HAYDOCK CATHOLIC BIBLE COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT

2 PARALIPOMENON 29

CHAPTER XXIX.

Ver. 1. Abia. The last syllable is neglected, 4 K. xviii. 2. H. --- Some assert that she was a descendant of the high priest, who had been stoned. S. Jerom, Trad. C. xxiv. 20. T.

Ver. 3. Reign, in the assembly, which met to recognize his authority. Lyran. --- Them, adorning them with plates of gold. 4 K. xviii. 16.

Ver. 4. Street, or court, before the eastern gate. C.

Ver. 5. Sanctuary, or temple, v. 7. The Jews suppose that idols had been placed in the very sanctuary: (Lyran) but why then were the doors shut? C.

Ver. 7. Sanctuary, or court of the priests, where the victims were slain. The blood of some was taken into the most holy place, on the day of expiation. C.

Ver. 8. Trouble. Heb. zuÃ¡e, (H.) is rendered vexation. Isai. xxviii. 19. Sept. "ecstasy." The Jews were frequently driven from their homes. M. --- There were at a loss what to do, confounded and despised. H.

Ver. 9. Wives. C. xxviii. 8. C. --- So had the wives and family of king Joram been treated. C. xxi. H.

Ver. 10. Covenant, swearing to observe the law given by Moses. M.

Ver. 11. Negligent. Heb. adds, "now," when every thing tends to open your eyes. H.

Ver. 16. Cedron, as Josias did with the idolatrous altars. 4 K. xxiii. 12. The priests brought what was unclean from the inner temple into the porch. H. --- This labour lasted eight days, as the cleansing of the porches had done. C. D.

Ver. 17. Month, Nisan, corresponding with our March, (M.) when Ezechias began his reign. Salien, A. 3309.

Ver. 19. Defiled. Heb. "cast out (C.) in his." --- Forth. Heb. and Sept. "We have prepared and purified, behold they are," &c. H.

Ver. 21. Seven. Only one was prescribed for sins of ignorance. Lev. iv. 13. 22. S. Jer. Trad. --- But the late transgressions were of a different nature; and the king consults his zeal, rather than what he was absolutely obliged to do. --- Juda, to expiate the sins of the royal family, of priests, and people.

Ver. 23. They laid. The king and princes of the people confessed their sins. Lev. iv. 15.

Ver. 25. Prophet. Moses had not required music, except on some occasions. Num. x. 10. But David acted by God's authority. The institution was designed to promote piety, and a love for religious meetings. Such sacred ceremonies are not to be considered as human inventions, for it was, &c. They command our utmost respect. C.

Ver. 27. Prepared, or ordained. M. --- Heb. "with the instruments, by David."

Ver. 30. Princes of the priests. H. --- Words; psalms. T. --- Asaph, so famous for music. He had composed some psalms, (C.) and twelve bear his name. T. --- But he might only have set them to music, (H.) or his band sung them. D. --- Knee. Prot. "head." Sept. "they prostrated themselves."

Ver. 31. Added. Heb. and Sept. "answered," a term used in Scripture, though no question had been proposed. H. --- Filled. You are, in some sense, priests. Prot. "you have consecrated yourselves." The people brought victims but the priests poured the blood round the altar, v. 34. H.

Ver. 33. Sheep, for peace-offerings. Jun. C. --- They destined these victims for the use of the temple, (T.) that none might be wanting afterwards. C.

Ver. 34. Holocausts, as the law required. Lev. i. 6. See C. xxxv. 11. The skin might be taken off other victims, by laics. --- Priests. Syr. "The Levites were more timid, or reserved than the priests, to purify themselves." C. --- Both are indirectly accused of negligence. C. xxx. 15. The Heb. seems to give the preference to the latter, "for the Levites were more upright of heart, (Sept. willing) to purify themselves than the priests." But the Alex. Sept. may well agree with the Vulg. The ceremonies attending the purification of both, may be seen Ex. xxix. 1. Num. viii. 6. H. --- The priests had not sufficient time to collect themselves with the purity required, on such a short warning; and the paucity induced the king to put off the Passover till the next month. C. xxx. 3. 15.

Ver. 36. Because. Heb. and Sept. "that the Lord had disposed his people, for the thing was done suddenly," (H.) to place no obstacle to this sudden change from one extreme to the other, at a time when the king was scarcely established on the throne. C. --- Thus the people of England rejoiced, when the Catholic religion was re-established by the means of queen Mary and cardinal Pole. Philips. 9. --- But the minds of the people are very fickle. Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis. Still the joy may show, that all love for truth is "not extinct," as the Cardinal argued from the people's conduct. Poli. ep. H.