2 Chronicles 30

ANd Hezekiah sent to all Israel Whereby he understands all the Persons of the Ten Tribes, who were now setled in his Kingdom; as appears by their contradistinction to Ephraim and Manasseh here following. and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh i. e. To all the remainders of the Ten Tribes, v. 5. who are here Synecdochically expressed by the names of Ephraim and Manasseh, as elsewhere by the name of Ephraim only. But he names these two Tribes, because they were nearest to his Kingdom, and a great Number of them had long since and from time to time joyned themselves to the Kingdom of Judah, 2 Chron. 15. 8, 9. and therefore had most hopes of success amongst them., that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem Admonishing them of their Duty to God and persuading them to comply with it., to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.

For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month Which was against the common Rule and Practise, but was justified by that Supreme Law of Necessity, and by a just Impediment, which made the doing of this in its proper time, to the 14th. Day of the first Month, impossible, because the Temple was not cleansed nor they prepared till that time was past,. 29. 3. 1.... Compare Numb, 9. 10, 11..

For they could not keep it at that time Which God had appointed for it, Exod. 12. 6. One Reason whereof was evident in it self, because the Temple was not then purified and prepared; to which he adds two other Reasons., because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently To wit, in such manner and degree as was fit, nor in such Numbers as were necessary for the s... aying and offering of so many thousands of Paschal-offerings, as appears, because they were not sufficient for those Offerings, which were comparatively few, ch. 29. v. 32, 33, 34., neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem As they used and ought to do at that time from all places: which now they could not do, because neither the thing was agreed upon, nor the People summoned thither till the proper time was past..

And the thing pleased the king, and all the congregation.

So they established a decree They fixed this Resolution., to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem They fixed this Resolution.: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written i. e. So as God had commanded them to do it, to wit, That all the Males in Israel should do it: Which Express Command of God they ought to have obeyed rather than the Wicked Commands or Edicts of Men to the contrary: which was both the Judgment and Practise of the Priests and Levites and other godly Israelites, as is manifest from 2 Chron. 15. 8, &c..

So the posts went with the letters from the king, and his princes throughout all Israel, and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hands of the kings of Assyria To wit, Pul and Tilgath-pilneser, who had carried their Brethren away Captives, 2 King. 15. 19, 29. 1 Chron. 5. 26. 2 Chron. 28. 20..

And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

Now be ye not stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield your selves Heb. Give the Hand to him; i. e. submit your selves to him by obeying his Command, and renew your Covenant with him: both which things were done amongst Men by this Ceremony of giving the Hand. See 1 Chron. 29. 24. Ezra 10. 19. Ezek. 17. 18. unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary which he has sanctified for ever Not for a transient and temporary use; but as long as the State and Church of Israel had a Being, whatsoever Alterations should happen therein.: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

So the posts passed from city to city, through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even unto Zebulun: but they i. e. The Generality of the ten Tribes; who by long want of Meat had now lost all their Appetite to Gods Ordinances, and from a Neglect were now fallen into a Contempt and Derision of them; for which they paid dear. For about 6 years after their Refusal of this Offer of Grace they were all carried Captive, 2 King. 18. 1, 10. laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

Nevertheless, divers of Asher, and Manasseh, and of Zebulun, humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.

Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king, and of the princes, by the word of the LORD i. e. God by the Power of his Grace inclined their Hearts to an unanimous Compliance with Gods and the Kings Will. And this is mentioned as the Reason of this wonderful Change wrought in these Men, who had lately been utterly averse from Gods Worship and wholly given up to Idolatry; as was noted before on ch. 29. 36..

And there assembled at Jerusalem much people, to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

And they arose, and took away the altars To wit, of Burnt-offerings; because they are distinguished from the Altars of Incense here following; both which were removed and destroyed, partly because all the Israelites were confined to the Altars of the Temple; and partly because these Altars were erected to Idols. that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.

Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed Their Negligence and Remisness being upbraided by the great and general Alacrity and Forwardness of the People., and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt-offerings into the house of the LORD.

And they stood in their place, after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood Of the Sacrifices upon the Altar, Levit. 1. 5., which they received of the hand of the Levites Who flayed and killed the Sacrifices which the Priests, if they had been sanctified, should have done, as it was observed before, ch. 29. 34..

