2 Chronicles 31

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jyiOW, when all this was finished. In the latter end of the second month, after the Passover and the following festivals were over, and they had received good instructions from the pious Levites, (xxx. 22.) they now produced the fruit of all this, by destroying the monuments of idolatry. 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.’] Which Ahaz hadmade in all the fenced cities of Judah, (xxviii. 25.) Out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all.] They had no authority in the kingdom of Israel, to which Ephraim and Manasseh belonged: but some think, that as Hezekiah sent letters to all Israel to come and keep the Passover, so he went by a Divine motion to those tribes which were nearest to him,. and, without the consent of Hosheakingof Israel, destroyed their images, and other idolatrous monuments. But these words may signify no more than that he did this in all parts of Ephraim and Manasseh, who were fallen off to Judah, and come under his government, (chap, xv. 9.) Tlien all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.] This argues great zeal, that they would not return home till they had done all they could to establish and promote true religion. Of so great import it is (as Pellicanus here observes) to have a good king, and a well-instructed people.

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And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests, and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service. He restored the order which David had instituted; which had been interrupted since the days of Jehoshaphat, who walked in the ways of David, (chap. xvii. 3.) The priests and the Levites for burnt-offerings, and for peace-offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise.] Not only upon such solemn feasts as the Passover (which they had lately kept), but every day they sung praise to God, when the sacrifices were offered. In the gates of the tents of the Lord.] That is, in the Lord’s house; which anciently was a tent, as he represents to David, 2 Sam. vii. 6. And all houses were called by that name, Psal. lxix. 25.

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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 sabbatlis, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the Lord.] There was a particular saj crifice, I suppose, offered for the king every day, at his own cost and charge. Besides which, Hezekiah likewise maintained the morning and evening sacrifices every day, and especially on the sabbaths, and new moons, and solemn feasts: because the condition of the people was so low, that they could not every one pay the tax that was laid on them on purpose for the maintenance of these sacrifices. Yet the first-fruits and the tenths he ordered to be carefully paid, as it here follows. And these words it is possible may mean no more, but that he made an allowance out of his own estate, for the support of all the expenses, ordinary and extraordinary, at the altar.

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Moreover, he commanded the people that dwelt id by Microsoft ® A COMMENTARY UPON [chap. XXXI, in Jerusalem. That by their good example others might bo stirred up to their duty. To give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the lata of the Lord.] For the service of God could not bo maintained, unless there was a duo provision made for the maintenance of his ministers, who were always supported out of the public stock. For they who minister to the community, ought by the law of nature (as Estius well observes) to be maintained by it. For their ministry is not appointed for themselves, but for the salvation of all the people.

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And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought m abundance the first-fruits of coryi, wine, and oil, and honey. The Targum translates the w;ord honey of dates, as the Jews commonly understand it, and so expound Deut. viii. 8. where seven sorts of things are mentioned, of which they brought the first-fruits. But though honey was not offered in sacrifice to God (which is their reason why they will not here understand honey, properly so called), yet I see no reason why they might not bring the first-fruits of it, and give it to the priests for their own use. And of all the increase of the field.]. Which Kimchi expounds of the fruits of the rest of the trees; viz. fig-trees and pomegranates. t, And all the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.] They paid tithe, saith he, not only of the corn, but of the fruit-trees, and of the herbs, which were not due by the law: such herbs as those mentioned by our Saviour, mint, anise, and cummin; (Matt, xxiii. 23.) though these seem to have been of a later date, invented by the Pharisees. *

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And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, Oiai dwelt in the city of Judah. As many of the Israelites as were under the power and dominion of Judah, did the samp that they did.. v They also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep.] As the inhabitants of Jerusalem had brought in the tithe of such things as are forementioned, which they had in their storehouses; so they in the country brought in also the tithe of oxen and sheep, which were not kept in the cities. And the tithe of holy things ivhich were consecrated vnto the Lord their God.] That is, saith Jarchi, the tithe which the Levites paid to the priests. But Kimchi takes it for things consecrated, which they had dedicated to God’s service; of which they also gave tithe, though they were exempted from the law of the tithing.. And laid them by heaps.] In a great abundance, as is bcforesaid.

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In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. They began to. offer first-fruits in the third month, when their harvest began; and finished the tithing in the seventh month, when their harvest was ended, (Exod. xxiii. 16.)

