Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 30:27
Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came [up] to his holy dwelling place, [even] unto heaven.
27. the priests the Levites ] So in 2Ch 23:18, but only in these two places in Chron. The phrase is Deuteronomic, and has been taken to imply that all Levites were potentially priests. Such was not in any case the view of the Chronicler, and perhaps we ought to read “the priests and the Levites” both here and in 2Ch 23:18.
his holy dwelling place ] R.V. his holy habitation; so Deu 26:15.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 27. And their voice was heard] God accepted the fruits of that pious disposition which himself had infused.
And their prayer came up] As the smoke of their sacrifices ascended to the clouds, so did their prayers, supplications, and thanksgivings, ascend to the heavens. The Targum says: “Their prayer came up to the dwelling-place of his holy shechinah, which is in heaven.” Israel now appeared to be in a fair way of regaining what they had lost; but alas, how soon were all these bright prospects beclouded for ever!
It is not for the want of holy resolutions and heavenly influences that men are not saved but through their own unsteadiness; they do not persevere, they forget the necessity of continuing in prayer, and thus the Holy Spirit is grieved, departs from them, and leaves them to their own darkness and hardness of heart. When we consider the heavenly influences which many receive who draw back to perdition, and the good fruits which for a time they bore, it is blasphemy to say they had no genuine or saving grace; they had it, they showed it, they trifled with it, sinned against it, continued in their rebellions, and therefore are lost.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The priests the Levites; those of the Levites who were priests also; for to them only this work belonged, 1Ch 23:13. Or, the priests and the Levites; for as the Levites did some other part of the priests work at this time, it is not strange if they did this also. Or the priests might bless by solemn pronunciation of the blessing, and the Levites by their acclamations, or with their musical instruments.
Blessed the people; either commended them for their great zeal and diligence in Gods service; or rather, solemnly prayed to God to bless them; and their prayer was not in vain, as the following words show.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Then the priests the Levites arose,…. The priests who were of the tribe of Levi; for there were some in Israel that were not, but were made of any of the people, as in the times of Jeroboam; though some supply the copulative “and”; so the Targum: “and blessed the people”; which was the proper work and business of the priests to do; though, while they were blessing, the Levites might be singing:
and their voice was heard; meaning not by the people, though undoubtedly it was, but by the Lord; the Targum is,
“their prayer was heard or received;”
for the blessing was delivered in a petitionary way, Nu 6:24, and was no other than a request that God would bless them, which he did:
and their prayer came up to his holy dwellingplace, even unto heaven; see Ps 3:4 by what means it was known their prayer was heard and accepted cannot be said; there might be some visible token of it, as the people were dismissed, and departed.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(27) Then the priests the Levites.And the Levitical priests; not any irregular ministrants. Some Hebrew MSS., the LXX., Syriac, and the Vulg. read, And the priests and the Levites: but comp. 2Ch. 23:18.
And their voice was heard.The priestly blessing was a prayer that Jehovah would bless. (See Num. 6:22-27.) That the prayer was heard on the present occasion, the writer infers from the progress of reform among the people, and the wonderful deliverance from Assyria, as related in the ensuing chapters.
Their prayer came up.Entered into His holy dwelling (comp. Isa. 18:6) into the heavens. Notice the characteristic omission of the sacred Name.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
REFLECTIONS
READER! while we pay all due respect to this beautiful piece of history in the church, and find cause to bless God for raising up his servant Hezekiah in such a time for the recovery of the land from idols, let you and I have our thoughts exercised in the contemplation of the mercies we are called to in the free, and full, and seasonable enjoyment of our gospel ordinances under the rich profusion of the means of grace the Lord our God hath reserved to us. Are we as a nation, as a people, better than our fathers? Have we merited the blessings we possess in our hallowed things? Are we not gone away in a thousand instances from his sacred word, from the love of his truth, from the grand distinguishing doctrines of the gospel; from the love of ordinances and from a well-grounded confidence in him? And doth the Lord amidst all our provocations, still preserve to us those best of all privileges, our sacred things, our sabbaths; his holy word and ordinances. Oh then, let the example of Hezekiah and his people stir us up to an earnest, hearty, and sincere return to the Lord. Let us send out missionaries to the various kingdoms of the earth, as he did his posts to Israel, and invite all ranks and orders of people to come to Jesus. And oh! let our return to the Lord be with an eye to the person, blood, and righteousness of Jesus. He is our passover, he is our peace, our propitiation, our altar, our sacrifice, our righteousness, our all. Yes! blessed Jesus! thou art divinely prepared and graciously furnished by God our Father, a suited Saviour for fallen, sinful men. Sweetly and secretly in thy person are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge: and in thy finished work the life, safety, present peace, and everlasting happiness of thy people is contained. Lord! to whom shall we go but unto thee, thou hast the words of eternal life. Thou art our passover sacrificed for us. In thee, and on thee, we would keep an everlasting feast. And oh! do thou bless us as a High Priest of our calling, and may our God and Father answer it, and confirm it in heaven his dwelling place, the habitation of his holiness and his glory.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ch 30:27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came [up] to his holy dwelling place, [even] unto heaven.
Ver. 27. Arose and blessed the people. ] Which was a part of their office. See the form. Num 6:23
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the priests the Levites. Compare Deu 17:9. But some codices, with Septuagint and Vulgate, read “and the”.
holy. See note on Exo 3:5.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the priests: Num 6:23-26, Deu 10:8
their prayer: 1Ki 8:30, 1Ki 8:39, Act 10:4
his holy dwelling place: Heb. the habitation of his holiness, Deu 26:15, Psa 68:5, Isa 57:15, Isa 63:15, Isa 66:1
Reciprocal: Exo 39:43 – blessed them Num 8:22 – after that 2Sa 6:18 – as soon 1Ki 8:66 – joyful 1Ch 16:2 – he blessed 2Ch 6:21 – thy dwelling place 2Ch 35:18 – neither did Psa 18:6 – my cry Psa 102:1 – let my Psa 119:169 – Let my cry Isa 9:16 – led of them Jer 25:30 – his holy Jon 2:7 – my prayer Zec 2:13 – his holy habitation Mal 1:9 – beseech Phi 3:1 – rejoice Heb 7:7 – the less
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ch 30:27. Then the priests the Levites arose, and blessed the people That is, those of the Levites who were priests also, for to them only this work belonged, 1Ch 23:13. In performing this office, they were both the peoples mouth to God, by way of prayer, and Gods mouth to the people, by way of promise; for the blessing included both. And in it they testified both their desire of the peoples welfare, and their dependance upon God and the word of his grace, to which they commended them. And their prayer came up to his holy dwelling-place The voice of the priests, when they thus blessed the people, as God had commanded, was heard in heaven. God said amen to their prayer, and perhaps gave some sensible token of the ratification of the blessing which they had pronounced. The prayer that comes up to heaven in a cloud of incense, will come down again to this earth in showers of blessings.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
30:27 Then the priests the Levites arose and {q} blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came [up] to his holy dwelling place, [even] unto heaven.
(q) According to that which is written in Num 6:23 when they should dismiss the people.