2 Chronicles 34:13

Also they were over the bearers of burdens,.... Who carried the timber and stones to the workmen, to look after them, that they were not dilatory, and that the workmen might not stand still for want of materials being brought to them to work with: and were overseers over all that wrought in any manner of service; whether in the way of masonry, or in that of carpenters, or of such that served them, or in whatsoever way: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters; some to take the account of the money carried in and paid, who were the scribes, according to Jarchi; and others who looked after the men, and kept them to work, who were the officers; and others that let them in and out, called porters.

34:1-33 Josiah's good reign in Judah. - As the years of infancy cannot be useful to our fellow-creatures, our earliest youth should be dedicated to God, that we may not waste any of the remaining short space of life. Happy and wise are those who seek the Lord and prepare for usefulness at an early age, when others are pursuing sinful pleasures, contracting bad habits, and forming ruinous connexions. Who can express the anguish prevented by early piety, and its blessed effects? Diligent self-examination and watchfulness will convince us of the deceitfulness and wickedness of our own hearts, and the sinfulness of our lives. We are here encouraged to humble ourselves before God, and to seek unto him, as Josiah did. And believers are here taught, not to fear death, but to welcome it, when it takes them away from the evil to come. Nothing hastens the ruin of a people, nor ripens them for it, more than their disregard of the attempts made for their reformation. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. The current and tide of affections only turns at the command of Him who raises up those that are dead in trespasses and sins. We behold peculiar loveliness, in the grace the Lord bestows on those, who in tender years seek to know and to love the Saviour. Hath Jesus, the Day-spring from on high, visited you? Can you trace your knowledge of this light and life of man, like Josiah, from your youth? Oh the unspeakable happiness of becoming acquainted with Jesus from our earliest years!

12 . the overseers ] There is no parallel in 2 Kin. for the rest of this verse and for 2 Chronicles 34:13 . to set it forward ] The same Heb. word is used in 1 Chronicles 23:4 . could skill ] “Skill” is used as a verb also in 2 Chronicles 2:7-8 . skill of instruments = “play skilfully upon instruments.”

Verse 13. - Scribes . Considering the mention of "scribes" in the plural in 1 Kings 4:3 , although it stands alone, till, at all events, the time of Hezekiah (as testified by Proverbs 25:1 ), it is at any rate not improbable that an order of scribes was instituted by Solomon; that it fell into desuetude immediately under the divided kingdom, and, coming into vogue again under Hezekiah, is now mentioned in the natural way we here find it. The mention of the "scribe" in the singular number is of frequent occurrence in the historic books, and in Isaiah ( Isaiah 33:18 ; Isaiah 36:22 ). The officers. This word reproduces, in the Hebrew, the familiar shoterim of Exodus 5:10 (see also 1 Chronicles 23:3-6 ). 2 Chronicles 34:13

Of the Levites there were scribes - Hereto the word "scribe" has never been used to designate a class (compare 1 Kings 4:3 ). But here an order of scribes, forming a distinct division of the Levitical body, has been instituted. The class itself probably originated in the reign of Hezekiah (compare Proverbs 25:1 ); and it is probably to the rise of this class that we are indebted for the preservation of so many prophecies belonging to Hezekiah's time, while the works of almost all previous prophets - Ahijah, Iddo, Shemaiah, Jehu, the son of Hanani, and probably many others - have perished.

Compare 2 Chronicles 30:18 . Hence, five of the ten tribes certainly sent representatives. Two - Reuben and Gad - were in captivity. One - Dan - was absorbed into Judah. Simeon and Naphtali, which alone remained, seem to have been more than ordinarily idolatrous 2 Chronicles 34:6 .

(13) Also. — And. They.—The Levitical musicians- Were over the bearers of burdens.—They probably cheered their labours with song and music; as was the practice in ancient Egypt. And were overseers.—Leaders, conductors; see Note on 2Chronicles 34:12. Notice the honourable position here assigned to the musical guilds of Levites. And of the Levites . . . porters.—In connection, that is, with the work of restoration. But comp. 1Chronicles 23:4-5. The writer may only intend to say that there were Levitical guilds of “scribes, officers, and porters,” as well as of musicians. Scribes.—1Chronicles 2:55.

2 Chronicles 34:13 is probably to be taken, along with 2 Chronicles 34:12 , in the signification, "All the Levites who were skilled in music were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all the workmen in reference to every work." The ו before הס על appears certainly to go against this interpretation, and Berth. would consequently erase it to connect הסּבּלים על with the preceding verse, and begin a new sentence with וּמנצּחים: "and they led all the workmen." But if we separate וּמנצּחים from הסּבּלים על, this mention of the bearers of burdens (סבלים) comes awkwardly in between the subject and the predicate, or the statement as to the subject. We hold the text to be correct, and make the w before הס על correspond to the ו before מנצחים, in the signification, et - et. The Levites, all who were skilled in instruments of song, were both over the bearers of burdens, and overseeing the workmen, or leading the workmen. Besides, of the Levites were, i.e., still other Levites were, scribes and officers and porters, i.e., were busied about the temple in the discharge of these functions.