Page:03.BCOT.KD.HistoricalBooks.B.vol.3.LaterProphets.djvu/478

 the high places, though it was done in an illegal way. Such Levitic priests of the high places could not, even if they had not practised idolatry, straightway take part in a passover to be celebrated to Jahve according to the precepts of the law. They must first sanctify themselves by abandoning the worship on the high places, and earnestly turning to the Lord and to His law. Now, if the passover was to be a general one, the time necessary for this sanctification of themselves must be granted to these priests. For the sanctification of these priests, and for the invitation of all Israel to the festival, the time up to the fourteenth of the second month was sufficient, and the king's proposal was consequently approved of by the whole assembly.

Verse 5
They established the matter (דּבר יעמידוּ, Vulg. rightly, according to the sense, decreverunt), to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan (cf. Jdg 20:1), that they should come to keep the passover. לרב לא כּי, for not in multitude had they celebrated it, as it is written. These words were interpreted as early as by Rashi thus: they had not celebrated it for a long time according to the precepts of the law, and were referred to the time of the division of the kingdom. But to this Berth. has rightly objected that the use of לרב of time is unusual, and has correctly referred the words to the Israelites: they had not celebrated it in multitude, i.e., in the assembly of the whole people, as the law required. The words consequently tell us nothing as to the length of time during which it had not been celebrated in multitude: as to that, see 2Ch 30:26. Still less does it follow from the words that under Hezekiah, after the restoration of the temple worship, the passover had not been yearly held.

Verse 6
2Ch 30:6 “The runners (whether soldiers of the royal body-guard, cf. 2Ch 12:10, or other royal couriers, as Est 3:13, Est 3:15, cannot be determined) went with letters from the hand of the king, ... and according to the commandment of the king to say.” To the written invitation of the king and his princes they were to add words of exhortation: “Turn again to Jahve, ... that He may return (turn Himself) to the remnant which remains to you from the hand of the kings of Assyria,” i.e., of Tiglath-pileser and Shalmaneser.

Verse 7
Be not like your fathers, your brethren, i.e., those carried away by Tiglath and Shalmaneser. On לשׁמּה יתּגם cf. 2Ch 29:8.

Verse 8
Be not stiff-necked; cf. 2Ki 17:14. “Give the hand to the Lord,” i.e., here, not submit yourselves, as 1Ch 29:24, construed with תּחת; it denotes the giving of