Bible Strands
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Josiah addresses the Levites who teach Israel and are consecrated to Yahweh during a Passover restoration. He commands them to relocate the ark from its mobile position into Solomon’s temple and to resume their priestly duties.
The words — תְּנ֤וּ (te.Nu) translates literally as "put" or "set," directing the physical placement of the ark. הַ/מְּבִינִ֨ים (ha./me.vu.nim) identifies the addressees as "those teaching" or "those giving understanding" to all Israel.
The thread — This command mirrors 1 Chronicles 23:26, which states the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or its service articles. It also connects to Deuteronomy 33:10 and 2 Chronicles 17:8, which outline the Levites' designated role to teach Israel's ordinances and accompany royal leadership.
Why it lands — The text explicitly orders the ark's permanent placement in the temple and ends the Levites' obligation to transport it on shoulders. Readers must apply this directive by recognizing that centralized worship requires abandoning mobile rituals in favor of fixed, taught, and organized covenant 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
King James Version
And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, which were holy unto the Lord, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the Lord your God, and his people Israel,
Cross-references
- 1 Chronicles 23:26 So now the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles for its service.”
- Deuteronomy 33:10 He will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your law to Israel; he will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar.
- 2 Chronicles 17:8 accompanied by certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah—along with the priests Elishama and Jehoram.
- 2 Chronicles 30:22 And Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who performed skillfully before the LORD. For seven days they ate their assigned portion, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
- Malachi 2:7 For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.
- Numbers 16:9 Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel and brought you near to Himself to perform the work at the LORD’s tabernacle, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them?
- 2 Chronicles 5:7 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim.
- 2 Corinthians 4:5 For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
- Numbers 4:15 When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting.
- Numbers 8:19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to perform the service for the Israelites at the Tent of Meeting and to make atonement on their behalf, so that no plague will come against the Israelites when they approach the sanctuary.”