2 Chronicles 13:9

9 And ye have cast away the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the deacons, and ye have made priests to you, as all the peoples of (other) lands have priests; whoever cometh and halloweth his hand in a bull, in oxes, and in seven wethers, anon he is made priest of them that be not gods. (And ye have thrown away the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and ye have made priests for yourselves, like all the peoples of other lands have; so that whoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bull, and with seven rams, he at once is made a priest of them that be not gods.)

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 most vain men, the sons of Belial, were gathered together to him, and they had might against Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. Certainly Rehoboam was boistous, either fond/or untaught, and of fearedful heart, and might not against-stand them (and could not stand against them).
8 Now therefore ye say, that ye be able to against-stand the realm of the Lord, that he holdeth in possession by the sons of David; and ye have a great multitude of people, and ye have golden calves, which Jeroboam made into gods to you. (And so now ye say, that ye be able to stand against the kingdom of the Lord, that he gave to the sons of David to have in possession; and ye have a great multitude of people, and ye have gold calves, which Jeroboam made to be your gods.)
9 And ye have cast away the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the deacons, and ye have made priests to you, as all the peoples of (other) lands have priests; whoever cometh and halloweth his hand in a bull, in oxes, and in seven wethers, anon he is made priest of them that be not gods. (And ye have thrown away the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and ye have made priests for yourselves, like all the peoples of other lands have; so that whoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bull, and with seven rams, he at once is made a priest of them that be not gods.)
10 But our Lord is God, whom we forsake not; and [the] priests of the sons of Aaron minister to the Lord, and (the) deacons be in their order; (But our Lord is God, whom we will not abandon; and the priests of the sons of Aaron serve the Lord, and the Levites assist them;)
11 and they offer burnt sacrifices to the Lord by each day in the morrowtide and eventide, and also incense made by commandments of the law; and loaves be set forth in a most clean board; and at us is the golden candlestick, and the lantern thereof, that it be tended ever at eventide; and we keep the behests of our God, whom ye have forsaken. (and they offer burnt sacrifices to the Lord each day in the morning and in the evening, and also burn the incense as commanded by the Law; and the loaves be set forth on a most clean table; and with us is the gold candlestick, and its lanterns, that they light every evening; for we follow the orders, or the commands, of our God, whom ye have deserted.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.