View 2nd Chronicles 31 in the note window.
The remains of idolatry are destroyed, ver. 1.
Hezekiah provides work and maintenance for the priests and Levites,
ver. 2 - 4.
The people bring in their dues abundantly, ver. 5 - 10.
Officers are appointed to dispose of them, ver. 11 - 19.
Hezekiah's sincerity, ver. 20, 21.
1: Manasseh - By the special impulse and direction of God's spirit.
And he knew Hoshea contented himself with the worship of the calves, and
did not practise that great idolatry which his predecessors had used, and
therefore would patiently suffer the breaking of the images of Baal, and
the things belonging to them.
2: The tents - Within the gates of the house of the Lord: which
is here called tents, because the host of the Lord, the priests and
Levites, encamped there. And perhaps to intimate, that it was shortly
to be removed.
3: Of his substance - Which had hitherto been taken out of the
treasures of the temple, but that he might ease the people in their
present poverty, which his predecessor had brought upon them, and
engage them to a more chearful attendance upon God's service, he took
the burden upon himself.
4: Encouraged - Freed them from worldly cares and distractions, and
enabled to give up themselves entirely to the serious study of God's law,
and to the instruction, and direction, and quickening of the people.
5: Came abroad - As Soon as the king extended that command to all the
parts of his kingdom, which, ver.(4), was confined to them that dwelt in
Jerusalem. Honey - Or, dates, as the Hebrew writers generally,
understand this word, which were given to them, because of the sweetness of
their taste in some sort resembling honey. For the law requires no tithes,
but of the fruits of trees, or of the earth, or of beasts.
6: By heaps - What the priests and the Levites had occasion for,
they made use of, and the overplus was laid in heaps.
7: Third month - Of the sacred year, in which their harvest began.
Seventh - In which their harvest ended and the feast of tabernacles was
kept.
8: Blessed the Lord - Both for giving such plentiful provisions to
his land and for giving his people such liberal hearts. And they praised
the people for their forwardness and faithfulness in it.
9: Questioned - How it came to pass that no more of their provision
was spent and that there yet remained such great heaps of it.
14: Most holy things - The remainders of the freewill - offering, the
sin - offering, and trespass - offering, and the shew - bread; to see that all
had a competent maintenance for themselves and their families.
15: And next, &c. - These were intrusted with receiving and
distributing the several portions belonging to the priests who abode
in their several cities, whilst their brethren came up to Jerusalem.
18: For, &c. - This is alleged as a reason why their wives and
children were provided for out of the holy things, because they
sequestered themselves from worldly affairs, by which they might
otherwise have provided for their families.