For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified That had more desire to come to the Passover, than care and diligence to cleanse and prepare themselves for it. Now these persons were either 1. The Priests, who were before taxed with Uncleanness and Unpreparedness. Or rather 2. the People, as is implied in the word Congregation, and expressed in the next verse, and confirmed by the Reason here following.: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing Because many of the People were unclean, and therefore many more Sacrifices were to be offered for their Purification than the Priests could kill. of the passovers i. e. Either 1. The Paschal Lambs; which the Levites here offered, because of the Impurity of many of the Masters of Families, who otherwise, as some think, should have killed the Paschal Lambs in their own Houses, Exod. 12. 3. Or, 2. The other Sacrifices which accompanied the Passover, which also are called by the same Name, as is evident from Deut. 16. 2, 3. where see my Notes: Which the Levites here killed, for the Reason now mentioned., for every one that was not clean So far as they could make any discovery of their uncleanness either by their own Confession, or otherwise. But there were many whose Uncleannesses were not known, and therefore did not cleanse themselves, as is said, v. 18. as they ought to have done., to sanctifie them unto the LORD.

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 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.: but Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one,

That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary i. e. With that Ceremonial Purification which was required of them that came into Gods Sanctuary. So he calls it to distinguish from that Moral and Internal Purity which they are here acknowledged to have..

And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people From their Uncleanness; which it self was a Spiritual Disease, and which probably produced a Disease, or Distemper, or Trouble in their Minds and Consciences; which also had formerly brought and might justly now bring even outward Diseases upon the Body, or, at least, Guilt, which is a Disease upon the Soul: From all which the Lord was pleased now to heal them, by pardoning this their Sin, and accepting them and their Services as if they had been clean. Which it is likely God was pleased to manifest by some outward Sign, possibly by fire from Heaven consuming the Sacrifices; which was the usual Token of Gods Approbation, as has been formerly noted more than once..

And the children of Israel 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.

And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites Encouraged them to a chearful and diligent Attendance upon their Holy Ministrations by the Promise of his Favour and utmost Care for them, which he faithfully performed, ch. 31. 4, &c. that taught the good knowledge of the LORD Who by their Office were to instruct and build up the People in the Knowledge and Fear of God: which is mentioned as the Cause of his Respect and Kindness to them, which was for their works sake, as it is said, 1 Thes. 5. 13.: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace-offerings, and making confession Either 1. Confessing their Sins: which Work was to accompany many of their Sacrifices: of which see Levit. 5. 5. & 16. 21. Or rather 2. Confessing Gods Goodness, or praising of God, which oft goes under this Name, as 1 Chron. 16. 8, 24. which also seems to be more proper work for this Season of Joy. unto the LORD God of their fathers.

And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness Not in the same manner as they had done the former, with offering new Paschal Lambs and eating only Unleavened Bread, (of which there is not the least intimation in the Text) but only in the solemn Worship of God, by Sacrifices, and Prayers, and Praises, and publick Instruction of that great Congregation in the Good Knowledge of the Lord; which was so dear to Hezekiah, v. 22. and at this time most seasonable and necessary for the People after so long and dismal a Night of Ignorance, Superstition and Idolatry, as both Israel and Judah had been involved in..

For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation First to God, to whom the parts appointed were offered in way of Thanksgiving; and then to the People, who feasted upon the Relicks, as the Offerer used to do in Peace-offerings: and H... zekiah, who was the Offerer, gave away his Right in the Remains of the Sacrifices to the People. a thousand bullocks, and seven thousand sheep Which Generosity is the more considerable, because it was in the Beginning of his Reign, when he found the Royal Exchequer exhausted and empty; and when he had been at great Expence about the Cleansing and refitting of the Temple, and making Preparations for this great Feast.; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks, and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves Having now both more Time and further Need of sanctifying themselves to offer these Numerous Sacrifices..

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, rejoyced.

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.

Then the priests the Levites Those of the Levites who were Priests also; for to them only this Work belonged, 1 Chron. 23. 13. Or, the Priests and the Levites: For as the Levites did some other part of the Priests Work at this time, it is not strange if they did this also. Or the Priests might bless by solemn pronunciation of the Blessing, and the Levites by their Acclamations or with their Musical Instruments. arose, and blessed the people Either commended them for their great Zeal and Diligence in Gods Service. Or rather, solemnly prayed to God to bless them; and their Prayer was not in vain, as the following words show.: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.