2 Chronicles 13:9
in 2 Chronicles 13But 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.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 13
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
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 & Brown1802–1910
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 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.
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הֲלֹ֤א | halo' | ¿ not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הִדַּחְתֶּם֙ | hidachtem | have you driven out | H5080 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כֹּהֲנֵ֣י | kohanei | [the] priests of | H3548 → | 750 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּנֵ֥י | benei | [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אַהֲרֹ֖ן | ʾaharon | Aaron | H175 → | 347 times |
| וְהַלְוִיִּ֑ם | vehalviyim | and the Levites | H3881 → | 291 times |
| וַתַּעֲשׂ֨וּ | vataasu | and you have appointed | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לָכֶ֤ם | lakhem | for yourselves | ||
| כֹּהֲנִים֙ | kohanim | priests | H3548 → | 750 times |
| כְּעַמֵּ֣י | keamei | like [the] peoples of | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הָאֲרָצ֔וֹת | haaratzot | the lands | H776 → | 2504 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַבָּ֗א | haba' | <the> [one who] comes | H935 → | 2568 times |
| לְמַלֵּ֨א | lemale' | to fill | H4390 → | 249 times |
| יָד֜וֹ | yado | own hand his | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| בְּפַ֤ר | befar | with a young bull | H6499 → | 132 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | a young one of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בָּקָר֙ | bakar | cattle | H1241 → | 183 times |
| וְאֵילִ֣ם | veeilim | and rams | H352 → | 187 times |
| שִׁבְעָ֔ה | shivah | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| וְהָיָ֥ה | vehayah | and he will become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כֹהֵ֖ן | khohen | a priest | H3548 → | 750 times |
| לְלֹ֥א | lelo' | to not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אֱלֹהִֽים׃ ס | ʾelohim | gods | H430 → | 2601 times |
הֲלֹ֤א¿ not
halo'H3808 →5168 times
הִדַּחְתֶּם֙have you driven out
hidachtemH5080 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כֹּהֲנֵ֣י[the] priests of
kohaneiH3548 →750 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בְּנֵ֥י[the] descendants of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
אַהֲרֹ֖ןAaron
ʾaharonH175 →347 times
וְהַלְוִיִּ֑םand the Levites
vehalviyimH3881 →291 times
וַתַּעֲשׂ֨וּand you have appointed
vataasuH6213 →2628 times
לָכֶ֤םfor yourselves
lakhem
כֹּהֲנִים֙priests
kohanimH3548 →750 times
כְּעַמֵּ֣יlike [the] peoples of
keameiH5971 →1873 times
הָאֲרָצ֔וֹתthe lands
haaratzotH776 →2504 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַבָּ֗א<the> [one who] comes
haba'H935 →2568 times
לְמַלֵּ֨אto fill
lemale'H4390 →249 times
יָד֜וֹown hand his
yadoH3027 →1618 times
בְּפַ֤רwith a young bull
befarH6499 →132 times
בֶּן־a young one of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
בָּקָר֙cattle
bakarH1241 →183 times
וְאֵילִ֣םand rams
veeilimH352 →187 times
שִׁבְעָ֔הseven
shivahH7651 →394 times
וְהָיָ֥הand he will become
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
כֹהֵ֖ןa priest
khohenH3548 →750 times
לְלֹ֥אto not
lelo'H3808 →5168 times
אֱלֹהִֽים׃ סgods
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 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
Jeremiah 2:11Has 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.
- Romans 1:23
Through
1 Chronicles 29:5for 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,
- Exodus 35:5–9
About 2 Chronicles

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
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.
