2 Chronicles 30:3

2Ch 30:3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

Ver. 3. For they could not keep it at that time.] Namely, On the fourteenth day of the first month, for the two following reasons. See the like, Num 9:10-11.

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 30:3. For they could not keep it at that time — Which God had appointed for it, both because the temple was not then purified and prepared, and also for two other reasons, which he here adds. The priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently — To wit, in such a manner as was fit, nor in such numbers as were necessary for the slaying and offering of so many thousands of paschal-offerings, as appears, because they were not sufficient for those offerings, which were comparatively few, 2Ch 29:32-34. Neither had the people gathered themselves together, &c. — As they used, and ought to do, at that time, from all places: which now they could not do, because neither was the matter agreed upon, nor were the people summoned thither, till the proper time was past.

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

(3) At that time.—The time when the Temple had just been reopened (2Ch_29:8), in the first month of Hezekiah’s first year. The Purification of the Temple was not completed until the 16th of Nisan (2Ch_29:17); but perhaps the Passover would have been held, had not the hindrances here mentioned prevented it. (See 2Ch_29:34).

Sufficiently.—Lĕmaddày. Literally, unto what was enough (lĕ-mah-dày), an expression only met with here. (Comp. a similar formation, 1Ch_15:13.) The meaning is that a sufficient number of priests had not observed the legal ceremonies of self-purification in time to hold Passover in Nisan.

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

3. at that time] In the first month.

sufficiently] R.V. in sufficient number.

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.

For they could not keep it at the time,.... In the month Nisan, as the Targum adds, on the fourteenth day of the month, as the law enjoined, because the cleansing of the temple was not finished until the sixteenth day, see Ch2 29:17 and, besides this, two other reasons follow:

because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently; that is, a sufficient number of them were not sanctified, to slay all the passover lambs the people that came to the feast would want:

neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem; they had no notice of it, nor summons for it; and it was required that, at such a time, all the males in the land should appear at Jerusalem; but this custom having been long disused, it required time to acquaint them of the revival of it.

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

At that time - i. e. in the first month, at the time of the events mentioned in 2 Chr. 29.

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

They could not keep it at that time, which God had appointed for it, Exo 12:6; one reason whereof was evident in itself, because the temple was not then purified and prepared; to which he adds two other reasons.

The priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, to wit, in such manner and degree as was fit, nor in such numbers as were necessary for the flaying and offering of so many thousands of paschal offerings, as appears, because they were not sufficient for those offerings, which were comparatively few, 2Ch 29:32-34.

Neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem; as they used and ought to do at that time from all places; which now they could not do, because neither the thing was agreed upon, nor the people summoned thither, till the proper time was past.

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

At that time. The words seem like a reminiscence of the "at that day," twice occurring in ver. 6 of Numbers 9. But anyway the meaning is plain "at the appointed season. "

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

They kept - Not in the same manner as they had done the former, V. 3. Sufficiently - In such manner as was fit, nor in such numbers as but in the solemn worship of God, by sacrifices, and prayers, and praise, were necessary for the slaying and offering of so many thousands of and publick instruction of that great congregation in the good knowledge paschal-offerings, as appears, because they were not sufficient for of the Lord; which was most necessary for the people after so long and those offerings, which were comparatively few, chap. xxix, 32, 33, 34. dismal a night of ignorance, superstition and idolatry.

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

For they could not perform it at that time in the first month, in Nissan.

for the priests had not consecrated themselves sufficiently They had not consecrated themselves sufficiently for Israel to offer their Passover sacrifices, and it goes without saying that they could not perform it in Nissan, for they did not finish consecrating the Temple until the sixteenth of Nissan, but this is its meaning: For they could not perform it at that time; i.e., even if they had not delayed the purification of the Temple, which they did not complete until the sixteenth of Nissan, they would not have been able to perform it now [the offering of the Passover sacrifice] because not enough priests had consecrated themselves.

and the people had not gathered all of them [had not] yet [gathered] to Jerusalem.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.