2 Chronicles 31:16

In addition, they distributed portions to the males registered by genealogy who were three years of age or older—to all who would enter the house of the LORD for their daily duties for service in the responsibilities of their divisions—

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The chronicler records King Hezekiah’s temple restoration, detailing how appointed officials allocated food portions to priests and Levites. The distribution extends beyond adult clergy to include young males assigned to future temple service.

The words — מִלְּבַד (mil.le.vad) literally means "besides" or "in addition to," marking an expansion of the portion list. הִתְיַחְשָׂם (hit.ya.chas.sam) translates to "those registered by genealogy," highlighting documented lineage as the criterion for inclusion.

The thread — The age requirement for service aligns with the Levite enrollment in 1 Chronicles 23:3 and the priestly food entitlements in Leviticus 21:22. The chronicler’s focus on daily provisions and feast observance mirrors the postexilic worship restoration in Ezra 3:4.

Why it lands — The passage establishes that temple provision formally included pre-adult males, creating a documented pipeline for future worship duties. It requires readers to accept lineage registration and age thresholds as administrative necessities for sustaining sacred service.

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

מִלְּבַ֞דmi./le./Vad<from>/ <to>/ besides הִתְיַחְשָׂ֣םhit.yach.Sa/mrecording genealogy/ they לִזְכָרִ֗יםli/z.kha.Rimto/ males מִבֶּ֨ןmi./Benfrom/ a son of שָׁל֤וֹשׁsha.Lo.oshthree שָׁנִים֙sha.Nimyears וּלְמַ֔עְלָהu./le./Ma'.la/hand/ <to>/ upwards/ <towards>לְכָל־le./kholto/ every הַבָּ֥אha./Ba'<the>/ [one who] went לְבֵית־le./veit-to/ [the] house of יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh לִדְבַר־li/d.var-for/ [the] matter of י֣וֹםYoma day בְּיוֹמ֑וֹbe./yo.M/oin/ day/ its לַעֲב֣וֹדָתָ֔םla./'a.Vo.da.Ta/mfor/ service/ their בְּמִשְׁמְרוֹתָ֖םbe./mish.me.ro.Ta/mby/ duties/ their כְּמַחְלְקוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ke./mach.le.ko.tei./Hemaccording to/ divisions/ their

King James Version

Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even unto every one that entereth into the house of the Lord, his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses;

Cross-references

Ezra 3:4 They also celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles in accordance with what is written, and they offered burnt offerings daily based on the number prescribed for each day.
Leviticus 21:22 He may eat the most holy food of his God as well as the holy food,
1 Chronicles 23:3 The Levites thirty years of age or older were counted, and the total number of men was 38,000.