2 Chronicles 5:6-10, 13-6:2
#701 Commons Context (The Common of the Anniversary of the Dedication of a Church)
King Solomon and the entire community of Israel
gathered about him before the ark
were sacrificing sheep and oxen so numerous
that they could not be counted or numbered.
The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD
to its place beneath the wings of the chernbim in the sanctuary,
the holy of holies of the temple.
The cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the ark,
sheltering the ark and its poles from above.
The poles were long enough so that their ends could be seen
from that part of the holy place nearest the sanctuary;
however, they could not be seen beyond.
The ark has remained there to this day.
There was nothing in it but the two tablets
which Moses put there on Horeb,
the tablets of the covenant which the LORD made
with the children of Israel at their departure from Egypt.
When the trumpeters and singers were heard as a single voice
praising and giving thanks to the LORD,
and when they raised the sound
of the trumpets, cymbals and other musical instruments
to "give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever,"
the building of the LORD'S temple was filled with a cloud.
The priests could not continue to minister because of the cloud,
since the LORD'S glory filled the house of God.
Then Solomon said:
"The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud.
I have truly built you a princely house and dwelling,
where you may abide forever."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Chr 5:6-10, 13-6:2
Solomon has completed the construction of his Temple. This passage describes the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to the Temple and a description of its setting within the temple. The contents of the Ark are described as only the tablets of the Decalogue brought by Moses from Mt. Horeb indicating the that these tenants of the Law of Moses were the lynch-pin or the heart of the Law and the principle articles of the Covenant of Moses.
The building itself, upon its completion with the installation of the Ark of the Covenant, was truly a house of God so indicated by the description of the smoke that filled it. This would indicate the physical presence of God; a place where his presence was most keenly felt.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Chronicles 24:17-25
#370 Weekday Year II Context (Saturday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time)
After the death of Jehoiada,
the princes of Judah came and paid homage to King Joash,
and the king then listened to them.
They forsook the temple of the Lord, the God of their fathers,
and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols;
and because of this crime of theirs,
wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem.
Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the Lord,
the people would not listen to their warnings.
Then the Spirit of God possessed Zechariah,
son of Jehoiada the priest.
He took his stand above the people and said to them:
“God says, ‘Why are you transgressing the Lord’s commands,
so that you cannot prosper?
Because you have abandoned the Lord, he has abandoned you.’”
But they conspired against him,
and at the king’s order they stoned him to death
in the court of the Lord’s temple.
Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown him
by Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, and slew his son.
And as Zechariah was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge.”
At the turn of the year a force of Arameans came up against Joash.
They invaded Judah and Jerusalem,
did away with all the princes of the people,
and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus.
Though the Aramean force came with few men,
the Lord surrendered a very large force into their power,
because Judah had abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers.
So punishment was meted out to Joash.
After the Arameans had departed from him,
leaving him in grievous suffering,
his servants conspired against him
because of the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest.
He was buried in the City of David,
but not in the tombs of the kings.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Chr 24:17-25
King Joash does not direct the people to worship God, but embraces idol worship, and disregards the prophets sent to him. Then Zechariah, emboldened by God’s spirit, rises and challenges King Joash and the people, telling them that unless they turn back to God, they will be punished. The king, even though he owed his own life to Zechariah’s father, Jehoiada (see 2 Kings 11:4-17), had Zechariah murdered. (This event is referenced by Jesus, speaking about the Jews ignoring and killing prophets in Luke 11:51, although there is some confusion over this because of Matthew 23:35, where Zechariah is identified as “son of Barachiah” the minor prophet. See Zechariah 1:1.)
The actions of the king and the people are seen to be avenged by God through the Arameans. The chronicler records that a small force later attacks Judah, and inexplicably defeats the much larger army of Judah. They then proceed to kill the king and his court, not according him the honor of his kingship.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Chronicles 24:18-22
#713 Commons Context (Common of Martyrs)
The princes of Judah forsook the temple of the LORD,
the God of their fathers,
and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols;
and because of this crime of theirs,
wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem.
Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the LORD,
the people would not listen to their warnings.
Then the spirit of God possessed Zechariah,
son of Jehoiada the priest.
He took his stand above the people and said to them:
"God says, 'Why are you transgressing the Lord's commands,
so that you cannot prosper?
Because you have abandoned the LORD, he has abandoned you."'
But the people conspired against him,
and at the king's order they stoned him to death
in the court of the LORD'S temple.
Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown him
by Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, and slew his son.
And as he was dying, he said, "May the LORD see and avenge."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 24:18-22
This passage from the 2 Chronicles is set in an era where Judah has been invaded by Syrians. Consecrated funds from the temple have been used to “buy off” the invaders but the people have fallen into idolatry. The Prophet Zechariah (almost certainly the Zechariah mentioned in Luke 11:51, Matthew 23:35 and by inference Isaiah 8:2) calls the people back to faithfulness but King Joash did not want to hear of the Lord’s possible vengeance against his kingdom and had Zechariah stoned, a martyr for the faith, he calls upon the Lord of justice to come to his aid.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23
#32B Solemnities B Context (4th Sunday of Lent B)
Likewise all the princes of Judah, the priests, and the people
added infidelity to infidelity,
practicing all the abominations of the nations
and polluting the LORD's temple
which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.
