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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• 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 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

7Then worthless rogues gathered to him, and strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and inexperienced and could not withstand them. 8And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord, which is in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and with you are the gold calves which Jeroboam made for you as gods. 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? 10But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the priests who minister to the Lord are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their duties. 11And they burn to the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense; they also set the showbread in order on the pure gold table, and the lampstand of gold with its lamps to burn every evening; for we keep the command 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 11:14For 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.
• 1 Kings 12:31He made shrines on the high places, and made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi.
• 1 Kings 13:33After this event Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but again he made priests from every class of people for the high places; whoever wished, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.
• Exodus 32:29Then Moses said, “Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother.”
• Leviticus 16:32And the priest, who is anointed and consecrated to minister as priest in his father’s place, shall make atonement, and put on the linen clothes, the holy garments;
• 1 Chronicles 29:5the gold for things of gold and the silver for things of silver, and for all kinds of work to be done by the hands of craftsmen. Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord?”
• Exodus 29:1“And this is what you shall do to them to hallow them for ministering to Me as priests: Take one young bull and two rams without blemish,
• Leviticus 8:2“Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, the anointing oil, a bull as the sin offering, two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread;
• Deuteronomy 32:17They sacrificed to demons, not to God, To gods they did not know, To new gods, new arrivals That your fathers did not fear.
• 2 Kings 19:18and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them.
• Jeremiah 2:11Has a nation changed its gods, Which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory For what does not profit.
• Hosea 8:6For from Israel is even this: A workman made it, and it is not God; But the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.
• Acts 19:26Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands.
• Galatians 4:8But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which 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