2 Chronicles 35:3
2 Chronicles 35:3 in Multiple Translations
To the Levites who taught all Israel and were holy to the LORD, Josiah said: “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. It is not to be carried around on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel.
And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, which were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the LORD your God, and his people Israel,
And he said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, that were holy unto Jehovah, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; there shall no more be a burden upon your shoulders. Now serve Jehovah your God, and his people Israel;
And he said to the Levites, the teachers of all Israel, who were holy to the Lord, See, the holy ark is in the house which Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel, made; it will no longer have to be transported on your backs: now be the servants of the Lord your God and his people Israel,
Josiah told the Levites who taught all Israel and were holy to the Lord, “Place the holy Ark in the Temple built by Solomon, son of David, king of Israel. It's not necessary for you to carry it around on your shoulders any more. Your responsibility now is to serve the Lord your God and his people Israel.
And he sayd vnto the Leuites that taught all Israel and were sanctified vnto the Lord, Put the holy Arke in the house which Salomon the sonne of Dauid King of Israel did build: it shalbe no more a burden vpon your shoulders: serue now the Lord your God and his people Israel,
and saith to the Levites — who are teaching all Israel — who are sanctified to Jehovah, 'Put the holy ark in the house that Solomon son of David king of Israel built; it is not to you a burden on the shoulder. 'Now, serve Jehovah your God, and His people Israel,
He said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to the LORD, “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built. It will no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and his people Israel.
And said to the Levites that taught all Israel, who were holy to the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the LORD your God, and his people Israel,
And he spoke to the Levites, by whose instruction all Israel was sanctified to the Lord, saying: Put the ark in the sanctuary of the temple, which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built: for you shall carry it no more: but minister now to the Lord your God, and to his people Israel.
The other descendants of Levi were the ones who taught all the Israeli people; they had been dedicated to serve Yahweh. Josiah said to them, “Put the Sacred Chest in the temple that the workers of David’s son King Solomon of Israel built. But carry it on poles; do not carry it on your shoulders. And do your your work well for Yahweh your God and for his Israeli people.
Berean Amplified Bible — 2 Chronicles 35:3
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2 Chronicles 35:3 Interlinear (Deep Study)
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Hebrew Word Reference — 2 Chronicles 35:3
Study Notes — 2 Chronicles 35:3
- Context
- Cross References
- 2 Chronicles 35:3 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on 2 Chronicles 35:3
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Chronicles 35:3
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 35:3
- Trapp's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 35:3
- Ellicott's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 35:3
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 35:3
- Cambridge Bible on 2 Chronicles 35:3
- Barnes' Notes on 2 Chronicles 35:3
- Whedon's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 35:3
- Sermons on 2 Chronicles 35:3
Context — Josiah Restores the Passover
3To the Levites who taught all Israel and were holy to the LORD, Josiah said: “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. It is not to be carried around on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel.
4Prepare yourselves by families in your divisions, according to the instructions written by David king of Israel and Solomon his son. 5Moreover, stand in the Holy Place by the divisions of the families of your kinsmen the lay people, and by the divisions of the families of the Levites.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Chronicles 23:26 | So now the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles for its service.” |
| 2 | Malachi 2:7 | For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts. |
| 3 | Deuteronomy 33:10 | He will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your law to Israel; he will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar. |
| 4 | 2 Chronicles 17:8–9 | accompanied by certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah—along with the priests Elishama and Jehoram. They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD. They went throughout the towns of Judah and taught the people. |
| 5 | 2 Chronicles 30:22 | And Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who performed skillfully before the LORD. For seven days they ate their assigned portion, sacrificing fellowship offerings and giving thanks to the LORD, the God of their fathers. |
| 6 | 2 Corinthians 4:5 | For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. |
| 7 | 2 Chronicles 5:7 | Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim. |
| 8 | Numbers 16:9–10 | Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel and brought you near to Himself to perform the work at the LORD’s tabernacle, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them? He has brought you near, you and all your fellow Levites, but you are seeking the priesthood as well. |
| 9 | Numbers 4:15–49 | When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting. Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall oversee the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. He has oversight of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including the holy objects and their utensils.” Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Do not allow the Kohathite tribal clans to be cut off from among the Levites. In order that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and what he is to carry. But the Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects, even for a moment, or they will die.” And the LORD said to Moses, “Take a census of the Gershonites as well, by their families and clans, from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. This is the service of the Gershonite clans regarding work and transport: They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting with the covering of fine leather over it, the curtains for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the curtains of the courtyard, and the curtains for the entrance at the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, along with their ropes and all the equipment for their service. The Gershonites will do all that needs to be done with these items. All the service of the Gershonites—all their transport duties and other work—is to be done at the direction of Aaron and his sons; you are to assign to them all that they are responsible to