Bible Strands
2 Chronicles 35:8
His officials also contributed willingly to the people and priests and Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the chief officials of the house of God, gave the priests 2,600 Passover offerings and 300 bulls.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Chronicler records the restoration of the Passover under Josiah, noting that royal officials stepped forward immediately after the king’s personal contribution to supply the priests and Levites.
The words — נְדָבָה (nedabah) translates literally to “freewill offering,” and הֵרִימוּ (herimu) means “they contributed,” describing the officials’ voluntary material support for the worshipers.
The thread — This pattern of voluntary provision for worship continues in 2 Chronicles 29:31 and is mirrored in the Levites’ own offering in 2 Chronicles 35:9, while the priestly division structure recalls 1 Chronicles 24:4.
Why it lands — The text requires readers to recognize that sustained corporate worship depends on designated leaders providing necessary resources voluntarily, establishing a precedent of shared stewardship rather than centralized control.
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 his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen.
Cross-references
- 2 Chronicles 29:31 Then Hezekiah said, “Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the LORD.” So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all whose hearts were willing brought burnt offerings.
- 1 Chronicles 9:20 In earlier times Phinehas son of Eleazar had been in charge of the gatekeepers, and the LORD was with him.
- 1 Chronicles 24:4 Since more leaders were found among Eleazar’s descendants than those of Ithamar, they were divided accordingly. There were sixteen heads of families from the descendants of Eleazar and eight from the descendants of Ithamar.
- 1 Chronicles 29:6 Then the leaders of the families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work gave willingly.
- 1 Chronicles 29:17 I know, my God, that You test the heart and delight in uprightness. All these things I have given willingly and with an upright heart, and now I have seen Your people who are present here giving joyfully and willingly to You.
- 2 Chronicles 34:14 While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses.
- Ezra 1:6 And all their neighbors supported them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuables, in addition to all their freewill offerings.
- Ezra 2:68 When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings to rebuild the house of God on its original site.
- Ezra 7:16 together with all the silver and gold you may find in all the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem.
- Ezra 8:25 and I weighed out to them the contribution of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his counselors, his leaders, and all the Israelites there had offered for the house of our God.