Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 30:21
And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, [singing] with loud instruments unto the LORD.
21. with loud instruments ] Lit. “with instruments of strength.” It has been proposed to read “with all their might” (as 1Ch 13:8). The change in Heb. amounts only to the dropping of the smallest letter ( yd).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
21-24. the children of Israel . . .kept the feastThe time appointed by the law for thecontinuance of the feast was seven days [Exo 12:15;Exo 13:6; Lev 23:6];but in consequence of its having been allowed to fall so long intodesuetude, they doubled the period of celebration and kept itfourteen days with unabated satisfaction and joy. Materials for theadditional sacrificial meals were supplied by the munificence of theking and the princes.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness,…. Which, according to the law of Moses, were always to follow the passover, Ex 12:18
and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the Lord; or instruments of strength t; so called not from the matter of them, or manner in which they were made, but either from the sound of them, as our version, or from the strength and power of God, which they set forth in praise; the Targum is,
“with instruments of praise,”
and so the word is sometimes used, see Ps 8:2 compared with
Mt 21:16, the priests blew with trumpets, and the Levites played on harps, psalteries, &c. and this they did every day when the sacrifices were offered, during the seven days of unleavened bread.
t “cum instrumentis fortitudinis”, Vatablus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| The Feast of Unleavened Bread. | B. C. 726. |
21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD. 22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers. 23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness. 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. 25 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem. 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.
After the passover followed the feast of unleavened bread, which continued seven days. How that was observed we are here told, and every thing in this account looks pleasant and lively. 1. Abundance of sacrifices were offered to God in peace-offerings, by which they both acknowledged and implored the favour of God, and on part of which the offerers feasted with their friends during these seven days (v. 22), in token of their communion with God and the comfort they took in his favour and their reconciliation to him. To keep up this part of the service, that God’s altar might be abundantly regaled with the fat and blood and his priests and people with the flesh of the peace-offerings, Hezekiah gave out of his own stock 1000 bullocks and 7000 sheep, and the princes, excited by his pious example, gave the same number of bullocks and a greater number of sheep, and all for peace-offerings, v. 24. By this God was honoured, the joy of the festival was kept up, and the strangers were encouraged to come again to Jerusalem. It was generously done of the king and the princes thus plentifully to entertain the whole congregation; but what is a great estate good for but that it puts men into a capacity of doing so much the more good? Christ feasted those that followed him. I believe neither Hezekiah nor his princes were the poorer at the year’s end for this their pious liberality. 2. Many good prayers were put up to God with the peace-offerings, v. 22. They made confession to the Lord God of their fathers, in which the intent and meaning of the peace-offerings were directed and explained. When the priests sprinkled the blood and burnt the fat they made confession, so did the people when they feasted on their part. They made a religious confession of their relation to God and dependence upon him, a penitent confession of their sins and infirmities, a thankful confession of God’s mercies to them, and a supplicatory confession of their wants and desires; and, in all these, they had an eye to God as the God of their fathers, a God in covenant with them. 3. There was a great deal of good preaching. The Levites (whose office it was, Deut. xxxiii. 10) taught the people the good knowledge of the Lord, read and opened the scriptures, and instructed the congregation concerning God and their duty to him; and great need there was of this, after so long a famine of the word as there had been in the last reign. Hezekiah did not himself preach, but he spoke comfortably to the Levites that did, attended their preaching, commended their diligence, and assured them of his protection and countenance. Hereby he encouraged them to study hard and take pains, and put a reputation upon them, that the people might respect and regard them the more. Princes and magistrates, by owning and encouraging faithful and laborious preachers, greatly serve the interest of God’s kingdom among men. 4. They sang psalms every day (v. 21): The Levites and priests praised the Lord day by day, both with songs and musical instruments, thus expressing their own and exciting one another’s joy in God and thankfulness to him. Praising God should be much of our work in our religious assemblies. 5. Having kept the seven days of the feast in this religious manner, they had so much comfort in the service that they kept other seven days, v. 23. They did not institute any new modes of worship, but repeated and continued the old. The case was extraordinary: they had been long without the ordinance; guilt had been contracted by the neglect of it; they had now got a very great congregation together, and were in a devout serious frame; they knew not when they might have such another opportunity, and therefore could not now find in their hearts to separate till they had doubled the time. Many of them were a great way from home, and had business in the country to look after, for, this being the second month, they were in the midst of their harvest; yet they were in no haste to return: the zeal of God’s house made them forget their secular affairs. How unlike those who snuffed at God’s service, and said, What a weariness is it! Or those who asked, When will the sabbath be gone? The servants of God should abound in his work. 6. All this they did with gladness (v. 23); they all rejoiced, and particularly the strangers, v. 25. So there was great joy in Jerusalem, v. 26. Never was the like since the dedication of the temple in Solomon’s time. Note, Holy duties should be performed with holy gladness; we should be forward to them, and take pleasure in them, relish the sweetness of communion with God, and look upon it as matter of unspeakable joy and comfort that we are thus favoured and have such earnests of everlasting joy. 7. The congregation was at length dismissed with a solemn blessing, v. 27. (1.) The priests pronounced it; for it was part of their office to bless the people (Num 6:22; Num 6:23), in which they were both the people’s mouth to God by way of prayer and God’s mouth to the people by way of promise; for their blessing included both. In it they testified both their desire of the people’s welfare and their dependence upon God and that word of his grace to which they commended them. What a comfort is it to a congregation to be sent home thus crowned! (2.) God said Amen to it. The voice of the priests, when they blessed the people, was heard in heaven and came up to the habitation of God’s holiness. When they pronounced the blessing God commanded it, and perhaps gave some sensible token of the ratification of it. The prayer that comes up to heaven in a cloud of incense will come down again to this earth in showers of blessings.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
(21) Kept the feast. . . . with great gladness.See 1Ch. 13:8; 1Ch. 15:16, seq., 1Ch. 15:28, and similar passages.
