2 Chronicles 11:14

2 Chronicles 11:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the Lord:
• English Standard Version (ESV)For the Levites left their common lands and their holdings and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons cast them out from serving as priests of the Lord,
• New King James Version (NKJV)For the Levites left their common-lands and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to the Lord.
• New Living Translation (NLT)The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons would not allow them to serve the Lord as priests.

Context of 2 Chronicles 11:14

12He put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his. 13The priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel sided with him. The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the Lord 15when he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat and calf idols he had made. 16Those from every tribe of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

2 Chronicles 11:14 word by word

כִּֽי־עָזְב֣וּ הַלְוִיִּ֗ם אֶת־מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶם֙ וַאֲחֻזָּתָ֔ם וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ לִיהוּדָ֖ה וְלִֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם כִּֽי־הִזְנִיחָ֤ם יָֽרָבְעָם֙ וּבָנָ֔יו מִכַּהֵ֖ן לַיהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
• leftעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
• their suburbsמִגְרָשׁmigrâsh migrâshâh · pastureH4054
• and their possessionאֲחֻזָּה'ăchûzzâh · possessionH272
• and cameיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• to Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• and Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• for Jeroboamיָֽרָבְעָםyârob‛âm · JeroboamH3379
• and his sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• had cast them offזָנַחzânach · to rejectH2186
• from executing the priest’s officeכָּהַןkâhan · to ministerH3547
• unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068

Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 11:14

• Numbers 35:2“Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns.
• Joshua 21:20The rest of the Kohathite clans of the Levites were allotted towns from the tribe of Ephraim:
• 1 Chronicles 6:66Some of the Kohathite clans were given as their territory towns from the tribe of Ephraim.
• Leviticus 27:30“ ‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.
• Numbers 18:21“I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting.
• 2 Chronicles 13:9But didn’t you drive out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests of your own as the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods.
• 1 Kings 12:28After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
• 1 Kings 13:33Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places.

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 11:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14The Levites left their suburbs - They and the priests were expelled from their offices by Jeroboam, lest they should turn the hearts of the people to the true God, and then they would revolt to Judah, 1 Kings 12:26; and therefore he established a new worship, and made new gods.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14Jeroboam probably confiscated the Levitical lands for the benefit of this new priesthood. Under these circumstances the priests and Levites emigrated in large numbers to the southern kingdom; an act which was followed by a general emigration of the more pious Israelites 2 Chronicles 11:16.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-23Verses 13-23 When the priests and Levites came to Jerusalem, the devout, pious Israelites followed them. Such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, left the inheritance of their fathers, and went to Jerusalem, that they might have free access to the altar of God, and be out of the temptation to worship the calves. That is best for us, which is best for our souls; in all our choices, religious advantages must be sought before all outward…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-17Jeroboam's rebellion in the north (see 1 Kings 12:26–33) caused those who truly wanted to worship the Lord to move south. Rehoboam followed the Lord faithfully for three years, but he became unfaithful in the fourth year of his reign (2 Chronicles 12:1). God then quickly punished Rehoboam by sending Shishak to invade from Egypt (2 Chronicles 12:2–5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1713-17. the priests and the Levites ... resorted to him out of all their coasts--This was an accession of moral power, for the maintenance of the true religion is the best support and safeguard of any nation; and as it was peculiarly the grand source of the strength and prosperity of the Hebrew monarchy, the great numbers of good and pious people who sought an asylum within the territories of Judah contributed greatly to consolidate the throne of Rehoboam…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Chronicles 11:14

• Jeroboam
• Levites
• Rehoboam
• Religion
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• Jeroboam
• Jerusalem
• Judah
• Aholah
• Devil
• Gibbethon
• Chronicles, Books of
• Israel, Kingdom of
• Palestine
• Rehoboam

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings