2 Chronicles 11 14

2 Chronicles 11:14 kjv

For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD:

2 Chronicles 11:14 nkjv

For the Levites left their common-lands and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to the LORD.

2 Chronicles 11:14 niv

The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD

2 Chronicles 11:14 esv

For the Levites left their common lands and their holdings and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons cast them out from serving as priests of the LORD,

2 Chronicles 11:14 nlt

The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons would not allow them to serve the LORD as priests.

2 Chronicles 11 verses

2 Chronicles 11 14 Meaning

2 Chronicles 11:14 means that the Levites, who were divinely appointed for service to the Lord, left their means of sustenance and personal possessions in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. They did this because Jeroboam and his sons had forcibly removed or disqualified them from their sacred duty of serving as priests and attendants to the Lord, thereby rejecting the Lord's prescribed worship. As a result, these loyal Levites relocated to the Southern Kingdom of Judah and to Jerusalem, where legitimate worship according to the Mosaic covenant was maintained.

2 Chronicles 11 14 Context

This verse occurs after the division of the unified Israelite kingdom following Solomon's reign. Rehoboam, Solomon's son, ruled over the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin, while Jeroboam I was proclaimed king over the ten northern tribes. To secure his new kingdom and prevent his subjects from making pilgrimages to Jerusalem (the capital of Judah and the site of the legitimate Temple), Jeroboam established rival worship centers in Dan and Bethel. Crucially, he appointed non-Levitical individuals as priests, replacing the divinely ordained priesthood and attendants to the Lord. This action was a direct challenge to the Mosaic Law and the legitimate worship centered at the Temple in Jerusalem. Therefore, the Levites, who were faithful to the Lord's commandments and their appointed service, were compelled to leave their possessions and migrate from Jeroboam's apostate kingdom to Judah, which still adhered to the Jerusalem Temple and its worship. Their migration was a significant gain for Rehoboam, providing his kingdom with dedicated religious leaders and strengthening his position as the ruler associated with true worship.

2 Chronicles 11 14 Word analysis

• For the Levites (לְוִיִּם - Leviyyim): Refers to the descendants of Levi, one of Jacob's sons. They were consecrated by God to serve in the tabernacle, and later the Temple, assisting the priests (descendants of Aaron) and performing various religious duties. Unlike other tribes, they did not receive a tribal land inheritance but were provided for through tithes and offerings (Num 18). Their commitment here signifies adherence to the Mosaic covenant.
• left (נָטְשׁוּ - natshu): Implies an active, voluntary departure in this immediate clause, but the following explanation clarifies it was an act enforced by Jeroboam ("had cast them off"). They chose fidelity to God's command over material comfort.
• their pasture lands (מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶם - migrasheihem): Specific areas designated around the Levitical cities for their livestock (Lev 25:34; Josh 21). These lands were essential for their livelihood, underscoring the substantial material sacrifice they made.
• and their property (וַאֲחֻזָּתָם - va'achuzatam): Encompasses their ancestral possessions, lands within the cities, houses, or anything they owned. Leaving these further emphasizes their spiritual commitment overriding their material security.
• and came to Judah and Jerusalem: Signifies their deliberate movement towards the political and religious center of legitimate Yahwistic worship. Jerusalem was the city where the Temple stood and the Davidic monarchy continued. This strengthened Judah both demographically and spiritually.
• for Jeroboam and his sons: Clearly identifies the antagonist and the instigator of this religious deviation. "His sons" indicates the establishment of a dynastic policy of religious innovation.
• had cast them off (הִזְנִיחָם - hizniam): This is a key phrase. The Hebrew word implies that Jeroboam "abandoned," "neglected," or "disqualified" them. It was a definitive act of dismissal or rejection, making it impossible for the Levites to fulfill their sacred duties. This clarifies that their leaving was not entirely their initiative but a forced separation by Jeroboam.
• from serving as priests to the Lord (מִכַּהֵן לַיהוָה - mikkahēn la'YHWH): This highlights the core issue. Jeroboam dismissed them from their divine vocation—performing religious functions, often referred to generally as priestly service. While the Aaronic line served as actual priests, Levites had extensive duties within the temple cult and the phrase "serving as priests to the Lord" (referring to the sacred offices and functions connected to God's worship) can encompass the Levites' comprehensive involvement in the cult, from singing to guarding and assisting the priests, which Jeroboam usurped. This act was an overt affront to God's covenant with Levi (Mal 2:4-7).

• "Levites left their pasture lands and their property": This phrase illustrates the profound material sacrifice made by the Levites. Their departure was costly, as they abandoned their designated means of support and generational possessions for the sake of religious fidelity, demonstrating deep loyalty to the Lord and His appointed worship.
• "came to Judah and Jerusalem": This indicates a conscious choice to align with the legitimate center of divine worship, the Temple in Jerusalem, which Jeroboam's actions rendered inaccessible for true worship within his kingdom. Their migration brought spiritual strength and dedicated personnel to Rehoboam's realm.
• "for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from serving as priests to the Lord": This segment explicitly details the reason for the Levites' displacement. It underscores Jeroboam's deliberate and defiant act against God's established order. His expulsion of the Levites from their sacred duties reveals his rejection of divine authority in favor of political expediency, setting the stage for the religious apostasy that would characterize the Northern Kingdom. The use of "cast them off" emphasizes Jeroboam's active role in this dismissal.

2 Chronicles 11 14 Bonus section

• The Chronicler repeatedly highlights the faithfulness of those who abandon material security for allegiance to God's commands. This narrative detail serves to bolster the legitimacy of Rehoboam's reign (despite his own failings) as the true custodian of God's covenant, in stark contrast to Jeroboam's immediate apostasy.
• The migration of the Levites and later, other faithful individuals from Israel (2 Chr 15:9), significantly enriched the Southern Kingdom, providing a spiritual and demographic boost to Rehoboam that transcended mere political allegiance. This underscores a key Chronicler theme: divine blessing often accompanies obedience, even in fragmented kingdoms.
• This event foreshadows later instances where adherence to the true God or Jerusalem becomes a marker of faithfulness (e.g., in Ezra-Nehemiah, the returning exiles' focus on Jerusalem).
• The act of casting off the Levites from their God-appointed service symbolizes Jeroboam's foundational spiritual rebellion, which then set the pattern for generations of idolatry in the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

2 Chronicles 11 14 Commentary

This verse serves as a concise yet powerful explanation for the movement of a significant religious body—the Levites—from Jeroboam's northern kingdom to Rehoboam's Judah. Jeroboam's decision to appoint unauthorized priests and establish new centers of worship, primarily to consolidate his political power by preventing his people from returning to Jerusalem's Temple, directly contravened the divine mandates given to Israel. In response, the faithful Levites, whose livelihoods were intricately tied to the legitimate temple system through tithes and designated lands, abandoned their material security to uphold their covenantal duty. Their exodus demonstrates a profound spiritual discernment, choosing loyalty to the Lord and His revealed will over personal comfort and sustenance. This act not only reflects Jeroboam's grave sin in corrupting Israel's worship but also highlights the Chronicler's emphasis on Judah as the inheritor of true Yahwism, spiritually strengthened by the adherence of those who remained committed to God's Law and the Davidic line.