Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 13:9
Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of [other] lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, [the same] may be a priest of [them that are] no gods.
9. cast out ] R.V. driven out; cp. note on 2Ch 11:14.
to consecrate himself ] Lit. to fill his hand. Moses is directed (Exo 29:1 ff.) to ordain Aaron and his sons priests by three ceremonies: (1) by anointing them, (2) by filling their hands, i.e. by presenting them with victims upon which they laid their hands, (3) by hallowing them, i.e. by sprinkling some of the blood of the victim upon them.
a young bullock and seven rams ] Aaronic priests were consecrated with a young bullock and two rams (Exo 29:1).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Seven rams – A bullock and two rams was the offering which God had required at the original consecration of the sons of Aaron Exo 29:1; Lev 8:2. Jeroboam, for reasons of his own, enlarged the sacrifice, and required it at the consecration of every priest.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 9. A young bullock and seven rams] He who could provide these for his own consecration was received into the order of this spurious and wicked priesthood. Some think he who could give to Jeroboam a young bullock and seven rams, was thereby received into the priesthood; this being the price for which the priesthood was conferred. The former is most likely.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
To consecrate himself, i. e. to make himself a priest. See Poole “Lev 7:37“.
That are no gods; that have nothing of the nature or power, though you give them the name of gods.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord the sons of Aaron, and the Levites,…. Because they would not sacrifice to his idols, and that they might not instruct the people in the pure worship of God, and that he and his people might be free from the payment of tithes, firstfruits, c. and their cities fall into his hands:
and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of [other] lands? after the manner of the Gentiles, without any regard to any particular tribe, which God had appointed those to be taken from:
so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams which were five more than what were required by the law of Moses for the consecration of a priest, Ex 29:1, the same
may be a priest of [them that are] no gods; by nature, only nominal and fictitious deities, as the calves were, which had no divinity in them, see 1Ki 13:31.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(9) The priests of the Lord . . . and the Levites.The Hebrew seems to include the Levites among the priests of the Lord.
Cast out.Banished (Jer. 8:3).
After the manner of the nations of other lands.Literally, like the peoples of the lands; that is, priests of all classes of the nation, and not members of the divinely chosen tribe of Levi. (See 1Ki. 12:31; 1Ki. 13:33). The surrounding heathen had no exclusive sacerdotal castes.
So that whosoever cometh . . .Literally, every one that cometh, that they may fill his hand, with a steer, son of a herd, and seven rams, becometh a priest unto non-gods. To fill a mans hand was the legal phrase for giving him authority and instituting him as a priest. (See Exo. 28:41; Exo. 29:9; Jdg. 17:5.) Every one that came with the prescribed sacrifices (see Exodus 29) was admissible to the new priesthood. The phrase a young bullock and seven rams is not a full account of the sacrifices required by the law of Moses for the consecration of a priest. Perhaps Abijah did not care to be exact; but it is quite possible that Jeroboam had modified the Mosaic rule.
The compound substantive no-gods (l elhm) is like l l and l elah (Deu. 32:17; Deu. 32:21). The calves are spoken of as mere idols, although there is little doubt that Jeroboam set them up as representations of the God of Israel.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Ch 13:9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of [other] lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, [the same] may be a priest of [them that are] no gods.
Ver. 9. Have you not cast out the priests of the Lord? ] Who should pray for you, and make atonement.
So that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Have ye not . . . ? Compare 2Ch 11:14. Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.
nations = Peoples.
seven rams. In Exo 29:1 and Lev 8:2 only “two rams” appointed. But religion and ritual, being for the flesh, always add outward things while they diminish the spiritual.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
cast out: 2Ch 11:14, 2Ch 11:15
made you priests: 1Ki 12:31-33, 1Ki 13:33
consecrate himself: Heb. fill his hand, Exo 32:29, Lev 16:32, 1Ch 29:5, *marg.
young: Exo 29:1, Exo 29:35, Lev 8:2
no gods: Deu 32:17, 2Ki 19:18, Jer 2:11, Hos 8:6, Act 19:26, Gal 4:8
Reciprocal: 2Ch 29:31 – consecrated yourselves Eze 11:12 – but Amo 7:10 – the priest
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ch 13:9. Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord? The house of Aaron, whom God appointed to minister in holy things. And have made you priests, after the manner of the nations? In conformity to the custom of the idolatrous nations. So that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock To make himself a priest, Lev 7:3. Whosoever desires to be in the office, and will be at the charge of his consecration, though ever so much a scandal to the character; the same may be a priest of them that are no gods That have nothing of the nature or power of gods, though you give them that name. Such, however, though very unfit to be priests, were most fit of all others to be their priests. For what could be more suitable to gods that were no gods, than priests that were no priests?
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
13:9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of [other] lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a {i} young bullock and seven rams, [the same] may be a priest of [them that are] no gods.
(i) He shows the nature of idolaters who take no trial of the calling, life and doctrine of their ministers, but think the most vile and greatest beasts sufficient to serve their turn.