2 Chronicles 31:13

And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) And Jehiel . . . were overseers.—Nothing is known of these ten Levitical officers; though some of the names occur elsewhere—e.g., Jehiel and Mahath in 2Chronicles 29:12; 2Chronicles 29:14.

Under the hand of Cononiah.—Or, at the side of . . . (miyyad . . .) The phrase means “under Cononiah’s orders.”

At the commandment of Hezekiah.—An unusual meaning of miphqäd, which in 1Chronicles 21:5 denotes census. LXX., καθὼς προσέταξεν Εζεκιας.

Ruler (nagîd) of the house of God.—Comp. 1Chronicles 9:11. Azariah was named in 2Chronicles 31:10, supra.

Benson Commentary

2 Chronicles 31:13. Were overseers under Cononiah and Shimei, &c. — To dispose of those provisions by their direction, and to be accountable to them therein. Azariah the ruler of the house of God — Either the supreme ruler, the high-priest, or the chief ruler under him, and in his stead, being appointed by him to inspect the work.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

31:1-21 Hezekiah destroys idolatry. - After the passover, the people of Israel applied with vigour to destroy the monuments of idolatry. Public ordinances should stir us up to cleanse our hearts, our houses, and shops, from the filth of sin, and the idolatry of covetousness, and to excite others to do the same. The after-improvement of solemn ordinances, is of the greatest importance to personal, family, and public religion. When they had tasted the sweetness of God's ordinance in the late passover, they were free in maintaining the temple service. Those who enjoy the benefit of a settled ministry, will not grudge the expense of it. In all that Hezekiah attempted in God's service, he was earnest and single in his aim and dependence, and was prospered accordingly. Whether we have few or many talents intrusted to us, may we thus seek to improve them, and encourage others to do the same. What is undertaken with a sincere regard to the glory of God, will succeed to our own honour and comfort at last.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

If this Azariah was the same as he who resisted Uzziah 2 Chronicles 26:17-20, he must have held his office at least 33 years. Compare 2 Chronicles 27:1; 2 Chronicles 28:1.

The Lord hath blessed his people - i. e. God has made the harvest unusually abundant, and hence the great amount of tithes and first-fruits.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2Ch 31:11-19. Hezekiah Appoints Officers to Dispose of the Tithes.

11-18. Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord—storehouses, granaries, or cellars; either the old ones, which had been allowed through neglect to fall into decay, were to be repaired, or additional ones built. Private individuals brought their own first-fruits to the temple; but the tithes were levied by the Levites, who kept a faithful account of them in their several places of abode and transmitted the allotted proportion to the priests. Officers were appointed to distribute equal rations to all in the cities of the priests who, from age or other reasons, could not repair to the temple. With the exception of children under three years of age—an exception made probably from their being considered too young to receive solid food—lists were kept of the number and age of every male; of priests according to their fathers' house, and Levites from twenty years (see Nu 4:3; 28:24; 1Ch 23:24). But, besides, provision was also made for their wives, daughters, and servants.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, i.e. to dispose of those provisions by their direction, and to be accountable to them therein.

The ruler of the house of God; either the supreme ruler, to wit, the high priest; or the chief ruler under him, and in his stead, being appointed by him to inspect this work. See above, 2 Chronicles 31:10 1 Chronicles 9:11 Jeremiah 20:1.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother,.... These ten were assistants to the other two, were under them, and at their command, and were to be ready at hand to do what they should order and direct them:

at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God; these were fixed in their post under the other two by the king and the high priest, to whom also the other two were accountable.

Geneva Study Bible

And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. at the commandment] R.V. by the appointment.

the ruler of the house of God] Cp. 1 Chronicles 9:11, note.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - Of these ten subordinates, Jehiel and Nahath are found in 2 Chronicles 29:12, 14. 2 Chronicles 31:13

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

To them at their hand, i.e., as subordinate overseers, were given ten Levites, who are enumerated by name. Of the names, Jehiel and Mahath occur in 2 Chronicles 29:12 and 2 Chronicles 29:14. בּמפקד is translated by the Vulg. ex imperio, better ex mandato Hizkiae. Azariah, the prince of the house of God, is the high priest mentioned in 2 Chronicles 31:10. - To the fourteen Levites named in 2 Chronicles 31:13 and 2 Chronicles 31:14 was committed the oversight and storing of the first-fruits, tithes, and consecrated gifts. Besides these, there were special officers appointed for the distribution of them. - In 2 Chronicles 31:14-19 these are treated of; 2 Chronicles 31:14 dealing with the distribution of the voluntary gifts of God, i.e., all which was offered to God of spontaneous impulse (Leviticus 23:38; Deuteronomy 12:17), to which the first-fruits and tithes did not belong, they being assessments prescribed by the law. Over the freewill offerings the Levite Kore, the doorkeeper towards the east (see on 1 Chronicles 9:18), was set. His duty was to give (distribute) "the heave-offerings of Jahve," i.e., that portion of the thank-offerings which properly belonged to Jahve, and which was transferred by Him to the priests (Leviticus 7:14; Numbers 5:9), and the "most holy," i.e., that part of the sin and trespass offerings (Leviticus 6:10, Leviticus 6:22; Leviticus 7:6) and of the oblations (Leviticus 2:3, Leviticus 2:10) which was to be eaten by the priests in the holy place.