Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. XXX.

Vers. 1. ANd Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, &c.] That is, to the remainder of the ten tribes that were not yet carried away by Tiglath-pilneser king of Assyria, as many of their brethren were, 2. Kings 15.29.

Vers. 2. The king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passeover in the second moneth.] See Numb. 9.10, 11.

Vers. 3. For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not san∣ctified themselves sufficiently, &c.] To wit, when they should have kept it; that is, the foureteenth day of the first moneth: for the Temples purgation was not fi∣nished till the sixteenth day, chap. 29.17. And in the sixteenth day of the first moneth they made an end.

Vers. 6. He will return to the remnant of you, that have escaped out of the hand of the king of Assyria.] To wit, out of the hands of Pul, and Tiglath-pil∣neser,

for both these kings already carryed away many of the ten tribes into captivi∣ty; but the last captivity under Shalmaneser, (as is most likely) had not yet been.

Vers. 14. And they arose, and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, &c.] To wit, by the kings encouragement, and at this time also the brasen serpent which Moses made was broken in pieces, 2. see Kings 18.4. This was done in Jerusalem be∣fore they kept the Passeover: how they proceeded afterwards after the same man∣ner in other places, we see chap. 3.11. Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present, went out to the cities of Iudah, and brake the images in pieces, &c.

Vers. 15. And the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified them∣selves, &c.] That is, the priests and Levites that had been hitherto remisse, were a∣shamed of their own negligence, when they saw the forwardnesse of the people, and so sanctified themselves, &c.

Vers. 16. The priests sprinkled the bloud, which they received of the hands of the Levites.] To wit, the bloud of the sacrifices upon the altar, as was accustomed in all sacrifices, Levit. 1.5. And he shall kill the bullocks before the Lord, and the priests Aarons sonnes, shall bring the bloud, and sprinkle the bloud round about, &c.

Vers. 17. For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passeover, &c. By the passeovers here are meant (as I conceive) the sacrifices which by the law were to be offered at the feast of the Passeover, and did accompany the eating of the Paschall lambe, as Deut. 16.2. Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passeover unto the Lord thy God of the flock and heard, called elsewhere the passeover-offerings, chap. 35.7, 8. And Josiah gave to the people of the flock lambes and kids for the passeover-offerings, &c. These sacrifices were to be killed according to the rule of the law by the priests onely, Levit. 1.5. Here therefore a reason is given why at this time the Levites had the charge of killing them, namely, because there were so many of the people that were not sanctified but were unclean; and consequently, there were so many sacrifices to be offered for their purifying and cleansing, that the priests alone could not do the work, and therefore the Levites were imployed therein.

Vers. 18. For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not cleansed themselves, &c.] That is, though the Levites did help the priests, as is before said, yet very many of the Israelites did eat the Passeover being not purified from their uncleannesse.

Vers. 20. And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.] That is, he sanctified them by his spirit in an extraordinary way; or, he did not punish them, but forgive them that their infirmity, and accepted them as if they had been purified.

Vers. 22. And Hezekiah spake comfortably to all the Levites, that taught the good knowledge of the Lord.] That is, he encouraged them in their work, and gave them hope of Gods mercy to the people, as concerning those that had eaten the Passe∣over and were not cleansed according to the Law.

Vers. 24. And a great number of the priests sanctified themselves.] To wit, that were not before sanctified, see vers. 3. and chap. 29.34.

Vers. 26. For since the time of Solomon the sonne of David king of Israel,

there was not the like in Jerusalem.] That is, since the Israelites were divided from Judah and Benjamin.

Vers. 27. Then the priests the Levites arose, and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, &c.] That is, the Lord heard their prayer, and blessed them as was promised, Numb. 6.27. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will blesse them.