2 Chronicles 29:34

But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(34) Flay all the burnt offerings.—In private offerings this was done by the worshipper himself (Leviticus 1:6). In national sacrifices it appears to have been the duty of the priests.

Did help them.—See margin; and Ezra 6:22.

Until the other priests had sanctified.—Began to sanctify themselves, as a body.

For the Levites . . . in heart.—The priests, as a class, were probably more deeply involved in the corruption of the last reign.

Benson Commentary

2 Chronicles 29:34. The priests were too few — Namely, such as were sanctified and fit for the work, as the following words show. Many of them, it is probable, had been suspended and laid aside as polluted, for having sacrificed to idols in the last reign, and the rest had not the zeal that might have been expected on such an occasion. Therefore they took no care to sanctify themselves: and being unsanctified, and so unqualified, they made their excuse for being absent from the service; as if their offence would be their defence. It is recorded here, to the perpetual shame of the priests, that though they were so well provided for out of the offerings of the Lord, yet they did not mind their business. Here was work to do, and there wanted proper hands to do it. So that they could not flay all the burnt-offerings — And much less all the other sacrifices, which were more numerous; the flaying whereof was the priests’ proper work, Leviticus 1:5-6. Wherefore the priests did help them — Necessity excusing a deviation from the rule, as it hath excused in other cases. For the Levites were more upright in heart, &c., than the priests — They were better affected to the work, and better prepared and qualified for it. This was their praise; and, in recompense for it, they had the honour of being employed in that which was the priests’ work. Thus encouragement was given to the faithful, zealous Levites, and a just disgrace cast upon the careless priests. What the Levites wanted in the ceremonial advantages of their birth and consecration, was abundantly made up in their eminent qualifications of knowledge and zeal for the work.

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

The priests were too few, to wit, such as were sanctified and fit for their work, as the following words show; for otherwise the number of the priests was more than sufficient for this employment.

They could not flay all the burnt-offerings; and much less all the other sacrifices, which were more numerous; the flaying whereof was the priest’s proper work, Leviticus 1:5,6.

The Levites did help them; necessity excusing their deviation from the rule, as it hath excused others in like cases.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings,.... Take off the skins of them, which used to be done by the priests, Leviticus 1:6,

wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them till the work was ended; assisted in the flaying of the sacrifices, until they had gone through the service of this time, and the skins of all the sacrifices were flayed off:

and until the other priests had sanctified themselves; who had been negligent of it, or had defiled themselves by idolatry:

for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests; were more ready to do it, and did it with greater cheerfulness and good will; were not backward to do it, but did it at once.

Geneva Study Bible

But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were {q} more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

(q) Meaning, were more zealous to set forth the religion.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

34. the other priests] R.V. the priests.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 34. - Originally, the worshipper who was moved to sacrifice was enjoined to slay, flay, and cut in pieces the victim (Leviticus 1:2-6). Later the Levites performed these duties, and on great public occasions, at any rate, the priests themselves. The simple tale of this verse speaks volumes of the state of the ecclesiastical profession and of the ecclesiastical heart at this very time. Into the dishonoured sepulchre already two or three unsuspected and apparently unacknowledged chinks had let in reproving light as to this, and very lately the almost unavoidable inferences respecting Urijah (see note on our ver. 1, and on 2 Chronicles 28:24, compared with 2 Kings 16:10-16) served the same purpose. How true to nature and to history, both secular and ecclesiastical also, the superiority, in sincerity and life and preparation for work, of the subordinates (the Levites), to those who fed on dignity rather than maintained it, in the highest sense, by religious life and conscientious practice! 2 Chronicles 29:34

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

והקּדשׁים, and the consecrated, i.e., the beasts brought as thank-offering (cf. 2 Chronicles 35:13; Nehemiah 10:34), were 600 bullocks and 3000 small cattle (sheep and goats). - In 2 Chronicles 29:34-36 the account closes with some remarks upon these sacrifices and the festal solemnity. 2 Chronicles 29:34. But there were too few priests, and they were not able (so that they were not able) to flay all the burnt-offerings; and their brethren the Levites helped them till the work was ended (i.e., the flaying), and until the priests had sanctified themselves. In the case of private burnt-offerings the flaying of the beast was the business of the sacrificer (Leviticus 1:6); while in the case of those offered on solemn occasions in the name of the congregation it was the priest's duty, and in it, as the work was not of a specifically priestly character, the Levites might assist. The burnt-offerings which are spoken of in 2 Chronicles 29:34 are not merely those voluntarily offered (2 Chronicles 29:34), but also the consecratory burnt-offerings (2 Chronicles 29:22, 2 Chronicles 29:27). Only 2 Chronicles 29:35 refers to the voluntary offerings alone. "For the Levites had been more upright to sanctify themselves than the priests." לב ישׁרי, rectiores animo, had endeavoured more honestly. Perhaps the priests had taken more part in the idolatrous worship of Ahaz than the Levites, which would be quite accounted for, as Kueper, das Priesterth. des A. Bundes (1870), S. 216, remarks, by their relation to the court of the king, and their dependence upon it. They consequently showed themselves more slack even in the purification than the Levites, who forte etiam idololatricis sacris minus contaminati et impediti erant (Ramb.).