What is the meaning of 2 Chronicles 31:6? And the Israelites and Judahites who lived in the cities of Judah – God highlights that the response to King Hezekiah’s reforms (2 Chron 29–30) reached beyond Jerusalem into every local community. – Unity between the northern Israelites and southern Judahites resurfaces, echoing the earlier gathering for Passover (2 Chron 30:25). – The verse affirms that revival is not confined to leaders or priests; ordinary families in “the cities of Judah” joined in, much as Nehemiah later records widespread participation in rebuilding (Nehemiah 4:6). also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks • This obeys the longstanding command that “every tenth animal… shall be holy to the LORD” (Leviticus 27:32). • They give from living assets, not leftovers, reflecting faith that God will continue to provide (Deuteronomy 14:22–23; Proverbs 3:9–10). • Livestock represented livelihood, transportation, and wealth; their willing surrender shows a heart reoriented from self-reliance to dependence on God, paralleling Abel’s firstborn offering (Genesis 4:4). and a tithe of the holy things consecrated to the LORD their God – Beyond animals, families tithe items previously dedicated—grain, oil, wine, or other offerings designated as “holy things” (Numbers 18:8–19). – They refuse to treat sacred gifts as personal property, honoring the principle that “it is the LORD’s” (Leviticus 27:30). – This double tithe (from herds and from holy things) demonstrates that every category of blessing, spiritual or material, belongs to God, anticipating Paul’s charge that believers present their “bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). and they laid them in large heaps • The sheer volume created “heaps” (2 Chron 31:7-10), visible testimony of God’s faithfulness: “Test Me… and see if I will not open the windows of heaven” (Malachi 3:10). • Physical abundance mirrors inner renewal; generous giving signals revival as clearly as overflowing barns did for Joseph in Egypt (Genesis 41:48-49). • The priests and Levites later bless the people for this overflow (2 Chron 31:10), illustrating Jesus’ promise that “with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38). summary 2 Chronicles 31:6 records everyday believers—Israelites and Judahites alike—responding to God’s Word by tithing livestock and previously consecrated gifts. Their obedience extends revival from the temple into every town, yields visible heaps of provision, and showcases the principle that when God’s people honor Him first, He supplies more than enough for His work and for their joy. |
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