carry. This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the Tent of Meeting, and their duties shall be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. As for the sons of Merari, you are to number them by their clans and families, from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work of the Tent of Meeting. This is the duty for all their service at the Tent of Meeting: to carry the frames of the tabernacle with its crossbars, posts, and bases, and the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes, including all their equipment and everything related to their use. You shall assign by name the items that they are responsible to carry. This is the service of the Merarite clans according to all their work at the Tent of Meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.” So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the congregation numbered the Kohathites by their clans and families, everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. And those numbered by their clans totaled 2,750. These were counted from the Kohathite clans, everyone who could serve at the Tent of Meeting. Moses and Aaron numbered them according to the command of the LORD through Moses. Then the Gershonites were numbered by their clans and families, everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. And those numbered by their clans and families totaled 2,630. These were counted from the Gershonite clans who served at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the LORD’s command. And the Merarites were numbered by their clans and families, everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. The men registered by their clans numbered 3,200. These were counted from the Merarite clans, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the LORD’s command through Moses. So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel numbered by their clans and families all the Levites from thirty to fifty years old who came to do the work of serving and carrying the Tent of Meeting. And the number of men was 8,580. At the LORD’s command they were numbered through Moses and each one was assigned his work and burden, as the LORD had commanded Moses. |
| 10 | Numbers 8:19 | And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to perform the service for the Israelites at the Tent of Meeting and to make atonement on their behalf, so that no plague will come against the Israelites when they approach the sanctuary.” |
2 Chronicles 35:3 Summary
In this verse, King Josiah is giving instructions to the Levites, who were the spiritual leaders of Israel, to put the holy ark in the temple where it belonged. This was a big deal because the ark was a symbol of God's presence with His people, and it was time to give it a permanent home. Josiah also reminded the Levites to serve God and His people, which is a reminder to us today to prioritize our relationship with God and to serve others in His name (as seen in Matthew 22:37-40 and Mark 12:30-31). By following Josiah's example, we can learn to make worship and service a central part of our lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was it important for the ark to be placed in the temple?
The ark was a symbol of God's presence among His people, and placing it in the temple signified the central role of worship in the life of Israel, as seen in Deuteronomy 12:10-11 and 1 Kings 8:1-9.
What does it mean to be 'holy to the LORD' as mentioned in this verse?
To be holy to the Lord means to be set apart for His service and to live according to His standards, as taught in Leviticus 20:26 and 1 Peter 1:15-16.
Why did Josiah instruct the Levites to stop carrying the ark on their shoulders?
Josiah's instruction was likely given because the ark was no longer needed to be transported from place to place, now that a permanent temple had been built, as indicated in 2 Chronicles 35:3 and 1 Kings 8:1-9.
How does this verse relate to the broader theme of worship in the Bible?
This verse highlights the importance of worship and the central role of the temple in the spiritual life of Israel, as seen in Psalms 95:6 and Hebrews 10:19-25.
Reflection Questions
- What does it mean for me to 'serve the LORD my God and His people' in my daily life?
- How can I ensure that I am 'holy to the Lord' in my thoughts, words, and actions?
- What are some ways that I can prioritize worship and the presence of God in my life, just as Josiah did in this verse?
- How does the concept of the ark and the temple relate to the idea of God's presence in my life and in the lives of believers today?
Gill's Exposition on 2 Chronicles 35:3
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Chronicles 35:3
Matthew Poole's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 35:3
Trapp's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 35:3
Ellicott's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 35:3
Adam Clarke's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 35:3
Cambridge Bible on 2 Chronicles 35:3
Barnes' Notes on 2 Chronicles 35:3
Whedon's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 35:3
Sermons on 2 Chronicles 35:3
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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The Fellowship of His Suffering by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the speaker expresses his deep concern about the commercialization and profit-driven motives within the ministry. He criticizes the hiring of a promotion man and a |
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The Glory of God and Missions by Paul Washer | In this sermon, the speaker addresses the question of how to reconcile the idea that God does everything for Himself with the belief that God is a loving God who loves people. He u |
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Bishop Wilson's Meditations on His Sacred Office, No. 4.-- Wednesday--(Continued) by J.H. Newman | J.H. Newman preaches on the dangers of being rich and living a luxurious life without caring for the poor, emphasizing the need for repentance, mortification, and self-denial to le |
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Commentary Notes - Malachi by Walter Beuttler | Walter Beuttler preaches on the book of Malachi, highlighting the people's hardened hearts and insolent denials of guilt, the use of interrogation and reply in the book, and the ke |
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A Special Vocation by T. Austin-Sparks | T. Austin-Sparks emphasizes the special vocation of God's people, illustrating the distinctions within the community of faith through the example of Israel's structure around the t |
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Standing With the Few by Jeff Colon | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes that God has prepared everything for us and invites us to partake in His eternal inheritance. However, many people make excuses and prioritiz |
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When Preachers Do Not Preach Against Sin by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher tells the story of Nathan confronting King David about his sin. Nathan uses a parable about a rich man who steals a beloved lamb from his neighbor to i |






