranged from the legal religion of Jehovah (hittèhârû, pausal form of hittâharû, Ezr_6:20, occurs here only).
Yet did they eat . . . written.—But ate the Passover in non-accordance with the Scripture—i.e., in illegal fashion, being themselves unclean. (Comp. Num_9:6, seq., according to which unclean persons ‘were bound to abstain from eating the Passover until the fourteenth of the second month.)
But Hezekiah prayed.—For Hezekiah had prayed for them, and therefore their irregularity was condoned,
The good Lord.—Jehovah the good; so only here. (Comp. Psa_25:8.)
Good—i.e., kind, generous; benignus, benevolus.
Pardon every one.—Properly, make atonement on behalf of every one (kipper bĕ ‘ad): Lev_16:6; Lev_16:11. In the sense of forgive the construction is different: Psa_65:4; Eze_16:63.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 So also the original Law of Moses prescribed that…
So also the original Law of Moses prescribed that the uncleansed must not eat the Passover. (Num_9:6)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv18, 21, 23, 25 Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun
Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun
These are the names of some of the tribes that lived in the northern part of Israel. See how you translated "Zebulun" in 2 Chronicles 30:10. (See: How to Translate Names)
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against the written instructions
To do something "against" instructions means to do something that is not in obedience to the instructions. If needed, the instructions can be stated clearly. AT: "even though the written instructions said that they must purify themselves first" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
the good Yahweh
The word "good" here is a reminder to the people that Yahweh is kind. AT: "Yahweh, who is good" (See: Distinguishing versus Informing or Reminding)
everyone who sets his heart to seek God
Here "sets his heart" is a metaphor for being determined to do something, and "to seek God" is a metaphor for knowing, worshiping, and obeying him. AT: "everyone who is determined to obey God" or "everyone who truly wants to honor God" (See: Metaphor)
So Yahweh listened to Hezekiah
This implies that Yahweh responded favorably to Hezekiah. AT: "So Yahweh responded favorably to Hezekiah" or "So Yahweh did what Hezekiah asked" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
healed the people
Here "healed the people" is a metaphor for forgiving the people and not punishing them. AT: "forgave the people" or "did not punish the people" (See: Metaphor)
translationWords
Issachar
written
Hezekiah
pray
good
forgive
cure
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv20, 25, 26 30:20 God’s response to Hezekiah’s prayer showed that he…
30:20 God’s response to Hezekiah’s prayer showed that he is more concerned with the attitude of the heart than with strict attention to ritual details. • healed the people: Cp. 7:14.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.