Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
2 Chronicles 31:2

Clarke's Commentary

Verse 2 Chronicles 31:2. In the gates of the tents of the Lord. — That is, in the temple; for this was the house, tabernacle, tent, and camp, of the Most High.

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

THE MAGNIFICENT GENEROSITY OF THE ISRAELITES

"And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt-offerings and for peace-offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of Jehovah. He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt-offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt-offerings, and the burnt-offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of Jehovah. Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the law of Jehovah. And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel gave in abundance the first-fruits of grain, and new wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. And the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of dedicated things which were consecrated unto Jehovah their God, and laid them by heaps. In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed Jehovah, and his people Israel. Then Hezekiah and the princes questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. And Azariah the chief priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him and said, Since the people began to bring the oblations into the house of Jehovah, we have eaten and had enough, and have left plenty: for Jehovah hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store."

"This paragraph pictures Hezekiah, not only as a second Solomon, but as a second David."The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 517. There was a wholesale reordering of the religious life and personnel of Israel. The freedom provided by these events gave the Levites time to devote themselves to the Law of Jehovah, thus making it absolutely certain that during the times of Josiah, less than seventy-five years later, there would be countless persons left in Israel who were thoroughly familiar with the entire Mosaic covenant and the precious "Book of Moses" that attended it. This effectively refutes the notion that a reprobate priesthood could have gotten away with forging any kind of a brand new religious constitution of Israel so soon afterward. It is this mountain fact that leads the radical critics to write that, "The Chronicler writes (in these chapters) much that is quite unhistorical."Arthur S. Peake's Commentary, p. 321. Where is the proof that any of this material is unhistorical? The only thing on earth that contradicts any of what is written here is that favorite fairy tale of unbelievers frequently referred to as the D Document. To allow that to be true is to allow that an HISTORICAL REPORT (CHRONICLES) can be nullified by an imaginary, fraudulent, and absolutely UNHISTORICAL REPORT. This writer cannot subscribe to any such proposition, nor can he accept the allegation that any scientifically minded scholar could be persuaded to do so.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The tents - literally, “the camps.” The temple is called the “camp of Yahweh” by an apt metaphor: the square enclosure, with its gates and stations, its guards and porters, its reliefs, its orderly arrangement, and the tabernacle, or tent, of the great commander in the midst, very much resembled a camp.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 31

Now when all this was finished, all of Israel and those that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and they broke the images in pieces, they cut down the groves, they threw down the high places, the altars from Judah, Benjamin, in Ephraim and in Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities ( 2 Chronicles 31:1 ).

So it was a spiritual revival, spiritual movement. As these guys went back up to the north, they broke down all of the images, the idols of Baal, and places of worship for the pagan gods that had been established in the northern kingdom. And they just went through sort of cleansing the land from all of the remnants of their idolatry that they had fallen into.

And Hezekiah appointed the courses for the priests and the Levites, that each man might serve the Lord according to his own course. And he appointed the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, for the morning and evening sacrifices. He commanded the people who dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites and all, that they might bring in the tithe of all things ( 2 Chronicles 31:2-4 ).

And the people brought in abundantly and so there was plenty for the house of the Lord.

And thus did Hezekiah throughout all of Judah, he wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek God, he did it with all his heart, and he prospered ( 2 Chronicles 31:20-21 ).

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Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

3. Re-establishment of proper worship 31:2-21

The king organized the priests and Levites again into the divisions David had specified. Evidently Hezekiah’s predecessors had not observed these divisions. He also instituted tithing again as the Mosaic Law commanded (cf. Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:8; Deuteronomy 14:28). Because the people responded obediently, there was an abundance of money for temple maintenance and for its servants (2 Chronicles 31:10). The principle these reforms illustrate is that when God’s people obey His Word, they prosper (in some form). God always desires people’s welfare. Hezekiah prospered, too (2 Chronicles 31:21), because he sought God with all his heart, as David had done. In New Testament terms, he did all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests, and the Levites after their courses,.... As they were fixed by David, and were in the times of Jehoshaphat, and had been since interrupted, and which Hezekiah now restored, and placed them in their regular order:

every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings, and for peace offerings, to minister and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the Lord; or camp of the Lord, where they were posted, and lay as an host encamped, to keep the watch of the house of the Lord; the priests, they were appointed to offer the sacrifices of every sort; the Levites to minister to them in what they needed and required of them, and others of them to be singers in time of service, and others to be porters at the gate.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.   2 And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the LORD.   3 He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the LORD.   4 Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the LORD.   5 And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.   6 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them by heaps.   7 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.   8 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD, and his people Israel.   9 Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.   10 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.

      We have here an account of what was done after the passover. What was wanting in the solemnities of preparation for it before was made up in that which is better, a due improvement of it after. When the religious exercises of a Lord's day or a communion are finished we must not think that then the work is done. No, then the hardest part of our work begins, which is to exemplify the impressions of the ordinance upon our minds in all the instances of a holy conversation. So it was here; when all this was finished there was more to be done.

