King James Version

What Does 2 Chronicles 35:8 Mean?

2 Chronicles 35:8 in the King James Version says “And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, ru...” — study this verse from 2 Chronicles chapter 35 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen. gave willingly: Heb. offered, etc”

2 Chronicles 35:8 · KJV

Context

6

So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

7

And Josiah gave to the people , of the flock, lambs and kids , all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king's substance. gave: Heb. offered

8

And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen. gave willingly: Heb. offered, etc

9

Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for passover offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen. gave: Heb. offered

10

So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king's commandment.

Read 2 Chronicles 35 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen.

This verse is part of the narrative of Judah's kings, specifically addressing Greatest worship celebration since Samuel's time. The Chronicler's theological perspective emphasizes immediate divine retribution—kings who seek God prosper, while those who forsake Him face judgment. This pattern provides instruction for the post-exilic community on the conditions for God's blessing.

The account demonstrates God's covenant faithfulness despite human unfaithfulness. Even in judgment, God preserves a remnant and offers restoration through repentance. The repeated cycle of apostasy, judgment, and restoration reveals both human sinfulness and divine mercy. References to the temple, proper worship, and priestly service emphasize the Chronicler's concern for correct religious observance.

Theologically, these accounts point beyond immediate history to God's ultimate purposes through the Davidic line. Despite repeated failures, God preserves David's dynasty, anticipating the perfect King who will reign in righteousness. The pattern of judgment for sin and restoration through repentance prefigures the gospel message of salvation through Christ.

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Historical & Cultural Context

This passage occurs during the divided monarchy period when Judah existed separately from northern Israel. The Chronicler writes from a post-exilic perspective, addressing the restored community in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile (539 BCE onward). His emphasis on temple worship, proper religious observance, and God's covenant faithfulness speaks directly to the needs of his audience who had just rebuilt the temple and were reestablishing their identity as God's people.

The historical context demonstrates both God's judgment on persistent sin and His readiness to restore those who genuinely repent. The Chronicler omits most northern kingdom material, focusing on Judah and the Davidic line to emphasize God's faithfulness to His covenant promises. Archaeological discoveries from sites like Lachish, Beersheba, and Jerusalem corroborate the biblical accounts of various kings' reigns and building projects.

Understanding the Chronicler's post-exilic perspective is crucial—he's not merely recording history but applying past lessons to his contemporary audience, showing that the same principles of seeking God, maintaining proper worship, and covenant faithfulness that determined blessing or judgment in the past still apply.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does this verse illustrate the principle of divine retribution (blessing for obedience, judgment for sin)?
  2. What specific applications does this passage have for maintaining spiritual faithfulness in contemporary Christian life?
  3. How does this account point to God's ultimate purposes through the Davidic line and the coming Messiah?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 21 words
וְשָׂרָ֞יו1 of 21

“And his princes”

H8269

a head person (of any rank or class)

לִנְדָבָ֥ה2 of 21

“willingly”

H5071

properly (abstractly) spontaneity, or (adjectively) spontaneous; also (concretely) a spontaneous or (by inference, in plural) abundant gift

לָעָ֛ם3 of 21

“unto the people”

H5971

a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock

לַכֹּֽהֲנִ֞ים4 of 21

“to the priests”

H3548

literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)

וְלַלְוִיִּ֖ם5 of 21

“and to the Levites”

H3881

a levite or descendant of levi

הֵרִ֑ימוּ6 of 21

“gave”

H7311

to be high actively, to rise or raise (in various applications, literally or figuratively)

חִלְקִיָּ֨ה7 of 21

“Hilkiah”

H2518

chilhijah, the name of eight israelites

וּזְכַרְיָ֜הוּ8 of 21

“and Zechariah”

H2148

zecarjah, the name of twenty-nine israelites

וִֽיחִיאֵ֗ל9 of 21

“and Jehiel”

H3171

jechiel (or jechavel), the name of eight israelites

נְגִידֵי֙10 of 21

“rulers”

H5057

a commander (as occupying the front), civil, military or religious; generally (abstractly, plural), honorable themes

בֵּ֣ית11 of 21

“of the house”

H1004

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים12 of 21

“of God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

לַכֹּֽהֲנִ֞ים13 of 21

“to the priests”

H3548

literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)

נָֽתְנ֣וּ14 of 21

“gave”

H5414

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

לַפְּסָחִ֗ים15 of 21

“for the passover offerings”

H6453

a pretermission, i.e., exemption; used only techically of the jewish passover (the festival or the victim)

אַלְפַּ֙יִם֙16 of 21

“two thousand”

H505

hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand

וְשֵׁ֣שׁ17 of 21

“and six”

H8337

six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ordinal, sixth

מֵאֽוֹת׃18 of 21

“hundred”

H3967

a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction

וּבָקָ֖ר19 of 21

“oxen”

H1241

a beeve or an animal of the ox family of either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd

שְׁלֹ֥שׁ20 of 21

“small cattle and three”

H7969

three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice

מֵאֽוֹת׃21 of 21

“hundred”

H3967

a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 2 Chronicles. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

2 Chronicles 35:8 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to 2 Chronicles 35:8 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2 Chronicles 29:31-331 Chronicles 24:4-5Psalms 45:12Acts 2:44-45Acts 5:26Acts 4:34-35

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