And the Levites.With stringed instruments.
And the priests.With clarions.
Praised.Were praising; throughout the seven days festival.
Singing.Omit.
With loud instruments unto the Lord.With instruments of strength to Jehovah. This curious phrase apparently means instruments with which they ascribed strength to Jehovah; that is to say, with which they accompanied their psalms of praise. (Comp. the many psalms which glorify the strength of the God of Israele.g., Psa. 29:1, Ascribe unto Jehovah, ye sons of God, ascribe unto Jehovah glory and strength.)
There is, however, something to be said for the Authorised Version. (Comp. 2Ch. 5:12-13; 1Ch. 15:28; 1Ch. 16:42, from which it appears that the chronicler preferred music that was loud and strong.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Ch 30:21. With loud instruments With instruments of praise. Houbigant.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
This feast, agreeable to the original appointment by Moses, followed up the holy service of the passover. And the joy of the people, of all ranks and orders among them, can better be conceived than expressed. It may serve to show the holy joy that is in the heart of one poor sinner in an house, in a family, in a nation or kingdom, when a real conversion takes place in the soul, and amity and friendship, are again restored between heaven and earth. Then everything is sanctified. The most ordinary enjoyments are sanctified. When the Lord hath blessed a soul with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus; he blesses him in making a covenant with everything and every creature, both in his basket and in his store. Reader! if Jesus be yours, all things are yours. He that overcometh (saith Jesus himself) shall inherit all things; and I will be his God; and he shall be my son. Rev 21:7 . Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy works. Ecc 9:7-8 . The garment the sinner wears of Jesus’s righteousness is always white; and his head lacks no ointment, because the Holy Ghost sheds abroad his grace abundantly upon him in Christ Jesus. Hos 2:18-20 . Observe in this account of the close of this great festival how the priests blessed the people. Long neglected as this divine service had been, even from the days of Solomon, yet the form appointed by the Lord (see Num 6:22 , etc.) had not been forgotten. Oh! how sweet is it to bless the people in the joint name of the Father, Son and Spirit. And how sure is it when done by his authority, that the blessing pronounced on earth will be confirmed in heaven.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ch 30:21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, [singing] with loud instruments unto the LORD.
Ver. 21. Singing with loud instruments. ] Heb., With instruments of strength; or, concerning the strength and power of God, as Munster senseth it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
present = found.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
present: Heb. found
the feast: Exo 12:15, Exo 13:6, Lev 23:6, Luk 22:1, Luk 22:7, 1Co 5:7, 1Co 5:8
great gladness: 2Ch 30:26, 2Ch 7:10, Deu 12:7, Deu 12:12, Deu 16:14, Neh 8:10, Act 2:46, Phi 4:4
the priests: 2Ch 20:21, 2Ch 29:25-27
loud instruments: Heb. instruments of strength, Psa 150:3-5
Reciprocal: 2Ch 30:11 – divers of Asher 2Ch 35:17 – the feast Ezr 6:22 – the feast Neh 8:17 – there was Est 1:5 – seven days Psa 27:6 – therefore Eze 36:38 – as the flock Mal 3:4 – as Luk 2:43 – General Joh 18:28 – eat
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ch 30:21. The Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day All the seven days they praised him with songs and musical instruments, thus expressing their own, and exciting one anothers joy in God, and thankfulness to him. Much of our time in our religious meetings should be spent in praising God.