2 Chronicles 30:25

2Ch 30:25 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.

Ver. 25. And all the congregation … rejoiced.] This was right; for all God’s worships were to be celebrated with joy; {Deu 12:7} and joy is a condition of an acceptable service. {Deu 26:14} Sacrifices offered in mourning were an abomination, {Hos 9:4} yea, accursed of God. {Deu 28:47}

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.

30:25 In this joyful celebration, no one was regarded as a foreigner, and those who had been estranged were reunited.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 25. The strangers that come out of the land of Israel] That is, the proselytes of the covenant who had embraced Judaism, and had submitted to the rite of circumcision, for none others could be permitted to eat of the passover.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(25) And all the congregation.—Three classes of persons took part in the festival—(1) the Judseans, including the priests and Levites; (2) their Israelite guests; (3) the “strangers”—gêrîm—i.e., the proselytes, both those who came from the northern kingdom arid those who dwelt in Judah. The word gêrîm is not the same as gârîm (2Ch_15:9), with which Lange’s comment confuses it. (Comp. Lev_17:12.)

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

25. the strangers] i.e. men of alien descent dwelling in Israel with certain conceded, not inherited, rights, and with most of the obligations of the native Israelite. LXX. οἱ προσήλυτοι. Cp. 2Ch_2:17; 1Ch_22:2 for the unfavourable side of a “stranger’s” position.

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.

So there was great joy in Jerusalem,.... Not merely carnal, expressed in eating and drinking, and making merry with one another, but spiritual, on account of the restoration of temple service, and the feasts of the Lord:

for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there was not the like in Jerusalem; not the like joy, so spiritual, sincere, and hearty; nor such a number of persons rejoicing together on such an occasion; nor for so many days together, which were as many as at the dedication of the temple by Solomon.

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

The strangers - See the 2Ch 15:9 note.

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

Proselytes, who had embraced the Jewish law: the rest were not allowed to partake of the paschal victims, Ex. xii. 48.

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).

The strangers. Some consider this describes "proselytes from Israel, who were non-Israelites." But this seems a most gratuitous supposition. The Hebrew does, in fact, purport only "sojourners," and is frequently so translated, and our next clause corroborates this view. The interesting aspect of it is, that probably the persons described had emigrated from their own tribes, as they longed for Jerusalem, "their chief joy."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

All the assembly of Judah

Here "Judah" probably refers to the southern tribes of Israel.

all the people who came together from Israel

Here "Israel" probably refers to the northern tribes of Israel. The people are members of those tribes. They came to Jerusalem, which is in Judah. AT: "all the people who came together from Israel in the north" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

the foreigners who came from the land of Israel

Here "the land of Israel" probably refers to the land owned by the northern tribes of Israel. AT: "the foreigners who came from the land of Israel in the north" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

those who lived in Judah

Here "Judah" probably refers to the land owned by the southern tribes of Israel. AT: "the foreigners who lived in Judah" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

since the time of Solomon son of David, king of Israel

"since the time when Solomon son of David ruled as king of Israel" or "since the Passover Festival that the people held when Solomon son of David was king of Israel"

there had not been anything like it in Jerusalem

"there had not been any Passover Festival in Jerusalem like this Passover Festival"

Their voice was heard ... their prayer went up to heaven, the holy place where God lives

These two phrases mean the same thing and imply that God responded favorably to their prayer. AT: "God responded favorably to their prayer, which he heard in heaven, the holy place where he lives" or "God, who lives in the holy heaven, heard their prayer" (See: Parallelism)

Their voice was heard

This can be stated in active form. AT: "God heard their voice" or "God heard what they said to him" (See: Active or Passive)

their prayer went up to heaven

Their prayer going up to heaven represents God in heaven paying attention to them praying on earth. (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

alien

joy

Solomon

David

bless

pray

holy place

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