Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
2 Chronicles 30:23

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Hezekiah’s religious reforms (29:1-31:21)

Immediately he became king, Hezekiah began a thorough reformation of Judah’s religion. This was prompted partly by the preaching of the prophet Micah (Jeremiah 26:17-19; see notes on 2 Kings 18:1-12).

The Chronicler gives a detailed account of Hezekiah’s work, particularly that part of it which affected the temple, the priests and the Levites. Hezekiah called a meeting of priests and Levites and told them plainly that neglect of the temple was the reason for God’s anger with Judah. Their first job was to clean the rubbish out of the temple and prepare it for the recommencement of religious services (29:1-11). The temple was so filthy that a large group of Levites took more than two weeks to clean and prepare the building for use again (12-19).
Hezekiah then held a service in which sacrifices were offered for the cleansing and rededication of the king, the nation and the temple (20-24). All this was accompanied by the music and singing of the Levites as arranged by David (25-30).
When the service was finished, the people were invited to make personal offerings. They responded so promptly and generously that the priests were spiritually unprepared for, and physically unable to cope with, the renewed activity in the temple. The Levites, who showed more enthusiasm, had to be called in to help (31-36).

After the rededication of the temple, Hezekiah held a great Passover Feast. His reforms began too late for the Passover to be held in the first month of the year (the time specified in the law), so it was postponed one month (cf. Numbers 9:10-11). Hezekiah invited the scattered northerners who had escaped captivity, but most were not interested (30:1-12).

Those who gathered for the feast cleansed Jerusalem of all traces of false religion. Their zeal for religious purity stirred up the priests and Levites to hurry and ceremonially cleanse themselves in time for the feast. Certain visitors to Jerusalem arrived too late for the seven day purification ritual before the Passover, and joined in the feast while still unclean. On Hezekiah’s request, God forgave them (13-22). The occasion was so joyous that the feast was extended one week (23-27).

Once the city of Jerusalem and its temple had been cleansed, the people went out and cleansed the country areas (31:1). Having removed false religion, Hezekiah made plans for the proper functioning of the nation’s true religion. First he divided the priests and Levites into groups according to David’s plan (see 1 Chronicles 23:1-32). Then he arranged for their proper support through the orderly payment of tithes and offerings by all the people (2-7).

People responded so generously that Hezekiah prepared special storage places for all the sheep, cattle and produce they offered. He also appointed officials to administer the stores, and made a register of all those eligible for support, to ensure there was no dishonesty in the administration (8-21).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THEY DECIDE TO CELEBRATE ANOTHER SEVEN DAYS

"And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days; and they kept other seven days with gladness. For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the assembly for offerings a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the assembly a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep; and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. And all the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt 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 not the like in Jerusalem. Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, even unto heaven."

This additional week of feasting and celebration was made possible by the generous contributions of the king and the princes.

"Their voice was heard… even unto heaven" Hezekiah's respect for the temple had not blinded him to the sublime fact that "God dwelleth not in temples made with hands," and that his throne is in the heaven of heavens.

One may wonder why this observance of the passover was not reported in Kings, but the reason is not far to seek. Kings carries an abbreviated report of both the Northern and Southern Israels, whereas the Chronicles focuses attention upon the Southern Kingdom only; and this passover celebration pertained particularly to Judah and Jerusalem. Furthermore, all of the information that has come down to us from that remote period is fragmentary. No important arguments can be logically founded upon what this or that source does not contain.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

To keep other seven days - This was a voluntary addition to the requirements of the Law - the fruit and sign of the abounding zeal which characterized the time. Hezekiah and the princes probably proposed it to the people, and presented them with sacrificial animals.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 30

And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and to Judah, they wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, [this is up in the northern] that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto Jehovah 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. Inasmuch as they could not keep it at this time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation. So they established a decree to make the proclamation from Israel, from Beersheba [which is in the southern portion towards the desert] even unto Dan ( 2 Chronicles 30:1-5 ),

Which is up almost at the base of Mount Hermon in the northern part of the Hula Valley above the Sea of Galilee.

So the messengers went out with letters from the king and his princes throughout all of Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, they said, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto Jehovah the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria ( 2 Chronicles 30:6 ).