      I. They applied themselves with vigour to destroy all the monuments of idolatry, 2 Chronicles 31:1; 2 Chronicles 31:1. The king had done what he could of this kind (2 Kings 18:4), but the people could discover those profane relics which escaped the eye of the king's officers, and therefore they went out to see what they could do, 2 Chronicles 31:1; 2 Chronicles 31:1. This was done immediately after the passover. Note, The comfort of communion with God should kindle in us a holy zeal and indignation against sin, against every thing that is offensive to God. If our hearts have been made to burn within us at an ordinance, that spirit of burning will consume the dross of corruption. What have I now to do any more with idols? Their zeal here in destroying the images and groves, the high places and altars, appeared, 1. In that they did this, not only in the cities of Judah and Benjamin, but in those of Ephraim and Manasseh. Some think that those cities are meant which had come under the protection and the jurisdiction of the kings of Judah. Others think that, Hoshea king of Israel not forbidding it, their zeal carried them out to the destruction of idolatry even in many parts of his kingdom. At least those that came out of Ephraim and Manasseh to keep the passover (as many did, 2 Chronicles 30:18; 2 Chronicles 30:18) destroyed all their own images and groves, and did the like for as many more as they had influence upon or could make interest in for leave to do it. We should not only reform ourselves, but do all we can to reform others too. 2. They destroyed all: they utterly destroyed all; they spared none through favour or affection either to the images or to their worshippers; though ever so ancient, ever so costly, ever so beautiful, and ever so well patronised, yet they must all be destroyed. Note, Those that sincerely set themselves against sin will set themselves against all sin. 3. They would not return to their houses, though they had been long absent, till this was done. They could not be easy, nor think themselves safe, in their cities, as long as the images and groves, those betrayers and destroyers of their country, were left standing. Perhaps the prophet Isaiah pointed to this when, a little before, he spoke of a day in which men should cast away the very idols that they themselves had made. So surprising was this blessed change, Isaiah 2:20; Isaiah 31:6; Isaiah 31:7.

      II. Hezekiah revived and restored the courses of the priests and Levites, which David had appointed and which had of late been put out of course, 2 Chronicles 31:2; 2 Chronicles 31:2. The temple service was put into its proper method again, to run in the old channel. Every man was made to know his work, his place, his time, and what was expected from him. Note, Good order contributes much to the carrying on of a good work. The priests were appointed in their courses for burnt-offerings and peace-offerings; the Levites in their courses were some to minister to the priests, others to give thanks and praise. See 1 Chronicles 23:4; 1 Chronicles 23:5. And all this in the gates or courts of the tents of the Lord. The temple is here called a tent because the temple privileges are movable things and this temple was shortly to be removed.

      III. He appropriated a branch of the revenue of his crown to the maintenance and support of the altar. Though the people were to be at the charge of the daily offerings, and those on the sabbaths, new moons, and feasts, yet, rather than they should be burdened with the expense, he allowed out of his own estate, or out of his exchequer, for all those offerings, 2 Chronicles 31:3; 2 Chronicles 31:3. It was a generous act of piety, wherein he consulted both God's honour and his people's ease, as a faithful servant to him and a tender father to them. Let princes and great men reckon that well bestowed, and set out to the best interest, which they give for the support and encouragement of religion in their country.

      IV. He issued out an order to the inhabitants of Jerusalem first, 2 Chronicles 31:4; 2 Chronicles 31:4 (that those who were nearest the temple, and both saved and got by being so, might give a good example to others), but which was afterwards extended to, or at least admitted by, the cities of Judah, that they should carefully pay in their dues, according to the law, to the priests and Levites. This had been long neglected, which made the work to be neglected (for a scandalous maintenance makes a scandalous ministry); but Hezekiah, having himself been liberal, might with a good grace require his subjects to be just to the temple service. And observe the end he aims at in recovering and restoring to the priests and Levites their portion, that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord, in the study of it, and in doing their duty according to it. Observe here, 1. It is fit that ministers should be not only maintained, but encouraged, that they should not only be kept to do their work, but that they should also have wherewith to live comfortably, that they may do it with cheerfulness. 2. Yet they are to be maintained, not in idleness, pride, and luxury, but in the law of the Lord, in their observance of it themselves and in teaching others the good knowledge of it.

      V. The people thereupon brought in their tithes very readily. They wanted nothing but to be called upon; and therefore, as soon as the commandment came abroad, the first-fruits and all the holy things were duly brought in, 2 Chronicles 31:5; 2 Chronicles 31:6. What the priests had occasion for, for themselves and their families, they made use of, and the overplus was laid in heaps,2 Chronicles 31:6; 2 Chronicles 31:6. All harvest-time they were increasing these heaps, as the fruits of the earth were gathered in; for God was to have his dues out of them all. Though a prescription may be pleaded for a modus decimandi--tenth proportion, yet it cannot be pleaded pro non decminado--for the omission of the tenth. When harvest ended they finished their heaps, 2 Chronicles 31:7; 2 Chronicles 31:7. Now here we have, 1. The account given to Hezekiah concerning those heaps. He questioned the priests and Levites concerning them, why they did not use what was paid in, but hoarded it up thus, (2 Chronicles 31:9; 2 Chronicles 31:9), to which it was answered that they had made use of all they had occasion for, for the maintenance of themselves and their families and for their winter store, and that this was that which was left over and above, 2 Chronicles 31:10; 2 Chronicles 31:10. They did not hoard these heaps for covetousness, but to show what plentiful provision God by his law had made for them, if they could but have it collected and brought in, and that those who conscientiously give God his dues out of their estates bring a blessing upon all they have: Since they began to bring in the offerings the Lord has blessed his people. See for this Haggai 2:19. "Try me," says God, "if you will not otherwise trust me, whether, upon your bringing the tithes into the store-house, you have not a blessing poured out upon you," Malachi 3:10; Malachi 3:11; Ezekiel 44:30. 2. The acknowledgment which the king and princes made of it, 2 Chronicles 31:8; 2 Chronicles 31:8. They gave thanks to God for his good providence, which gave them something to bring, and his good grace, which gave them hearts to bring it. And they also blessed the people, that is, commended them for their doing well now, without reproaching them for their former neglects. It is observable that after they had tasted the sweetness of God's ordinance, in the late comfortable passover, they were thus free in maintaining the temple service. Those that experience the benefit of a settled ministry will not grudge the expense of it.