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And when Ilezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and his people Israel. They gave thanks to God, who had given them such plenty of good things, and likewise given them a heart to offer so plentifully: and they commended the people, and prayed God to increase their store. For, that is the meaning of blessing the people, praising, their liberality, and praying God to reward it.. Ver. -9/ Then Ilezekiah questioned, \vith the priests, and the Levites concerning the heaps.] Asking them, as some understand it, what they meant to, let them lie so carelessly, as if they were neglected, and did not lay them up in some safe place. But others think he means, how it came to pass, that there were still such great heaps left, and no more spent. Which the following answer seems to favour, though the next words incline to tho.formcr.

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And Azariah the chief priest, of the house of Zqdoh. The head of the family of the priests, of the line ~ ofZadok….. Answered’ him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord.] Which was from the very beginning of harvest… 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. ] His meaning seems to be, that they had not spared to make use of the plentiful provision which was brought to them; and had also laid up as much as they had room to receive, and all these heaps were still left.

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Tlten Ilezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord; and they prepared them. To build new>storehouses, besides those which Solomon had made; because there.was.not room enough wherein to lay all the offerings, and tithes, and other dedicated things.

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And brought in the offerings, and the tithes, and the dedicated things, faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levife.ioas ruler, and Shimei his brother ivas the next. As he took care they should all be faithfully laid up, so he set trusty persons to see that they were no less faithfully preserved, for their proper uses. Of which these two brethren were the chief. > - -

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And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers, under the hand of Cononiah and Shiinei his brother.] These were inferior officers, under the command of the two forenamed brethren, who had the principal oversight, and these were assistant to them. At the commandment of Ilezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the houseofGod.] For so it was ordered by the king, with the advice of Azariah, who was before mentioned (ver. 10.) as a chief person among the priests..

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AndKore, thesonoflmnah theLevite, the porter towards the east. At the entrance of the house of God.. Was over the free-will-offerings of God, to distribute the oblations of the Lord.] Unto the priests and Levites, to w T hose uses they were appropriated by God: or, as some think, to give out so much flour, oil, wine, frankincense, &c. as was necessary for the sacrifices. And the most holy things.] So they called the burnt-offerings, and the offerings for sin, and the trespass-offerings, and the two lambs for peace-offerings, on the last day of the feast of tabernacles, as Beckius observes out of Maimouides. v

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And next him were Eden, and Mini amin, andJe* shna, and Shemaiah, Amariah f and Shechauiah, in the cities of the priests, in their set office, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as to the small.] These were to take care of those who stayed in their cities, while others came in their courses to wait at Jerusalem. None of which j wanted. the portion allotted to them, both for themselves and for their little children. CHAP. XXXI.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. •

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• Besides their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even tmto every one that entereth into the house of the Lord, his daily portion for their service in their charges, according to their courses*’] Though none of the Levites were permitted to come into the house of the Lord, to do service, till they were twenty years old; yet their males (as Mr. Selden observes from this place), who were three years old or. more, were allowed to come into the temple with their parents; and in the distribution, the other infants being pretermitted, these were provided for. Kimchi here observes, that males under three years old were not capable of entering into the house of the Lord: but females, neither then, nor after they were older, were capable of this privilege.

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Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in.their charges, by their courses. These words twenty years old (as the same great person observes) relate not to the priests, but to the Levites: who, according to the law of Moses, were not obliged to their function, 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, 1 Chron. xxiii. 2G, 27. (See Selden, de Succession. ad Pontif. lib. ii. cap. 4.)

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And to the genealogy of all their tittle ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation. The forenamed officers gave to every family their portion; not only to the priests, but to their wives and children: of which (it appears by these verses) an exact register was kept, according to which they made their distribution. For in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness.] Or rather, according to the Hebrew, For in faith, or with fidelity (some translate it in the margin in trust), they sanctified themselves in holiness; that is, attended upon their ministry at the house of God, nothing doubting they should be provided of all things necessary. For this seems to be a reason, why such care was taken of their wives and children, because their husbands were wholly given up to the service of God, and could not follow any other employment whereby to provide for the maintenance of their families. <

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Alsoof the sons of Aaron the priests, which tvere in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city. Care was taken of those that lived in the country, though at the greatest distance, as well as of those that lived in or near Jerusalem, or waited in their courses there. They that were not in waiting, but at home with their families, had provision made for them, as if they had been at the house of God. The mm that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites.’] The forenamed persons were entrusted with this business, to see that none wanted a maintenance.

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And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, andwrought that tvhichwasgood, and right, and truth, before the Lord his God. Whatsoever he thought was pleasing to God, conformable to the law, and profitable for his people, he performed with integrity of heart.

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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 his God, he did it with allhisjieart, and prospered. Whatsoever he went about, either for the advancement of religion, or the good government of his people, he did it sincerely, and with great zeal; so that God prospered him both in peace and in war.