Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 31:18
And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness:
18. and to the genealogy of all their little ones ] Render with R.V. mg. even to give to them that were reckoned by genealogy of all their little ones.
The connexion of 2Ch 31:15-18 is difficult to trace and the text is perhaps faulty. Assuming however the general correctness of the text, we may regard 2Ch 31:16-17 as a parenthesis stating that the ministration of Eden and his colleagues did not extend to those priests and Levites and male children of the priests who presented themselves in person at the Temple.
in their set office ] R.V. mg. in their trust.
they sanctified themselves in holiness ] Or, they busied themselves with the distribution of the sanctified things.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And to the genealogy of all their little ones … – Or, And as to the list of all their little ones, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, it extended to the whole body, for they dealt with the holy things faithfully.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
This is alleged as a reason why their wives and children were provided for out of the holy things, because they sequestered themselves from worldly affairs, by which they might otherwise have provided for their families, and entirely devoted themselves to holy administrations.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18. for in their set office theysanctified themselvesThis is the reason assigned for providingfor the wives and children out of the revenues of the sanctuary, thatpriests, withdrawing from those secular pursuits by which they mighthave maintained their households, devoted themselves entirely to thefunctions of the ministry.
2Ch 31:20;2Ch 31:21. HISSINCERITY OF HEART.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation,…. These were all genealogized and registered, wives and children, sons and daughters, whether small or grown up; and a portion was distributed to them according to their number, greater or lesser:
for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness; which is to be understood either of the overseers, who, in their set office, faithfully distributed the holy things to the persons before described; or else to the priests, and Levites, to whom, and to whose families, the distribution was made, because they wholly devoted themselves to the holy service of God.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(18) And to the genealogy.After the parenthetic statements of 2Ch. 31:16-17 the thread of the narrative, broken off at 2Ch. 31:15, is taken up again at that point. The six Levites there named were in the priests cities to give (their portions) to their brethren, and further (2Ch. 31:18) for the registering in the case of all their little ones, their wives and their sons and their daughters, of the whole corporation (of priests). The board of Levites had to keep a register of all who had claims on the provisions which they had to distribute. The general sense is the same if, as seems better, we trace the connection thus: to give to their brethren, and to those who were registered among all their little ones &c., explaining lhithyahsh bkol-tappm as a relative sentence with the relative suppressed. (Comp. 2Ch. 30:18-19, and 2Ch. 31:19, ad fin.)
Through all the congregation.Or, to a whole assemblyscil., of wives and children of the priests and Levites.
In their set office.Or trust, or faithfulness (emnah). (See Note on 1Ch. 9:22.)
They sanctified themselves.They used to show themselves holy (i.e., behave conscientiously) in regard to the holy (i.e., the hallowed gifts, which they had to distribute). Perhaps, however, the Authorised Version is here substantially correct, the sense being that the Levites fulfilled their trust with perfect good faith.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Ch 31:18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness:
Ver. 18. Of all their little ones, their wives, &c. ] Their wives and children depended upon them for a maintenance, and had it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
congregation = assembly. See note on Gen 28:3.
sanctified themselves in holiness: or, devoted themselves [as] a holy body. See note on Exo 3:6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
set office: or, trust, 2Ch 31:15, 1Ch 9:22, *marg.
they sanctified: Isa 5:16, Rom 15:16
Reciprocal: 2Ch 30:15 – and sanctified
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ch 31:18. For in their set office they sanctified themselves unto holiness This is alleged as a reason why their wives and children were provided for out of the holy things, because they sequestered themselves from worldly affairs, by which they might otherwise have provided for their families, and entirely devoted themselves to holy administrations.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
31:18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their {l} set office they sanctified themselves in holiness:
(l) Meaning, that either by the faithful distribution of the officers, everyone had their part in the things that were offered, or else that their wives and children were relieved, because the Levites were faithful in their office, and so depended on them.