Early and often did the LORD, the God of their fathers,
send his messengers to them,
for he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place.
But they mocked the messengers of God,
despised his warnings, and scoffed at his prophets,
until the anger of the LORD against his people was so inflamed
that there was no remedy.
Their enemies burnt the house of God,
tore down the walls of Jerusalem,
set all its palaces afire,
and destroyed all its precious objects.
Those who escaped the sword were carried captive to Babylon,
where they became servants of the king of the Chaldeans and his sons
until the kingdom of the Persians came to power.
All this was to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah:
"Until the land has retrieved its lost sabbaths,
during all the time it lies waste it shall have rest
while seventy years are fulfilled."
In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia,
in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah,
the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia
to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom,
both by word of mouth and in writing:
"Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia:
All the kingdoms of the earth
the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me,
and he has also charged me to build him a house
in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
Whoever, therefore, among you belongs to any part of his people,
let him go up, and may his God be with him!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23
IIn this selection the Chronicler summarizes the last fifty-eight verses of Kings and adds additional comment. The verses describe how the Hebrews violated God’s law and were not contrite. They did not heed the warnings of Jeremiah the Prophet and as a consequence Jerusalem was sacked, the temple destroyed, and the people sent exiled from the land God had given them, to Babylon. This condensed account also describes how Jeremiah interceded on behalf of the people swaying the king of Persia (Babylon), Cyrus, ending the exile.
These events are mentioned elsewhere: “The words of these verses are identical with those of Ezra 1:1-3a. Originally Ezra-Nehemiah formed the last part of the single work of the Chronicler, of which 1 and 2 Chronicles formed the first part. But when Ezra-Nehemiah was regarded as a natural sequence to the Books of Samuel and of Kings, it was separated from 1 and 2 Chronicles and placed before them. Thus, 1 and 2 Chronicles became the last part of the Hebrew Bible. To prevent this work from ending on a note of doom, Ezra 1:1-3a was repeated as 2 Chronicles 36:22-23”[1]
CCC: 2 Chr 36:21 2172
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1]Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc.© 1968, 24:80 pp. 426
#701 Commons Context (The Common of the Anniversary of the Dedication of a Church)
King Solomon and the entire community of Israel
gathered about him before the ark
were sacrificing sheep and oxen so numerous
that they could not be counted or numbered.
The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD
to its place beneath the wings of the chernbim in the sanctuary,
the holy of holies of the temple.
The cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the ark,
sheltering the ark and its poles from above.
The poles were long enough so that their ends could be seen
from that part of the holy place nearest the sanctuary;
however, they could not be seen beyond.
The ark has remained there to this day.
There was nothing in it but the two tablets
which Moses put there on Horeb,
the tablets of the covenant which the LORD made
with the children of Israel at their departure from Egypt.
When the trumpeters and singers were heard as a single voice
praising and giving thanks to the LORD,
and when they raised the sound
of the trumpets, cymbals and other musical instruments
to "give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever,"
the building of the LORD'S temple was filled with a cloud.
The priests could not continue to minister because of the cloud,
since the LORD'S glory filled the house of God.
Then Solomon said:
"The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud.
I have truly built you a princely house and dwelling,
where you may abide forever."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Chr 5:6-10, 13-6:2
Solomon has completed the construction of his Temple. This passage describes the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to the Temple and a description of its setting within the temple. The contents of the Ark are described as only the tablets of the Decalogue brought by Moses from Mt. Horeb indicating the that these tenants of the Law of Moses were the lynch-pin or the heart of the Law and the principle articles of the Covenant of Moses.
The building itself, upon its completion with the installation of the Ark of the Covenant, was truly a house of God so indicated by the description of the smoke that filled it. This would indicate the physical presence of God; a place where his presence was most keenly felt.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Chronicles 24:17-25
#370 Weekday Year II Context (Saturday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time)
After the death of Jehoiada,
the princes of Judah came and paid homage to King Joash,
and the king then listened to them.
They forsook the temple of the Lord, the God of their fathers,
and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols;
and because of this crime of theirs,
wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem.
Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the Lord,
the people would not listen to their warnings.
Then the Spirit of God possessed Zechariah,
son of Jehoiada the priest.
He took his stand above the people and said to them:
“God says, ‘Why are you transgressing the Lord’s commands,
so that you cannot prosper?
Because you have abandoned the Lord, he has abandoned you.’”
But they conspired against him,
and at the king’s order they stoned him to death
in the court of the Lord’s temple.
Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown him
by Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, and slew his son.
