2 Chronicles 13:9

2 Chronicles 13:9 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes for ordination with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of what are not gods.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Have you not cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests, like the peoples of other lands, so that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may be a priest of things that are not gods?
• New Living Translation (NLT)But you have chased away the priests of the Lord (the descendants of Aaron) and the Levites, and you have appointed your own priests, just like the pagan nations. You let anyone become a priest these days! Whoever comes to be dedicated with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of these so-called gods of yours!

Context of 2 Chronicles 13:9

7Some worthless scoundrels gathered around him and opposed Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young and indecisive and not strong enough to resist them. 8“And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the Lord, which is in the hands of David’s descendants. You are indeed a vast army and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. But 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. 10“As for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the Lord are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist them. 11Every morning and evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the Lord. They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing the requirements of the Lord our God. But you have forsaken him.

2 Chronicles 13:9 word by word

הֲלֹ֤א הִדַּחְתֶּם֙ אֶת־כֹּהֲנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י אַהֲרֹ֖ן וְהַלְוִיִּ֑ם וַתַּעֲשׂ֨וּ לָכֶ֤ם כֹּהֲנִים֙ כְּעַמֵּ֣י הָאֲרָצ֔וֹת כָּל־הַבָּ֗א לְמַלֵּ֨א יָד֜וֹ בְּפַ֤ר בֶּן־בָּקָר֙ וְאֵילִ֣ם שִׁבְעָ֔ה וְהָיָ֥ה כֹהֵ֖ן לְלֹ֥א אֱלֹהִֽים׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Have ye not cast outנָדַחnâdach · to banishH5080
• the priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
• and the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
• and have madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• after the manner of the nationsעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• landsאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• so that whosoever comethבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to consecrateיָדyâd · hand: donateH3027
• to consecrateמָלֵאmâlê' mâlâ' · to fillH4390
• himself with a youngבָּקָרbâqâr · cattleH1241
• himself with a youngבֵּןbên · son: young animalH1121
• bullockפַּרpar pâr · bullockH6499
• and sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
• ramsאַ֫יִל'ayil · ramH352
• noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 13:9

• 2 Chronicles 11:14The 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
• 1 Kings 12:31Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites.
• 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.
• Exodus 32:29Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”
• Leviticus 16:32The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments
• 1 Chronicles 29:5for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord today?”
• Exodus 29:1“This is what you are to do to consecrate them, so they may serve me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without defect.
• Leviticus 8:2“Bring Aaron and his sons, their garments, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams and the basket containing bread made without yeast,
• Deuteronomy 32:17They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God— gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your ancestors did not fear.
• 2 Kings 19:18They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands.
• Jeremiah 2:11Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols.
• Hosea 8:6They are from Israel! This calf—a metalworker has made it; it is not God. It will be broken in pieces, that calf of Samaria.
• Acts 19:26And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all.
• Galatians 4:8Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 13:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9A 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.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Seven rams - “A bullock and two rams” was the offering which God had required at the original consecration of the sons of Aaron Exodus 29:1; Leviticus 8:2. Jeroboam, for reasons of his own, enlarged the sacrifice, and required it at the consecration of every priest.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9Abijah’s speech highlighted two main points about the northern rebellion: The north rejected: The rightful king The true place of worship The northerners' revolt, where they expelled the proper priestly order, contrasts sharply with us (2 Chronicles 13:10). The most objectionable issues were the worship of the calves and the role of unauthorized priests.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-124-12. 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. The speakers in such circumstances, while always extolling their own merits, poured out torrents of invective and virulent abuse upon the adversary. So did…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Chronicles 13:9

• Faith
• Faithfulness
• Jeroboam
• Levites
• Rebellion
• Reproof
• War

In the dictionaries

• Aaron
• Abijah
• Earth
• Zemaraim
• Bamah
• Calf, Golden
• Chronicles, Books of
• Consecrate; Consecration
• Israel, History of
• Israel, Kingdom of

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 13

• 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