2 Chronicles 30:22

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(22) Spake comfortably.—See margin, and comp. Isaiah 40:2.

That taught the good knowledge of the Lord.—Rather, were showing good skill for (in honour of) Jehovah, in their chanting and playing. The king encouraged the musicians with kindly words of praise.

They did eat throughout the feast.—Literally, they ate the feast, like “they ate the passover.” The meaning is that the assembly ate the sacrificial meals, which were supplied from the flesh of the “peace offerings.” The phrase is peculiar to this passage. The LXX. has καὶ συνετέλεσαν, “and they finished:” a difference which implies no great change in the Hebrew writing, but is against the context.

Making confession.—LXX. rightly, ἐξομολογούμενοι. The meaning is “yielding hearty thanks,” “acknowledging “the Divine goodness. Everywhere else the Hebrew word means “to confess guilt” (Nehemiah 9:3; Leviticus 5:5; Numbers 5:7).

Benson Commentary

2 Chronicles 30:22. Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites — Commended them for their care and diligence, and thereby encouraged them to a cheerful and diligent attendance upon their holy ministrations, and to continue to instruct the people in their duty, promising, it is likely, to reward them for what they had already done. That taught the good knowledge of the Lord — Who by their office were to instruct and build up the people in the knowledge and fear of God; which is mentioned as the cause of his respect and kindness to them. Princes and magistrates, by encouraging faithful and laborious preachers of God’s word, greatly promote the kingdom of God.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

30:21-27 Many prayers were put up to God with the peace-offerings. In these Israel looked to God as the God of their fathers, a God in covenant with them. There was also abundance of good preaching. The Levites read and explained the Scriptures. Faith cometh by hearing, and true religion preaching has abounded. They sang psalms every day: praising God should be much of our work in religious assemblies. Having kept the seven days of the feast in this religious manner, they had so much comfort in it, that they kept other seven days also. This they did with gladness. Holy duties should be done with holy gladness. And when sinners humble themselves before the Lord, they may expect gladness in his ordinances. Those who taste this happiness will not soon grow weary of it, but will be glad to prolong their enjoyment.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The "knowledge" intended is perhaps chiefly ritualistic and musical - such knowledge as enabled them to conduct the service of the sanctuary satisfactorily.

They did eat throughout the feast - literally, "they did eat the feast;" i. e. "they kept the feast," which was essentially kept by the eating of unleavened bread. The Levites kept the feast during the full term appointed for it, never failing in their duties, but taking their part day after day, both in the sacrifice of the victims and in singing praises to God.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

21-24. the children of Israel … kept the feast—The time appointed by the law for the continuance of the feast was seven days [Ex 12:15; 13:6; Le 23:6]; but in consequence of its having been allowed to fall so long into desuetude, they doubled the period of celebration and kept it fourteen days with unabated satisfaction and joy. Materials for the additional sacrificial meals were supplied by the munificence of the king and the princes.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Spake comfortably unto all the Levites; encouraged them to a cheerful and diligent attendance upon their holy ministrations by the promise of his favour and utmost care for them, which he faithfully performed, 2 Chronicles 31:4, &c.

That taught the good knowledge of the Lord; who by their office were to instruct and build up the people in the knowledge and fear of God; which is mentioned as the cause of his respect and kindness to them, which was for their work’s sake, as it is said, 1 Thessalonians 5:13.

Making confession: either,

1. Confessing their sins; which work was to accompany many of their sacrifices; of which see Leviticus 5:5 16:21. Or rather,

2. Confessing God’s goodness, or praising of God, which oft goes under this name, as 1 Chronicles 16:8,24, which also seems to be more proper work for this season of joy.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Hezekiah spake comfortably to all the Levites,.... Or "to the heart" (u) of them, such things as were very encouraging to them to go on in the work and worship of God, commending their singing, exhorting them to diligence in instructing the people, promising them his favour and protection:

even those that taught the good knowledge of the Lord; who instructed the people well in his word, worship, and ordinances; though some restrain this to their skill in singing the praises of God, both vocally and instrumentally, and their abilities and diligence in teaching others:

and they did eat throughout the feast: or did eat the feast; that is, the sacrifices of it; not the Levites only, but the king, and all the congregation:

offering peace offerings; part of which belonged to the Lord, another part to the priests, and a third to the offerers, on which they feasted with their friends; and this they did throughout all the seven days of the feast:

and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers; confessing their sins of omission and commission they had been guilty of; owning the goodness, grace, and mercy of God towards them; blessing and praising his name for the restoration of his worship and ordinances among them.

(u) "ad cor", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.

Geneva Study Bible

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.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

22. that taught the good knowledge of the Lord] R.V. that were well skilled in the service of the LORD.

and they did eat … seven days] R.V. So they did eat … for the seven days, i.e. the usual seven days of unleavened bread.

pace offerings] R.V. sacrifices of peace offerings; cp. 1 Chronicles 16:1.

making confession] Or “giving thanks” R.V. mg. LXX. ἐξομολογούμενοι.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 22. - Spake comfortably; literally, to the heart of, etc. That taught the good knowledge. This rendering is in some error, and is awkward in not indicating the direction of the knowledge. A better rendering (see Revised Version) will be, who were well skilled in rendering such service to Jehovah. And perhaps the simplest rendering, "who served with good service to Jehovah," will be the most correct to the real meaning of the Hebrew text (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 13:15). Making confession; i.e. the confession or uttering forth of praise (so Psalm 75:2; Psalm 92:1; 1 Chronicles 16:4, 7, 35, 41; 1 Chronicles 23:30; 1 Chronicles 25:3; 2 Chronicles 5:13; 2 Chronicles 7:3, 6; 2 Chronicles 31:2). 2 Chronicles 30:22

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Hezekiah spoke to the heart of all the Levites, i.e., spoke encouraging words of acknowledgment to all the Levites, "who showed good understanding in regard to Jahve," i.e., not qui erant rerum divinarum peritiores aliosque instruere poterant, but, as Clericus has already said, those who had distinguished themselves by intelligent playing to the honour of the Lord. "And they ate" - not merely the Levites and priests, but all who took part in the festival - the festal sacrifices, seven days. The expression את־המּועד אכל, to hold the festal sacrificial meal, is formed after את־הפּסח אכל, to eat the passover equals the passover meal. This we gather from the following participial clause, "offering peace-offerings," of which the sacrificial meals were prepared. וּמתודּים, and acknowledged the Lord, the God of their fathers. הדותה denotes here neither "to make confession of sin," nor "to approach with thank-offerings" (Berth.), but simply to acknowledge the Lord with heart and mouth, word and deed, or by prayer, praise, thanks, and offering of sacrifice.