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2 Chronicles 13:9

in 2 Chronicles 13

But 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 whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of things that are not gods.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV

ASV

Have ye not driven out the priests of Jehovah, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made you priests after the manner of the peoples of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.

KJV

Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.

This verse in 2 Chronicles 13

Commentary

5 notes on this verse
Seven rams - “A bullock and two rams” was the offering which God had required at the original consecration of the sons of Aaron Exo 29:1; Lev 8:2. Jeroboam, for reasons of his own, enlarged the sacrifice, and required it at the consecration of every priest.

This site's exposition

golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods

on 2 Chronicles 13:8-9

The sermon turns from politics to worship: Jeroboam's golden calves are no gods at all, and the priesthood built to serve them stands accused of abandoning the sons of Aaron for whoever brings a bullock and seven rams to consecrate himself. Barnes notes the extra ram is Jeroboam's own addition to the consecration Exodus and Leviticus prescribed with one ram fewer, ordination made a matter of the offering brought rather than of descent. Chronicles has already narrated the Levites and priests leaving the north for Judah at 11:13-17; here Abijah states the reasoning behind that migration as an argument to men he still calls kinsmen.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord the sons of Aaron, and the Levites,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Abijah stood up upon Mount Zemaraim--He had entered the enemy's territory and was encamped on an eminence near Beth-el (Jos 18:22). Jeroboam's army lay at the foot of the hill, and as a pitched battle was expected, Abijah, according to the singular usage of ancient times, harangued the enemy.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

A young bullock and seven rams - He who could provide these for his own consecration was received into the order of this spurious and wicked priesthood. Some think he who could give to Jeroboam a young bullock and seven rams, was thereby received into the priesthood; this being the price for which the priesthood was conferred. The former is most likely.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

engage in the work i.e., in their work; this one to sing, and that one to guard the gates, every man to his work, as David prepared it.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on II Chronicles 13:10:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg

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

27 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • הֲלֹ֤א¿ not

    halo'H38085168 times

  • הִדַּחְתֶּם֙have you driven out

    hidachtemH5080

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H85310935 times

  • כֹּהֲנֵ֣י[the] priests of

    kohaneiH3548750 times

  • יְהוָ֔הYahweh

    yahwehH30686520 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H85310935 times

  • בְּנֵ֥י[the] descendants of

    beneiH11214930 times

  • אַהֲרֹ֖ןAaron

    ʾaharonH175347 times

  • וְהַלְוִיִּ֑םand the Levites

    vehalviyimH3881291 times

  • וַתַּעֲשׂ֨וּand you have appointed

    vataasuH62132628 times

  • לָכֶ֤םfor yourselves

    lakhem

  • כֹּהֲנִים֙priests

    kohanimH3548750 times

  • כְּעַמֵּ֣יlike [the] peoples of

    keameiH59711873 times

  • הָאֲרָצ֔וֹתthe lands

    haaratzotH7762504 times

  • כָּל־every

    kol-H36055413 times

  • הַבָּ֗א<the> [one who] comes

    haba'H9352568 times

  • לְמַלֵּ֨אto fill

    lemale'H4390249 times

  • יָד֜וֹown hand his

    yadoH30271618 times

  • בְּפַ֤רwith a young bull

    befarH6499132 times

  • בֶּן־a young one of

    ben-H11214930 times

  • בָּקָר֙cattle

    bakarH1241183 times

  • וְאֵילִ֣םand rams

    veeilimH352187 times

  • שִׁבְעָ֔הseven

    shivahH7651394 times

  • וְהָיָ֥הand he will become

    vehayahH19613559 times

  • כֹהֵ֖ןa priest

    khohenH3548750 times

  • לְלֹ֥אto not

    lelo'H38085168 times

  • אֱלֹהִֽים׃ סgods

    ʾelohimH4302601 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    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.

    it leads to

    • Romans 1:23

      and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

    • Isaiah 37:19

      They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands.

    • Jeremiah 16:20

      Can man make gods for himself? Such are not gods!”

    • Psalms 106:20

      They exchanged their Glory for the image of a grass-eating ox.

    • Micah 4:5

      Though each of the peoples may walk in the name of his god, yet we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.

  • Through

    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?”

    it leads to

    • Exodus 35:5–9

      Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Let everyone whose heart is willing bring an offering to the LORD: gold, silver, and bronze;

    • Ezra 1:4–6

      And let every survivor, wherever he lives, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.’”

    • Ezra 7:15–16

      Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,

About 2 Chronicles

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.