Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles 29

Verse 1

Abia. The last syllable is neglected, 4 K. xviii. 2. H. --- Some assert that she was a descendant of the high priest, who had been stoned. S. Jerom, Trad. C. xxiv. 20. T.

Verse 3

Reign, in the assembly, which met to recognize his authority. Lyranus --- Them, adorning them with plates of gold, 4 K. xviii. 16.

Verse 4

Street, or court, before the eastern gate. C.

Verse 5

Sanctuary, or temple, v. 7. The Jews suppose that idols had been placed in the very sanctuary: (Lyranus) but why then were the doors shut? C.

Verse 7

Sanctuary, or court of the priests, where the victims were slain. The blood of some was taken into the most holy place, on the day of expiation. C.

Verse 8

Trouble. Heb. zuae, (H.) is rendered vexation, Isaias xxviii. 19. Sept. "ecstasy." The Jews were frequently driven from their homes. M. --- There were at a loss what to do, confounded and despised. H.

Verse 9

Wives. C. xxviii. 8. C. --- So had the wives and family of king Joram been treated, C. xxi. H.

Verse 10

Covenant, swearing to observe the law given by Moses. M.

Verse 11

Negligent. Heb. adds, "now," when every thing tends to open your eyes. H.

Verse 16

Cedron, as Josias did with the idolatrous altars, 4 K. xxiii. 12. The priests brought what was unclean from the inner temple into the porch. H. --- This labour lasted eight days, as the cleansing of the porches had done. C. D.

Verse 17

Month, Nisan, corresponding with our March, (M.) when Ezechias began his reign. Salien, the year of the world 3309.

Verse 19

Defiled. Heb. "cast out (C.) in his." --- Forth. Heb. and Sept. "We have prepared and purified, behold they are," &c. H.

Verse 21

Seven. Only one was prescribed for sins of ignorance, Lev. iv. 13, 22. S. Jerom, Trad. --- But the late transgressions were of a different nature; and the king consults his zeal, rather than what he was absolutely obliged to do. --- Juda, to expiate the sins of the royal family, of priests, and people.

Verse 23

They laid. The king and princes of the people confessed their sins, Lev. iv. 15.

Verse 25

Prophet. Moses had not required music, except on some occasions, Num. x. 10. But David acted by God’s authority. The institution was designed to promote piety, and a love for religious meetings. Such sacred ceremonies are not to be considered as human inventions, for it was, &c. They command our utmost respect. C.

Verse 27

CHAPTER XXIX.

Prepared, or ordained. M. --- Heb. "with the instruments, by David."

Verse 30

Princes of the priests. H. --- Words; psalms. T. --- Asaph, so famous for music. He had composed some psalms, (C.) and twelve bear his name. T. --- But he might only have set them to music, (H.) or his band sung them. D. --- Knee. Prot. "head." Sept. "they prostrated themselves."

Verse 31

Added. Heb. and Sept. "answered," a term used in Scripture, though no question had been proposed. H. --- Filled. You are, in some sense, priests. Prot. "you have consecrated yourselves." The people brought victims but the priests poured the blood round the altar, v. 34. H.

Verse 33

Sheep, for peace-offerings. Junius) C. --- They destined these victims for the use of the temple, (T.) that none might be wanting afterwards. C.

Verse 34

Holocausts, as the law required, Lev. i. 6. See C. xxxv. 11. The skin might be taken off other victims, by laics. --- Priests. Syriac, "The Levites were more timid, or reserved than the priests, to purify themselves." C. --- Both are indirectly accused of negligence, C. xxx. 15. The Hebrew seems to give the preference to the latter, "for the Levites were more upright of heart, (Sept., willing) to purify themselves than the priests." But the Alexandrian Sept. may well agree with the Vulgate. The ceremonies attending the purification of both, may be seen Ex. xxix. 1., and Num. viii. 6. H. --- The priests had not sufficient time to collect themselves with the purity required, on such a short warning; and the paucity induced the king to put off the Passover till the next month, C. xxx. 3, 15.

Verse 36

Because. Heb. and Sept. "that the Lord had disposed his people, for the thing was done suddenly," (H.) to place no obstacle to this sudden change from one extreme to the other, at a time when the king was scarcely established on the throne. C. --- Thus the people of England rejoiced, when the Catholic religion was re-established by the means of queen Mary and cardinal Pole. Philips. 9. --- But the minds of the people are very fickle. Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis. Still the joy may show, that all love for truth is "not extinct," as the Cardinal argued from the people’s conduct. Poli. ep. H.