2 Chronicles 30:17

Since there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves, the Levites were in charge of slaughtering the Passover lambs for every unclean person to consecrate the lambs to the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator records the operational adjustment during Hezekiah’s Passover when the Levites assume slaughter duty because many attendees had not ritually purified themselves. This occurs mid-celebration, following the priests’ blood-splattering and preceding Hezekiah’s intercession for those who ate unclean.

The words — The text highlights הִתְקַדָּשׁוּ (hitkaddashu), meaning "they had consecrated themselves," and עַל (al), indicating the Levites were placed "over" or responsible for the task.

The thread — This Levite intervention mirrors the shortage workaround in 2 Chronicles 29:34 and echoes the original Passover command in Exodus 12:6 where the assembly slaughters the lambs.

Why it lands — The passage requires readers to acknowledge that ritual preparation matters, yet it also establishes that religious leaders may bear the burden of facilitating worship when the people fall short.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

כִּי־ki-for רַבַּ֥תra.Batmany בַּקָּהָ֖לba./ka.Halamong the/ assembly אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwho לֹא־lo'-not הִתְקַדָּ֑שׁוּhit.ka.Da.shuthey had consecrated themselves וְהַלְוִיִּ֞םve./ha/l.vi.Yimand/ the/ Levites עַל־'al-[were] over שְׁחִיטַ֣תshe.chi.Tat[the] slaughter of הַפְּסָחִ֗יםha./pe.sa.Chimthe/ passovers לְכֹל֙le./Kholfor/ every לֹ֣אlo'not טָה֔וֹרta.Horclean לְהַקְדִּ֖ישׁle./hak.Dishto/ consecrate [them]לַיהוָֽה׃la./Yah.wehto/ Yahweh

King James Version

For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the Lord.

Cross-references

2 Chronicles 29:34 However, since there were not enough priests to skin all the burnt offerings, their Levite brothers helped them until the work was finished and until the priests had consecrated themselves. For the Levites had been more diligent in consecrating themselves than the priests had been.
2 Chronicles 35:3 To the Levites who taught all Israel and were holy to the LORD, Josiah said: “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. It is not to be carried around on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel.
Exodus 12:6 You must keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight.