2 Chronicles 35:14

And afterwards they made ready for themselves, and for the priests,.... The passover lambs, and such parts of the peace offerings that belonged to them: because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering burnt offerings; such as are before said to be removed or separated for that purpose: and the fat; of the peace offerings that was to be burnt: and this employed them until night; so that they could not prepare the passover for themselves: and therefore the Levites prepared, not only for themselves, but and also for the priests the sons of Aaron; who were otherwise engaged in the service of the day.

35:1-19 The destruction Josiah made of idolatry, was more largely related in the book of Kings. His solemnizing the passover is related here. The Lord's supper resembles the passover more than any other of the Jewish festivals; and the due observance of that ordinance, is a proof of growing piety and devotion. God alone can truly make our hearts holy, and prepare them for his holy services; but there are duties belonging to us, in doing which we obtain this blessing from the Lord.

(14) Afterward. —After serving the laity with their passover. They made ready.—The Passover (Luke 22:8-9; Luke 22:13). Because the priests . . . until night.—The reason why the Levites prepared the Passover and the after meals for them. In offering of burnt offerings and the fat.—In offering the burnt offering and the pieces of fat. The second phrase seems to define the first (and, i.e., namely). The parts of the sheep, goats, and oxen, which in case of peace offerings had to be burnt wholly on the altar were called hălābîm, “pieces of fat.”

And afterwards (אחר, postea, after the passover had been prepared for the laymen in the way described) the Levites prepared it for themselves and for the priests; for the latter, however, only because they were busied with the offering of the עלה and the חלבים till night. Most expositors understand by עלה the fat of the paschal lambs, which was burnt upon the altar, as in 2 Chronicles 35:12 ; and חלבים, the fat of oxen, which was likewise burnt upon the altar, "but was not, as it seems, designated by the expression העלה" (Berth.). This interpretation certainly at first sight seems likely; only one cannot see why only the fat of the oxen, and not that of the paschal lambs also, should be called חלבים, since in the law the parts of all thank-offerings (oxen, sheep, and goats) which were burnt upon the altar are called חלבים. We will therefore be more correct if we take והחלבים to be a more exact definition of העלה: the burnt-offering, viz., the fat which was offered as a burnt-offering; or we may take העלה here to denote the evening burnt-offering, and החלבים the fat of the paschal lambs.

But even if the first-mentioned interpretation were the only correct one, yet it could not thence be concluded that on the passover evening (the 14th Nisan) the fat not only of the 37,600 lambs and goats, but also of the 3800 oxen, were offered upon the altar; the words, that the priests were busied until night with the offering of the עלה and the חלבים, are rather used of the sacrificing generally during the whole of the seven days' festival. For the compressed character of the description appears in 2 Chronicles 35:15 , where it is remarked that neither the singers nor the porters needed to leave their posts, because their brethren the Levites prepared (the meal) for them. With the words, "according to the command of David," etc., cf. 1 Chronicles 25:1 and 1 Chronicles 25:6 .

Vfe I. Firft, I would exhort the Children to confider the Dignity that God hath put upon JefusChrift their Saviour ; for by how much God hath caird his Son to Offices and Places of Truft, by fo much be bath heap'd Dignities upon him. 'IHs faid of Mordecai^ 1 hat he was next to the Krhg Ahafuerus ; And what then ? Why then the Greatncfsof MorJffc/t; and his high Advance mud be written in the Bo( k of the Chronicles of the Kings of A^rV/^ and Perfia^ Eft\\. \o. \, X, V>^ be end bis Fame nughi not be b\xmdTvc:tfe^^'^'