2 Chronicles 29:36

And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(36) And Hezekiah rejoiced.—So of David and his people (1Chronicles 29:9; 1Chronicles 29:22). (Comp. also 2Chronicles 7:10.)

That God had prepared.—In the Hebrew the article is used instead of the relative: a construction characteristic of the chronicler (1Chronicles 26:28). Render: “And Hezekiah rejoiced . . . over that which God had set in order for the people,” viz., the long-suspended ordinances of the Temple worship (1Chronicles 12:39; 1Chronicles 15:1). Perhaps, however, lā‘ām, “for the people,” is the mere accusative after the verb, and the sense is “rejoiced because God had prepared the people” (2Samuel 3:30).

For the thing . . . suddenly.—Literally, for on a sudden happened the matter. “On a sudden,” be-pith’om, here only; elsewhere simply pith’om. Comp. the synonymous règa’ and be-règa’ (Psalm 6:10; Job 21:13). The hand of God was seen in the speed with which the revolution was effected, and the sudden turn of the princes and people from indifference to glad alacrity. (Comp. 2Chronicles 30:12.)

Benson Commentary

2 Chronicles 29:36. Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people — In this blessed turn of affairs, and the new face of religion which the kingdom had put on. That God had prepared the people — Had changed their hearts by his Almighty Spirit. For it was plain his hand was in it, both because so many of those who, in the last reign, had doted on the idolatrous altars, were now so much in love with God’s altar; and because the thing was done suddenly; was brought about in so little time, and with little or no opposition. Those that go about the work of God in faith, and with resolution, will often find there is not that difficulty in it which they had apprehended. Only let magistrates and ministers do their parts toward the reforming of a land, and then let them trust God to do his, and ascribe to him the glory of what is done.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

29:20-36 As soon as Hezekiah heard that the temple was ready, he lost no time. Atonement must be made for the sins of the last reign. It was not enough to lament and forsake those sins; they brought a sin-offering. Our repentance and reformation will not obtain pardon but in and through Christ, who was made sin, that is, a sin-offering for us. While the offerings were on the altar, the Levites sang. Sorrow for sin must not prevent us from praising God. The king and the congregation gave their consent to all that was done. It is not enough for us to be where God is worshipped, if we do not ourselves worship with the heart. And we should offer up our spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, and devote ourselves and all we have, as sacrifices, acceptable to the Father only through the Redeemer.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Levites were more upright etc - See the marginal reference. Urijah, the high priest, had participated to some extent in the impieties of Ahaz 2 Kings 16:10-16. He and many of the priests may, therefore, have looked coldly on the reforming zeal of Hezekiah.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

34-36. the priests were too few, … wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them—The skins of beasts intended as peace offerings might be taken off by the officers, because, in such cases, the carcass was not wholly laid upon the altar; but animals meant for burnt offerings which were wholly consumed by fire could be flayed by the priests alone, not even the Levites being allowed to touch them, except in cases of unavoidable necessity (2Ch 35:11). The duty being assigned by the law to the priests (Le 1:6), was construed by consuetudinary practice as an exclusion of all others not connected with the Aaronic family.

for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests—that is, displayed greater alacrity than the priests. This service was hastened by the irrepressible solicitude of the king. Whether it was that many of the priests, being absent in the country, had not arrived in time—whether from the long interruption of the public duties, some of them had relaxed in their wonted attentions to personal cleanliness, and had many preparations to make—or whether from some having participated in the idolatrous services introduced by Ahaz, they were backward in repairing to the temple—a reflection does seem to be cast upon their order as dilatory and not universally ready for duty (compare 2Ch 30:15). Thus was the newly consecrated temple reopened to the no small joy of the pious king and all the people.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

It was, as a very great, so a sudden change, that the people, who but the other day were so ready to comply with wicked Ahaz in his idolatrous and impious prescriptions, were now so free and forward in God’s service; whereby it plainly appeared to be the work of the Almighty God changing their hearts by his Holy Spirit.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people,.... To see things go on so well, which foreboded good unto them: and particularly

that God had prepared the people; disposed and directed their hearts in such a manner as to yield such a cheerful obedience to the will of God, and show such a hearty regard to his worship and service, and the restoration of it:

for the thing was done suddenly; whereby it the more appeared that they were under a divine influence, which so quickly and powerfully wrought upon them to engage in this work, and needed not arguments and persuasions to bring them to it.

Geneva Study Bible

And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had {r} prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

(r) He shows that religion cannot proceed unless God touches the heart of the people.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

36. that God had prepared the people] R.V. because of that which God had prepared for the people. It was God, not Hezekiah, who had done it all.

suddenly] In the very first year of Hezekiah’s reign (2 Chronicles 29:3).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 36. - (Comp. Proverbs 16:1.)



2 Chronicles 29:36

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Hezekiah and the whole people rejoiced because of it. ההכין על, over that which God had prepared for the people (by the purification of the temple and the restoration of the Jahve worship), not "because God had made the people ready" (Ramb., Berth.). The article with הכין represents the relative pronoun אשׁר; see on 1 Chronicles 26:28. The joy was heightened by the fact that the thing was done suddenly.