2 Chronicles 31
DOYLYChap. XXXII. ver. 3. — to stop the waters of the fountains] To fill up the wells and fountains with
earth, so that the enemy might not know where water was to be found. Bp. Patrick.
2 Chronicles 31:7
- — they began to lay the foundation of the heaps.] They began to bring in their offerings of firstfruits in the third month, when their harvest began, and finished the tithing in the seventh month, when the harvest was ended, Exod. xxiii. 16. Bp. Patrick.
2 Chronicles 31:9
- — this did Sennacherib &c.] As is related at 2 Kings xviii. Hezekiah bought his peace with Sennacherib in the first instance; but the faithless Assyrian afterwards returned with his whole army against the land of Judah, and sent the insulting message following, ver. 10—16, which is there given more at length.
2 Chronicles 31:15
- — to give to their brethren by courses, &c.] The persons, here mentioned, were appointed to give their due portion to their brethren, who staid in their cities “by courses,” while the others came to officiate at the temple, and that, as well to “the great” or elder, as to “the small” or younger. Except (as it proceeds ver. 16.) such children as, by the genealogies of the males, which were carefully kept, appeared to be three years old and upward; for to their males “from three years old and upward,” “even unto every one that entereth (that is, that might enter) into the house of the Lord” with their fathers, when they came to wait in their
Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.
2 Chronicles 31:17
- — from twenty years old &c.] These words relate not to the priests, but to the Levites only, who, according to the law of Moses, were not obliged to enter on their functions till they were thirty years old, Numb. iv. 3. But David, in the latter end of his reign, a little before the building of the temple, admitted them to officiate at the age of twenty years, I Chron. xxiii. 27. Bp. Patrick.
2 Chronicles 31:18
- And to the genealogy of all their little ones, &c.] The above-mentioned officers gave to every family their portion; not only to the priests, but to their wives and children, of whom (as it here appears) an exact register was kept, according to which the distribution was made.
— for in their set office they sanctified themselves &c.] Rather, according to the Hebrew, “in faith,” or
Before CHRIST 758. hand. hand. Sennacherib invadeth Judah. His blasphemous message. Before CHRIST 726.