Cornelius a Lapide
Table of Contents
Synopsis of the Chapter
The Jews overturn idols, altars, and groves throughout all Judah and in the remaining five tribes of Israel; Hezekiah restores the offices and orders of the temple.
Vulgate Text: 2 Paralipomenon 31:1-21
1. And when these things had been duly celebrated, all Israel who were found in the cities of Judah went out and broke the idols, cut down the groves, demolished the high places and destroyed the altars, not only throughout all Judah and Benjamin, but also in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had utterly overthrown them. And all the children of Israel returned to their possessions and their cities. 2. And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and Levites in their courses, each one in his proper office, both of priests and of Levites, for holocausts and peace offerings, to minister and give thanks, and to sing in the gates of the camp of the Lord. 3. And the king's portion was that from his own substance a holocaust should be offered, always morning and evening, and also on Sabbaths, and new moons, and the other solemnities, as it is written in the law of Moses. 4. He also commanded the people living in Jerusalem to give portions to the priests and Levites, so that they might devote themselves to the law of the Lord. 5. And when this became widely known among the multitude, the children of Israel offered very abundant first fruits of grain, wine, and oil, and honey too, and of all that the earth produces, and they offered tithes. 6. Moreover, the children of Israel and Judah who dwelt in the cities of Judah also brought tithes of oxen and sheep, and tithes of holy things which they had vowed to the Lord their God; and carrying all these things, they made very many heaps. 7. In the third month they began to lay the foundations of the heaps, and in the seventh month they completed them. 8. And when Hezekiah and his princes came in and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and the people of Israel. 9. And Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites why the heaps were lying there. 10. Azariah the chief priest, of the family of Zadok, answered him, saying: Since the first fruits began to be offered in the house of the Lord, we have eaten and been satisfied, and very much has remained, because the Lord has blessed His people; and this abundance that you see is from the surplus. 11. Therefore Hezekiah commanded them to prepare storerooms in the house of the Lord. And when they had done so, 12. they faithfully brought in both the first fruits and the tithes and whatever they had vowed. And the overseer of these was Conaniah the Levite, and Shimei his brother was second, 13. after whom were Jehiel, and Azariah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and also Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, appointed under the authority of Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the command of King Hezekiah and Azariah the chief priest of the house of God, to whom all things pertained. 14. And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the gatekeeper of the eastern gate, was in charge of the things that were freely offered to the Lord, and of the first fruits, and of the things consecrated to the Holy of Holies. 15. And under his care were Eden, and Benjamin, Jeshua, and Shemaiah, and also Amariah and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, to faithfully distribute portions to their brethren, both to the lesser and the greater. 16. Besides the males from three years old and upward, all who entered the temple of the Lord, and whatever was fitting for each day in the ministry and services according to their divisions, 17. to the priests by families, and to the Levites from twenty years old and upward, by their orders and companies, 18. and to the whole multitude, both their wives and their children of both sexes — food from the things that had been sanctified was faithfully provided. 19. And of the sons of Aaron throughout the fields and the suburbs of each city, men were appointed to distribute portions to every male among the priests and Levites. 20. So Hezekiah did all that we have said throughout all Judah; and he did what was good and right and true before the Lord his God, 21. in every work of the ministry of the house of the Lord, according to the law and the ceremonies, seeking his God with all his heart; and he did it and prospered.
Verse 2: In the Gates of the Camp of the Lord
2. IN THE GATES OF THE CAMP OF THE LORD — that is, in the gates of the temple; for in the temple there were companies of priests and Levites distributed in their orders, like military ranks, so that there seemed to be camps, battle lines, and an army of God, as is evident from Numbers 4 and following, where the Levites are said to go out and come in for the service of the temple. Hence the Church is called "an army set in battle array," Song of Songs 6:9.
Verse 3: The King's Portion
3. AND THE KING'S PORTION WAS — that is to say, King Hezekiah took upon himself these portions and these duties regarding the ministry of the temple: that he himself would supply the expenses for the perpetual sacrifice and other victims, while the people would support the priests and Levites (for their revenues had been scattered and squandered by Ahaz and other impious kings), "so that they might devote themselves to the law of the Lord" — namely, so that freed from the care of procuring food, they might devote themselves entirely to their office and the ministry of the temple.
Verse 6: Tithes of Holy Things
6. AND TITHES OF HOLY THINGS WHICH THEY HAD VOWED TO THE LORD. — The Hebrew says: tithes of holy things (that is, of sacred things) which had been sanctified to God, meaning: they offered tithes of all their goods, which are commanded by law to be "sanctified to God," that is, consecrated and offered, as in Numbers chapter 18, verse 8 and following. Moreover, they offered other tithes not prescribed by law, but which they had of their own accord sanctified to God, that is, "vowed," dedicated, and destined, as our translator renders it. That is to say, in addition to the tithes prescribed by law, they also added out of devotion and generosity others which they had dedicated and vowed to God, Numbers chapter 18, verse 14.
Verse 7: The Foundations of the Heaps
7. THEY BEGAN TO LAY THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE HEAPS — that is, they began to collect the first heaps; for the first things are, as it were, the foundations of those that follow. So Vatablus.
Verse 11: To Prepare Storerooms
11. TO PREPARE STOREROOMS — The Septuagint says: pastophoria, that is, halls or chambers, in which these things might be kept as in storerooms — first fruits, tithes, and other things offered to the temple.
Verse 14: Consecrated to the Holy of Holies
14. CONSECRATED TO THE HOLY OF HOLIES — that is, so that they might be most holy, because you have dedicated them to the temple and to the most holy God; for first fruits were not offered in the Holy of Holies, but before the court of the priests. By a similar expression in verse 6, he called them "tithes of holy things," that is, tithes sanctified to God, that is, consecrated and offered.
Verse 16: Males from Three Years Old and Upward
16. BESIDES THE MALES FROM THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD — that is, in addition to the boys of three years, to whom also, as to all others up to the twentieth year, food was provided. That is to say, not only to the older ones who served the temple, but also to three-year-old boys, indeed even to infants lying in cradles; and moreover to women and small girls, the necessities of life were generously supplied by the overseers — so that the priests and Levites would not be distracted by the care of feeding them, but might devote themselves entirely to God and the temple. So great was the abundance of things offered, so great the generosity of the people in offering, and so great the providence, piety, and devotion of King Hezekiah.
Verse 19: Throughout the Fields
19. THROUGHOUT THE FIELDS — that is to say, just as Hezekiah provided for the Levites residing in Jerusalem, so also he provided provisions for those who were dispersed outside Jerusalem throughout the fields and other cities.