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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - 2 Chronicles 30:13 - 30:27
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The Joyful Celebration
v. 13. And there assembled at Jerusalem much people, a great multitude, to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as the Passover Festival was also called, because the two festivals were always celebrated together, in the second month, a very great congregation.
v. 14. And they, fired with the enthusiasm of the reformation, arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, those which had been used for idolatrous purposes, and cast them into the brook Kidron.
v. 15. Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month; and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, they were put to shame and stimulated to greater zeal by the enthusiasm of the people, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord.
v. 16. And they stood in their place after their manner, as it was prescribed for the sacrifices of the day, according to the Law of Moses, the man of God. The priests sprinkled the blood which they received of the hand of the Levites, either because the Levites slaughtered the paschal lambs for such of the Israelites as were unclean, or because they handed the basins to the priests from the line of waiting men, since the number was so great.
v. 17. For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified, not Levitically clean; therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for everyone that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the Lord.
v. 18. For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, not gone through the rite of purification as demanded before this festival, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written, a feature opposed to the Law, Num_9:6. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon everyone
v. 19. that prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, eager to enter into the covenant relation with Him once more, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary, even if he had not complied with the strict ritual of purification.
v. 20. And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people. It was either that in consequence of their transgression they had reason to fear disease and even death, Lev_15:31, or that some of them had already been stricken with some malady.
v. 21. And the children of Israel, the members of the congregation in general, that 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 with loud instruments unto the Lord, their psalms accompanied by the playing of the Temple orchestra as provided for by David.
v. 22. And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord, literally, "he spake to the heart," he addressed cordial, loving, encouraging words to them. And they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace-offerings, in connection with which sacrificial feasts were held, and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers, confessing Him with praise and thanksgiving.
v. 23. And the whole assembly, filled with joyful enthusiasm, took counsel to keep other seven days; and they kept other seven days with gladness.
v. 24. For Hezekiah, king of Judah, in order to make this extension of the festival possible, did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes, joining the king in his munificence, gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep; and a great number of priests sanctified themselves, that is, they had sanctified themselves during the first week of the festival in order that a sufficient number might be on hand.
v. 25. And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel and that dwelt in Judah, proselytes from heathen nations, rejoiced.
v. 26. So there was great joy in Jerusalem; for since the time of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, there was not the like in Jerusalem, in point of attendance and unrestrained enthusiasm.
v. 27. Then the priests, the Levites, of the tribe of Levi, arose and blessed the people; and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling-place, the habitation of God's holiness, even unto heaven. Even in times of general trouble and distress the Spirit of the Lord is busily engaged in the hearts of at least some men in leading them to the knowledge of truth and in making them willing to serve their God with all their heart.