2 Chronicles 30:10

2Ch 30:10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

Ver. 10. But they laughed them to scorn.] So profane and superstitious they were; so ready ripe for rain. It is a sad foretoken of a common calamity, when religion is become a matter, not of form only, but of scorn. Josephus saith that these Israelites thus invited slew both the messengers, and those prophets also that exhorted them to go up.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ch 30:10. They laughed them to scorn, and mocked them — Having been long accustomed to serve other gods, the hearts of the generality of the ten tribes were so hardened, that they scoffed at this most gracious invitation to repentance. And what wonder that Hezekiah’s messengers were thus despitefully used by this apostate race, when even God’s messengers, his servants the prophets, who produced undeniable credentials from him, had been and still were worse treated. These Israelites, however, in a little time, paid dear for thus rejecting the counsel of God against themselves. In about two years and a half after their refusing this grace, Shalmaneser, the king of Assyria, invaded the country, and laid siege to Samaria, their capital city, and, at the end of three years more, took it, and carried the whole nation away captive into Assyria and Media, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded, and would not hear nor do it, 2Ki 18:9-12.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Though the wicked mock at the servants of God, by whom he calleth them to repentance, as Gen. 19:14, yet the word ceaseth not to fructify in the hearts of God’s elect.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

the posts passed from city to city--It is not surprising that after so long a discontinuance of the sacred festival, this attempt to revive it should, in some quarters, have excited ridicule and opposition. Accordingly, among the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Zebulun, Hezekiah's messengers met with open insults and ill usage. Many, however, in these very districts, as well as throughout the kingdom of the ten tribes, generally complied with the invitation; while, in the kingdom of Judah, there was one unanimous feeling of high expectation and pious delight. The concourse that repaired to Jerusalem on the occasion was very great, and the occasion was ever after regarded as one of the greatest passovers that had ever been celebrated.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(10) So the posts passed.—And the couriers were passing.

Even unto Zebulun.—This tribe, which lay on the southern border of Naphtali, had suffered from Tiglath-pileser’s invasion (Isa_9:1). The messengers did not actually travel northward so far as Dan (2Ch_30:5). This mention of Zebulun as the limit of their journey lends an air of historical truth to the account.

Laughed them to scorn.—Literally, and they were laughing at them (hisḫîq: here only), and making mock of them (Psa_22:7). The verbs imply what the Israelites did continually. Vulg., “cursores pergebant . . . illis irridentibus et subsannantibus eos.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. passed] LXX. ἦσαν … διαπορευόμενοι (more literal).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Nevertheless, divers of Asher, and Manasseh, and of Zebulun, humbled themselves,.... Confessed their idolatries and impieties, and expressed sorrow and repentance for them, and were willing to obey the commands of God, and attend his worship and ordinances:

and came to Jerusalem; to keep the passover.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Ephraim and Manasseh are mentioned as the two tribes nearest to Judah, Zebulun as one of the furthest off.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Zabulon. Aser and Nephthali lay more to the north. But they were also invited, as well as the few who might remain on the other side the Jordan, 1 Paralipomenon v. 26. At least, we find that some of Aser came, v. 11. Thus those, who had been invited last, came first, while Ephraim continued more stubborn; (v. 18) and the greatest part derided the messengers, as we still see too frequently verified in the days of the gospel. H.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

They laughed, i.e. the generality of the ten tribes; who by long want of meat had now lost all their appetite to God’s ordinances, and from a neglect were now fallen into a contempt and derision of them; for which they paid dear. For about six years after their refusal of this offer of grace they were all carried captive, 2Ki 18:1,10.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. They laughed them to scorn — They had no mind for reunion, and years of alienation and false worship had prepared them to treat with derision Hezekiah’s proposition.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They - The generality of the ten tribes; who by long want of meat had now lost their appetite to God's ordinances, for which they paid dear. For about six years after their refusal of this offer of grace they were all carried away captive, 2 Kings xviii, 1, 10.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

the regions of Ephraim and Manasseh

Ephraim and Manasseh were two of the tribes in the northern part of Israel. Here the phrase "Ephraim and Manasseh" refers to the people who belonged to all ten of the northern tribes of Israel. See how you translated it in 2 Chronicles 30:1. AT: "the regions of the northern tribes of Israel" (See: Synecdoche)

all the way to Zebulun

Zebulun was one of the tribes farthest in the north of Israel, but there were three other tribes that reached farther north.

The hand of God also came on Judah

Here "the hand of God" represents his guidance as if he were guiding them with his hand. AT: "God guided the people of Judah" (See: Metaphor)

to give them one heart

Having "one heart" represents being united and agreeing. AT: "causing them to agree" (See: Metaphor)

to carry out the command

Here "carry out the command" is an idiom meaning to do what was commanded. AT: "to obey the command" (See: Idiom)

the command of the king and leaders by the word of Yahweh

The phrase "by the word of Yahweh" shows that the king and leaders gave their command in obedience to the word of Yahweh. AT: "the command that the king and leaders gave them in obedience to the word of Yahweh" or "what the king and the leaders commanded because of what Yahweh had said"

translationWords

Zebulun

mock

Asher

humble

Jerusalem

heart

word of God

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.