2 chronicles 30:2 - For the king had taken counsel with his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem to keep the Passover in the second month.

Generated Verse: 2 chronicles 30:2

What does "2 chronicles 30:2" mean?


This verse from 2 Chronicles 30:2 describes the decision-making process that led to a delayed celebration of Passover. Let's break it down:

"For the king": This refers to King Hezekiah of Judah. He was a righteous king who sought to restore proper worship and adherence to God's laws.

"had taken counsel with his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem": This means Hezekiah consulted with his advisors (princes) and gathered the people of Jerusalem (the assembly) to discuss an important matter.

"to keep the Passover in the second month": The Passover was traditionally celebrated in the first month of the Jewish religious year, Nisan (roughly corresponding to March/April). The normal time for Passover was being moved to the second month, Iyar (roughly corresponding to April/May).

Therefore, the verse means that King Hezekiah, after consulting with his leaders and the people of Jerusalem, made the decision to postpone the observance of the Passover to the second month.

Why would they do this?

The following verse (2 Chronicles 30:3) provides the reasons:

The priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers: Many priests were not ritually pure, which was necessary to perform the Passover sacrifices properly.
The people had not gathered in Jerusalem: There was not enough time to gather people from all over the land of Israel to Jerusalem. Many people would have had to travel long distances.

According to the Law (Numbers 9:6-13), there was provision for celebrating Passover a month later if someone was ceremonially unclean or far away on a journey. Hezekiah and the leaders likely felt these circumstances warranted taking advantage of that provision.

In Summary:

The verse highlights Hezekiah's leadership, his reliance on counsel, and his decision to delay Passover to ensure it could be celebrated in a proper and meaningful way, given the circumstances. The delay allowed for necessary preparations and a more complete observance of the religious requirements.

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