So notice, they are now addressing themselves to the remnant that had escaped out of the hand of the king of Assyria. And they were up there in the northern tribes, Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon and all.

And be not you like your fathers, and like your brothers, which trespassed against Jehovah God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as you see. Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: 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 ( 2 Chronicles 30:7-9 ).

Now Hezekiah's sending out this letter. You see, the Assyrians had come and they have taken now the northern kingdom. They have taken the people captive and just a remnant of people were left. He writes to them and he says, "Look, come and let's turn back to God. If we'll just turn back to God, God will work and your families that have been carried away captive they can be returned again. Let's really turn with all of our hearts to God. Come on down and let's worship God." And it was an endeavor to unite again the people and draw those from the northern kingdom back to the worship of the Lord, a very beautiful attempt on the part of Hezekiah. Then his statement to them, "If you will do this, surely God will bless. For God is gracious and merciful."

There is a false concept that the Bible actually portrays two Gods-the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. The God of the Old Testament being a God of wrath and vengeance, and the God of the New Testament being a God of love. Not so. In the Old Testament God is revealed as a God of compassion, and as Hezekiah said, "For God is gracious and merciful." And He is presented in the Old Testament as a gracious, merciful, compassionate God.

However, for those that reject His grace and mercy, their own lives bring upon themselves destruction. God is compassionate; God is merciful. But God will not shield you forever. And ultimately, the fruit of your own wickedness is going to catch up with you. And then people want to blame God for the judgment. The judgment that is constantly around them. And the only thing that keeps you from that judgment is God's protecting hand.

Now in the New Testament, God is portrayed as a God of love, yes. "God so loved the world... " But also a God of judgment. If you want to read Revelation chapters 6-18, you'll find all about the God of justice and the God of judgment, as He allows to come upon the earth the fruit of their own rebellion. And as He pours out His wrath against the ungodly.

So those people who say, "Well, there are two Gods revealed in the Bible; the God of wrath in the Old Testament and the God of love in the New," just really don't know the Bible. They've never really done a serious study of the Bible. It's ridiculous to say that there are two Gods revealed. One God. He is a God of love, a God of mercy, a God of compassion, revealed both in the Old and the New Testament. But He is also a God of righteousness, of justice.

And so Hezekiah's encouragement, "Turn to the Lord."

Nevertheless, the people in the northern kingdom just sort of laughed at the messengers who came. Sort of put them down. Put down their message. However, many of them came on down to celebrate the Passover and a great multitude gathered in Jerusalem. This was going to be a momentous event. Here the worship of God had been forsaken for so long and now a great holy day, the day of Passover. And they were going to gather together and the multitudes gathered together in Jerusalem for this Passover. And even to gather for the Passover it was necessary to go through a purification rite. They had... what you'd have to do is actually shave your head and then you'd have to come into the temple everyday and go through certain bathings and so forth to be sanctified, to cleanse yourself, really, from the defilement of the Gentile world. And this was especially true of those who had been living in Gentile nations and would come back to Jerusalem for the holy days. It was necessary to sort of cleanse yourself from all of the pollution of the Gentiles, so they had this whole purification rite.

You remember when Paul returned to Jerusalem and the feast day was coming and Paul wanted to participate in the feast day in Jerusalem as long as he was there. And so he started into the purification rites and he started sponsoring a couple young men in the purification rites, because you couldn't work during this time so you really needed someone to sort of sponsor you if you didn't have the bucks yourself. And so James said, "Now, Paul, I hear that you've been stringing up the Jews in the Gentile cities and you're not really being a good Jewish boy and you've been falling into the practices of the Gentiles and all. Now a lot of the church is quite upset. They hear that you're sort of radical and out there among the Gentiles. So why don't you just sort of settle them all down and take the part of a good Jew boy and just go ahead and go through the rites and sponsor these two boys and show everybody that you know you're still a Jew."

