2 Chronicles 29 · Verse 34

2 Chronicles 29:34

But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

2 Chronicles 29:34, King James Version

2 Chronicles 29:34 in other translations

BSB	However, since there were not enough priests to skin all the burnt offerings, their Levite brothers helped them until the work was finished and until the priests had been consecrated. For the Levites had been more diligent in consecrating themselves than the priests had been.
WEB	But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings. Therefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was ended, and until the priests had sanctified themselves, for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.
ASV	But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt-offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the priests had sanctified themselves; for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.
YLT	Only, the priests have become few, and have not been able to strip the whole of the burnt-offerings, and their brethren the Levites strengthen them till the completion of the work, and till the priests sanctify themselves, for the Levites are more upright of heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.
DARBY	Only the priests were too few, and they could not flay all the burnt-offerings; therefore their brethren the Levites helped them, until the work was ended, and until the priests had hallowed themselves; for the Levites were more upright in heart to hallow themselves than the priests.
BBE	There were not enough priests for the work of cutting up all the burned offerings; so their brothers the Levites gave them help till the work was done and the priests had made themselves holy: for the Levites were more upright in heart to make themselves holy than the priests.
Webster	But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt-offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites helped them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.

What does 2 Chronicles 29:34 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Chronicles 29:34-36

34-36. the priests were too few, ... wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them--The skins of beasts intended as peace offerings might be taken off by the officers, because, in such cases, the carcass was not wholly laid upon the altar; but animals meant for burnt offerings which were wholly consumed by fire could be flayed by the priests alone, not even the Levites being allowed to touch them, except in cases of unavoidable necessity (2Ch 35:11). The duty being assigned by the law to the priests (Le 1:6), was construed by consuetudinary practice as an exclusion of all others not connected with the Aaronic family. for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests--that is, displayed greater alacrity than the priests. This service was hastened by the irrepressible solicitude of the king. Whether it was that many of the priests, being absent in the country, had not arrived in time--whether from the long interruption of the public duties, some of them had relaxed in their wonted attentions to personal cleanliness, and had many preparations to make--or whether from some having participated in the idolatrous services introduced by Ahaz, they were backward in repairing to the temple--a reflection does seem to be cast upon their order as dilatory and not universally ready for duty (compare 2Ch 30:15). Thus was the newly consecrated temple reopened to the no small joy of the pious king and all the people.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 34 They could not flay all the burnt-offerings - Peace-offerings, and such like, the Levites might flay and dress; but the whole burnt-offerings, that is, those which were entirely consumed on the altar, could be touched only by the priests, unless in a case of necessity, such as is mentioned here. The Levites were more upright in heart - The priests seem to have been very backward in this good work; the Levites were more ready to help forward this glorious reformation. Why the former should have been so backward is not easy to tell; but it appears to have been the fact. Indeed, it often happens that the higher orders of the priesthood are less concerned for the prosperity of true religion than the lower. Why is this? They are generally too busy about worldly things, or too much satisfied with secular emoluments. A rich priesthood is not favorable either to the spread or depth of religion. Earthly gratifications are often put in the place of Divine influences: it is almost a miracle to see a very rich man deeply interested in behalf either of his own soul, or the souls of others.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Chronicles 29:20-36

As soon as Hezekiah heard that the temple was ready, he lost no time. Atonement must be made for the sins of the last reign. It was not enough to lament and forsake those sins; they brought a sin-offering. Our repentance and reformation will not obtain pardon but in and through Christ, who was made sin, that is, a sin-offering for us. While the offerings were on the altar, the Levites sang. Sorrow for sin must not…

Read the full comment on 2 Chronicles 29:20-36 →

2 Chronicles 29:34 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

רַ֤קrakonlyH7535

הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ha.ko.ha.Nimthe priestsH3548

הָי֣וּha.Yuthey wereH1961

לִמְעָ֔טlim.'Atto fewnessH4592

וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808

יָֽכְל֔וּya.khe.Luthey were ableH3201

לְהַפְשִׁ֖יטle.haf.Shitto skinH6584

אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853

כָּל\־kol-allH3605

הָעֹל֑וֹתha.'o.Lotthe burnt offeringsH5930

וַֽיְּחַזְּק֞וּםvai.ye.cha.ze.Kumand they helped themH2388

אֲחֵיהֶ֣ם'a.chei.Hemrelatives theirH251

הַלְוִיִּ֗םhal.vi.Yimthe LevitesH3881

עַד\־'ad-untilH5704

כְּל֤וֹתke.Lotwas completeH3615

הַמְּלָאכָה֙ha.me.la.Khahthe workH4399

וְעַ֣דve.'Adand untilH5704

יִתְקַדְּשׁ֣וּyit.ka.de.Shuthey had consecrated themselvesH6942

הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֔יםha.ko.ha.Nimthe priestsH3548

כִּ֤יkiforH3588

הַלְוִיִּם֙hal.vi.Yimthe LevitesH3881

יִשְׁרֵ֣יyish.Rei[were] upright ofH3477

לֵבָ֔בle.VavheartH3824

לְהִתְקַדֵּ֖שׁle.hit.ka.Deshto consecrate themselvesH6942

מֵֽהַכֹּהֲנִֽים\׃Me.ha.ko.ha.Nimmore than the priestsH3548

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Chronicles 29:34

2 Chronicles 35:11
And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them.
2 Chronicles 30:3
For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 29:5
And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.
Numbers 18:6-7
And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the Lord, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest’s office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest’s office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
Psalms 26:6
I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord:
Psalms 94:15
But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.
Numbers 8:19
And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary.
2 Chronicles 30:16-17
And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites. For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the Lord.
Psalms 7:10
My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.
Numbers 8:15
And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering.
1 Chronicles 29:17
I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.
Numbers 18:3
And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the priests.Peace offerings, and such like, the Levites might flay and dress; but the whole burnt offerings could only be touched by the priests, except in a case of necessity, such as the present.
5; 30:16,17
their brethren.
35:11; Nu 8:15,19; 18:3,6,7
did help them. Heb. strengthened them. for the Levites.
30:3
upright.
1Ch 29:17; Ps 7:10; 26:6; 94:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

2 Chronicles 29:33
And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.
2 Chronicles 29:34
But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.
2 Chronicles 29:35
And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the Lord was set in order.

Read all of 2 Chronicles 29

2 Chronicles 29:34 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Mas los sacerdotes eran pocos, y no podían bastar á desollar los holocaustos; y así sus hermanos los Levitas les ayudaron hasta que acabaron la obra, y hasta que los sacerdotes se santificaron: porque los Levitas tuvieron mayor prontitud de corazón para santificarse, que los sacerdotes.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Seulement il y avait trop peu de sacrificateurs, et ils ne purent écorcher tous les holocaustes; et leurs frères, les lévites, les aidèrent, jusqu’à ce que l’ouvrage soit achevé et que les sacrificateurs se soient sanctifiés; car les lévites furent plus droits de cœur que les sacrificateurs pour se sanctifier.
German Elberfelder 1871	Nur waren der Priester zu wenig, so daß sie nicht allen Brandopfern die Haut abziehen konnten; und so unterstützten sie ihre Brüder, die Leviten, bis das Werk vollendet war, und bis die Priester sich geheiligt hatten; denn die Leviten waren redlichen Herzens, sich zu heiligen, mehr als die Priester.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Sacerdotes vero pauci erant, nec poterant sufficere ut pelles holocaustorum detraherent: unde et Levitæ fratres eorum adjuverunt eos, donec impleretur opus, et sanctificarentur antistites: Levitæ quippe faciliori ritu sanctificantur quam sacerdotes.