2 Chronicles 13:9

9 Have ye not cast out the priests of Jehovah, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made you priests as the peoples of the lands? whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, he becomes a priest of what is not God.

2 Chronicles 13:9 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 13:9

Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord the sons of
Aaron, and the Levites
Because they would not sacrifice to his idols, and that they might not instruct the people in the pure worship of God, and that he and his people might be free from the payment of tithes, firstfruits and their cities fall into his hands:

and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of [other]
lands?
after the manner of the Gentiles, without any regard to any particular tribe, which God had appointed those to be taken from:

so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and
seven rams;
which were five more than what were required by the law of Moses for the consecration of a priest, ( Exodus 29:1 ) , the same

may be a priest of [them that are] no gods; by nature, only nominal and
fictitious deities, as the calves were, which had no divinity in them, see ( 1 Kings 13:31 ) .

2 Chronicles 13:9 In-Context

7 And vain men, sons of Belial, gathered to him and strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, and Rehoboam was young and faint-hearted, and did not shew himself strong against them.

8 And now ye think to shew yourselves strong against the kingdom of Jehovah in the hand of the sons of David; and ye are a great multitude, and ye have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made you for gods.

9 Have ye not cast out the priests of Jehovah, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made you priests as the peoples of the lands? whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, he becomes a priest of what is not God.

10 But as for us, Jehovah is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests that serve Jehovah are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites are at their work:

11 and they burn to Jehovah every morning and every evening burnt-offerings and sweet incense; the loaves also are set in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with its lamps to burn every evening: for *we* keep the charge of Jehovah our God; but *ye* have forsaken him.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or 'to no-gods:' see Gal. 4.8.