So Paul, to keep peace went into the temples, went through the purification rites. But it was there that some of the Jews from Asia who were also being purified saw Paul and they said, "This is the fellow who has created all the problems through Asia and all." And a big tumult where Paul was saved, actually, from a lynching mob by the Roman guard and taken into the fortress of Antonio where, as he was going in, he said to the guard, "Let me talk to these people a minute." And the guard said, "Okay." And so Paul began to preach to these people. Waved his hand, "Quiet, folks." They were all out there yelling and screaming, "Kill him! Get rid of him!" And, "Let me talk to you fellows. Quiet a minute." And they all hushed and Paul began to tell them. "Hey, look, I know how you feel. I know where you're at. I was just like you are. The Pharisees will testify. I was one of them. In fact, I was persecuting the church. I thought I was doing God a service, just like you do today. I know where it's at. I know exactly how you feel. In fact, it was when I was on my way to Damascus that I was apprehended by Jesus Christ. And He said, 'Why are you persecuting Me?' And I said, 'Who are You, Lord, that I might serve You?' And He said, 'I am Jesus whom you're persecuting.'" And Paul said, "And so He spoke to me and said that He was going to send me to the Gentiles."

Now when he said the word Gentiles, things just broke loose. People began to rip off their clothes, throw dirt in the air, started screaming and all. And he was talking to the people in Hebrew so that the Roman captain couldn't understand. He was, of course, knew Latin, but he didn't know what Paul had said. And the crowd started rushing and he said, "Grab him inside quick!" And they took Paul inside the fortress there. And he said, "Find out what he said to those people. Scourge him! Make him tell."

Now the scourging was actually the Roman third degree. They would take and whip you with this leather whip with little bits of lead imbedded in it, and broken glass. And they would lay it across your back, ripping open your back until you'd scream out your crime or whatever. And so he said, "Examine him by scourging. Find out what he said." Created such a tumult out there. And so Paul was going through this same purification thing.

Now the people had come. But here they were straggling in and the time for the ceremony had arrived and they just came. They didn't have time to go through the whole ritual of sanctifying themselves. So Hezekiah said, "Lord, have mercy on these poor people. They've come so far and here they are to worship You. Let them get by without the rites. Let's bypass the whole ritual and just receive them, Lord." And the Lord spoke and said that He would receive them without the rituals for them to go ahead and observe the Passover. And so it was a turning point again for the people and turning them back to God.

And Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one ( 2 Chronicles 30:18 )

I like that.

That prepares his heart to seek God, Jehovah God of the fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and he healed the people. And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread for seven days with great gladness ( 2 Chronicles 30:19-21 ):

Such great celebration they decided to go on for another seven days. And so they went on for seven more days worshipping the Lord.

And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast for seven days, offering peace offerings, making confession to the LORD God of their fathers ( 2 Chronicles 30:22 ).

And then determined to go on for seven more days.

So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon there had never been an occasion like this in Jerusalem ( 2 Chronicles 30:26 ).

For many, many years.

Then the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to the holy dwelling place, even unto heaven ( 2 Chronicles 30:27 ).

"

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days,.... They consulted among themselves, and with the king and his nobles about it, who all agreed to it:

and they kept other seven days with gladness; not altogether in the same manner they had kept the preceding seven days; they did not slay and eat passover lambs, nor did they eat unleavened bread, but offered peace offerings, and feasted upon them; and sung the praises of God, and attended to the instructions of the priests and Levites, being in a very agreeable frame of mind for religious exercises.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      21 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.   22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the 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.   23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.   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 congregation that came out of Israel, and the 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 there was not the like in Jerusalem.   27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.

      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 (2 Chronicles 30:22; 2 Chronicles 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, 2 Chronicles 30:24; 2 Chronicles 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, 2 Chronicles 30:22; 2 Chronicles 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, Deuteronomy 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 (2 Chronicles 30:21; 2 Chronicles 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,2 Chronicles 30:23; 2 Chronicles 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 (2 Chronicles 30:23; 2 Chronicles 30:23); they all rejoiced, and particularly the strangers,2 Chronicles 30:25; 2 Chronicles 30:25. So there was great joy in Jerusalem,2 Chronicles 30:26; 2 Chronicles 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, 2 Chronicles 30:27; 2 Chronicles 30:27. (1.) The priests pronounced it; for it was part of their office to bless the people (Numbers 6:22; Numbers 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.