2 Chronicles 11:14
in 2 Chronicles 11For the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest’s office unto Jehovah;
KJV
For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the Lord:
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 11
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThe Levites left their suburbs - They and the priests were expelled from their offices by Jeroboam, lest they should turn the hearts of the people to the true God, and then they would revolt to Judah, 1Ki 12:26; and therefore he established a new worship, and made new gods.
This site's exposition
resorted to him out of all their coasts
on 2 Chronicles 11:13-14
The priests and the Levites resort to Rehoboam out of all their coasts, leaving the ten tribes entirely rather than serve at Jeroboam's altars. Verse 14 gives the reason: they leave their suburbs and their possession, the pasture lands and property assigned them under Joshua, because Jeroboam had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the Lord. This is Chronicles-only material; Kings records Jeroboam's calves and his ordinary-Levite priests at 1 Kings 12:31 but never follows the displaced tribe of Levi south, so the migration itself is preserved here alone.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Cast them off - They would not suffer them to instruct the Israelites in the worship of God, nor to go up to Jerusalem to worship in their courses: and these priests would not join with them in the worship of the calves, as they were commanded to do; and therefore they, willingly forsook all their patrimonies and possessions for God's sake.
(2.) Because they themselves would be in continual temptation to some base compliances, and in danger of being drawn insensibly to that which was evil. If we pray, in sincerity, not to be led into temptation, we shall get and keep as far as we can out of the way of it.
For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession,....
And very willing he was that they should turn themselves out of their places, that room might be made for those mean and scandalous persons whom he ordained priests for the high places,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The priests and Levites, refusing to take part in the idolatrous ceremonies, were ejected from their living [2Ch 11:13, 14]. Along with them a large body of the people who faithfully adhered to the instituted worship of God, offended and shocked by the impious innovations, departed from the kingdom.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Jeroboam probably confiscated the Levitical lands for the benefit of this new priesthood. Under these circumstances the priests and Levites emigrated in large numbers to the southern kingdom; an act which was followed by a general emigration of the more pious Israelites 2Ch 11:16.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
For the Levites had abandoned their open land that was in the entire land of the ten tribes.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
priests for the high places i.e., Why did Jeroboam coerce them to abandon [their positions]? Because he stationed pagan priests for the satyrs.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| עָזְב֣וּ | ʾazevu | they forsook | H5800 → | 215 times |
| הַלְוִיִּ֗ם | halviyim | the Levites | H3881 → | 291 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶם֙ | migresheihem | pasture lands their | H4054 → | |
| וַאֲחֻזָּתָ֔ם | vaachuzatam | and property their | H272 → | |
| וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ | vaiyelekhu | and they went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| לִיהוּדָ֖ה | lihudah | to Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| וְלִֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם | velirushalim | and to Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הִזְנִיחָ֤ם | hiznicham | he had rejected them | H2186 → | |
| יָֽרָבְעָם֙ | yaraveam | Jeroboam | H3379 → | 104 times |
| וּבָנָ֔יו | uvanav | and sons his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| מִכַּהֵ֖ן | mikahen | from serving as priests | H3547 → | |
| לַיהוָֽה׃ | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
עָזְב֣וּthey forsook
ʾazevuH5800 →215 times
הַלְוִיִּ֗םthe Levites
halviyimH3881 →291 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶם֙pasture lands their
migresheihemH4054 →
וַאֲחֻזָּתָ֔םand property their
vaachuzatamH272 →
וַיֵּלְכ֥וּand they went
vaiyelekhuH1980 →1546 times
לִיהוּדָ֖הto Judah
lihudahH3063 →819 times
וְלִֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑םand to Jerusalem
velirushalimH3389 →643 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
הִזְנִיחָ֤םhe had rejected them
hiznichamH2186 →
יָֽרָבְעָם֙Jeroboam
yaraveamH3379 →104 times
וּבָנָ֔יוand sons his
uvanavH1121 →4930 times
מִכַּהֵ֖ןfrom serving as priests
mikahenH3547 →
לַיהוָֽה׃to Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Chronicles 13:9But did you not drive out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites? And did you not make priests for yourselves as do the peoples of other lands? Now…
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 11:14–15
For the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD.
- Jeremiah 2:11
Has a nation ever changed its gods, though they are no gods at all? Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.
- Exodus 29:35
This is what you are to do for Aaron and his sons based on all that I have commanded you, taking seven days to ordain them.
- 1 Chronicles 29:5
for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now who will volunteer to consecrate himself to the LORD today?”
- 1 Kings 13:33
Even after these events, Jeroboam did not repent of his evil ways, but again he appointed priests for the high places from every class of people. He ordained anyone who desired to be a…
- 2 Chronicles 11:14–15
About 2 Chronicles
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsJudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line to Christ (…
- PlaceJerusalemJerusalemThe city David took from the Jebusites and made his capital, where Solomon built the temple, where Christ was crucified and rose,…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.