And as Zechariah was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge.”
At the turn of the year a force of Arameans came up against Joash.
They invaded Judah and Jerusalem,
did away with all the princes of the people,
and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus.
Though the Aramean force came with few men,
the Lord surrendered a very large force into their power,
because Judah had abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers.
So punishment was meted out to Joash.
After the Arameans had departed from him,
leaving him in grievous suffering,
his servants conspired against him
because of the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest.
He was buried in the City of David,
but not in the tombs of the kings.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Chr 24:17-25
King Joash does not direct the people to worship God, but embraces idol worship, and disregards the prophets sent to him. Then Zechariah, emboldened by God’s spirit, rises and challenges King Joash and the people, telling them that unless they turn back to God, they will be punished. The king, even though he owed his own life to Zechariah’s father, Jehoiada (see 2 Kings 11:4-17), had Zechariah murdered. (This event is referenced by Jesus, speaking about the Jews ignoring and killing prophets in Luke 11:51, although there is some confusion over this because of Matthew 23:35, where Zechariah is identified as “son of Barachiah” the minor prophet. See Zechariah 1:1.)
The actions of the king and the people are seen to be avenged by God through the Arameans. The chronicler records that a small force later attacks Judah, and inexplicably defeats the much larger army of Judah. They then proceed to kill the king and his court, not according him the honor of his kingship.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Chronicles 24:18-22
#713 Commons Context (Common of Martyrs)
The princes of Judah forsook the temple of the LORD,
the God of their fathers,
and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols;
and because of this crime of theirs,
wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem.
Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the LORD,
the people would not listen to their warnings.
Then the spirit of God possessed Zechariah,
son of Jehoiada the priest.
He took his stand above the people and said to them:
"God says, 'Why are you transgressing the Lord's commands,
so that you cannot prosper?
Because you have abandoned the LORD, he has abandoned you."'
But the people conspired against him,
and at the king's order they stoned him to death
in the court of the LORD'S temple.
Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown him
by Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, and slew his son.
And as he was dying, he said, "May the LORD see and avenge."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 24:18-22
This passage from the 2 Chronicles is set in an era where Judah has been invaded by Syrians. Consecrated funds from the temple have been used to “buy off” the invaders but the people have fallen into idolatry. The Prophet Zechariah (almost certainly the Zechariah mentioned in Luke 11:51, Matthew 23:35 and by inference Isaiah 8:2) calls the people back to faithfulness but King Joash did not want to hear of the Lord’s possible vengeance against his kingdom and had Zechariah stoned, a martyr for the faith, he calls upon the Lord of justice to come to his aid.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23
#32B Solemnities B Context (4th Sunday of Lent B)
Likewise all the princes of Judah, the priests, and the people
added infidelity to infidelity,
practicing all the abominations of the nations
and polluting the LORD's temple
which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.
Early and often did the LORD, the God of their fathers,
send his messengers to them,
for he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place.
But they mocked the messengers of God,
despised his warnings, and scoffed at his prophets,
until the anger of the LORD against his people was so inflamed
that there was no remedy.
Their enemies burnt the house of God,
tore down the walls of Jerusalem,
set all its palaces afire,
and destroyed all its precious objects.
Those who escaped the sword were carried captive to Babylon,
where they became servants of the king of the Chaldeans and his sons
until the kingdom of the Persians came to power.
All this was to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah:
"Until the land has retrieved its lost sabbaths,
during all the time it lies waste it shall have rest
while seventy years are fulfilled."
In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia,
in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah,
the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia
to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom,
both by word of mouth and in writing:
"Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia:
All the kingdoms of the earth
the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me,
and he has also charged me to build him a house
in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
Whoever, therefore, among you belongs to any part of his people,
let him go up, and may his God be with him!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23
IIn this selection the Chronicler summarizes the last fifty-eight verses of Kings and adds additional comment. The verses describe how the Hebrews violated God’s law and were not contrite. They did not heed the warnings of Jeremiah the Prophet and as a consequence Jerusalem was sacked, the temple destroyed, and the people sent exiled from the land God had given them, to Babylon. This condensed account also describes how Jeremiah interceded on behalf of the people swaying the king of Persia (Babylon), Cyrus, ending the exile.
These events are mentioned elsewhere: “The words of these verses are identical with those of Ezra 1:1-3a. Originally Ezra-Nehemiah formed the last part of the single work of the Chronicler, of which 1 and 2 Chronicles formed the first part. But when Ezra-Nehemiah was regarded as a natural sequence to the Books of Samuel and of Kings, it was separated from 1 and 2 Chronicles and placed before them. Thus, 1 and 2 Chronicles became the last part of the Hebrew Bible. To prevent this work from ending on a note of doom, Ezra 1:1-3a was repeated as 2 Chronicles 36:22-23”[1]
CCC: 2 Chr 36:21 2172
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1]Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc.© 1968, 24:80 pp. 426
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