Have you notהֲלֹאdriven outהִדַּחְתֶּםthe priestsכֹּהֲנֵיof YHWH,יְהוָהthe sonsבְּנֵיof Aaron,אַהֲרֹןand the Levites,וְהַלְוִיִּםand madeוַתַּעֲשׂוּfor yourselvesלָכֶםpriestsכֹּהֲנִיםlike the peoplesכְּעַמֵּיof the lands?הָאֲרָצוֹתWhoeverכָּל הַcomesבָּאto be ordainedלְמַלֵּא יָדוֹwith a young bullבְּפַר בֶּן בָּקָרand sevenוְ שִׁבְעָהramsאֵילִםbecomesוְהָיָהa priestכֹהֵןof what is notלְלֹאElohim.אֱלֹהִים
2 Chronicles 13:9
Study it in the app“Have you not driven out the priests of YHWH, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of the lands? Whoever comes to be ordained with a young bull and seven rams becomes a priest of what is not Elohim.”
With the Hebrew beneath
2 Chronicles 13:9, word by word
- driven outהִדַּחְתֶּםhidachtem
banish
To push a people far from their land.
Where else “hidachtem” appears- the priestsכֹּהֲנֵיkohane
priest
One who serves in the sanctuary and offers for the people.
Where else “kohane” appears- of YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- the sonsבְּנֵיbene
descendant
A descendant or member of a people: "sons of Israel".
Where else “bene” appears- of Aaronאַהֲרֹןaharon
Aaron
Aaron, the older brother of Moses, his spokesman before Pharaoh and the first high priest of Israel.
Where else “aharon” appears- and the Levitesלְוִיִּםleviyim
Levite
Levite: of the tribe of Levi.
Where else “leviyim” appears- and madeתַּעֲשׂוּtaasu
make
To build or create something.
Where else “taasu” appears- like the peoplesעַמֵּיame
people
A group of people united by family, land and customs: a nation.
Where else “ame” appears- of the landsאֲרָצוֹתaratsot
land
A region or nation, above all Israel's.
Where else “aratsot” appears- comesבָּאba
come
To come, arrive: "days are coming".
Where else “ba” appears- to be ordainedמַלֵּאmale
ordain
Literally "fill the hand": to install someone as priest.
Where else “male” appears- to be ordainedיָדyad
hand
The part of the body with which one takes, gives and works; also what one does.
Where else “yad” appears- with a young bullפַרfar
bull
Young bull, bullock.
Where else “far” appears- with a young bullבָּקָרbakar
cattle, herd
Cattle: cows, oxen, bulls; a herd.
Where else “bakar” appears- and sevenשִׁבְעָהshiva
seven
Seven, the number of fullness; also "seven times".
Where else “shiva” appears- ramsאֵילִםelim
ram
A full-grown male sheep, used as an offering.
Where else “elim” appears- becomesהָיָהhaya
become
To turn into something new, or fall upon someone.
Where else “haya” appears- Elohimאֱלֹהִיםelohim
Elohim
The one true God, the Creator; the word is plural but means one.
Where else “elohim” appears
Translation note
“To be ordained”: literally “to fill his hand,” the Hebrew expression for appointing a priest.
Parallel passages
Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.
The reign of Abijah
An account told more fully or more briefly in one of the books.
See them side by side
2 Chronicles 13:1-22
1In year eighteen of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah. 2Three years he reigned in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3Abijah joined battle with a force of mighty men of war, four hundred thousand chosen men; and Jeroboam drew up battle against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, mighty men of valor. 4Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel! 5Is it not for you to know that YHWH Elohim of Israel gave the kingship over Israel to David forever, to him and to his sons, by a covenant of salt? 6But Jeroboam son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord. 7Empty men, worthless fellows, gathered around him and made themselves strong against Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender of heart, and he did not hold firm before them. 8And now you propose to hold firm before the kingdom of YHWH in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and with you are the calves of gold that Jeroboam made for you as gods. 9Have you not driven out the priests of YHWH, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of the lands? Whoever comes to be ordained with a young bull and seven rams becomes a priest of what is not Elohim. 10But as for us, YHWH is our Elohim, and we have not abandoned him; the priests ministering to YHWH are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites are at the work. 11They offer up in smoke to YHWH burnt offerings every morning and every evening, and fragrant incense; they set the row of bread on the pure table, and the lampstand of gold with its lamps to burn every evening; for we keep the charge of YHWH our Elohim, but you have abandoned him. 12And look, with us at the head is Elohim, and his priests with the trumpets of acclamation, to sound an acclamation against you. Sons of Israel, do not fight against YHWH, Elohim of your fathers, for you will not succeed.” 13But Jeroboam had sent around the ambush to come from behind them; so they were in front of Judah, and the ambush behind them. 14Judah turned, and look, they had the battle in front and behind; and they cried out to YHWH, and the priests were blowing the trumpets. 15The men of Judah raised the acclamation; and it happened, when the men of Judah raised the acclamation, that Elohim struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16The sons of Israel fled before Judah, and Elohim gave them into their hand. 17Abijah and his people struck them with a great blow, and there fell slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. 18The sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah grew firm, because they relied on YHWH, Elohim of their fathers. 19Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured cities from him: Bethel and its villages, and Jeshanah and its villages, and Ephrain and its villages. 20Jeroboam did not retain strength again in the days of Abijah; and YHWH struck him, and he died. 21But Abijah grew strong; he took for himself fourteen wives, and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22The rest of the deeds of Abijah, and his ways and his words, are written in the treatise of the prophet Iddo.
1In year eighteen of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah. 2Three years he reigned in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. 3He walked in all the sins of his father that he had done before him; and his heart was not whole with YHWH his Elohim, like the heart of David his father. 4But for the sake of David YHWH his Elohim gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, raising up his son after him and establishing Jerusalem; 5because David had done what was right in the eyes of YHWH, and had not turned aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 6And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 7The rest of the deeds of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 8Abijam lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son reigned in his place.
The context
8And now you propose to hold firm before the kingdom of YHWH in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and with you are the calves of gold that Jeroboam made for you as gods.
9 · This verse (above)
10But as for us, YHWH is our Elohim, and we have not abandoned him; the priests ministering to YHWH are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites are at the work.