2 Chronicles 13:10 kjv
But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business:
2 Chronicles 13:10 nkjv
But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the priests who minister to the LORD are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their duties.
2 Chronicles 13:10 niv
"As for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the LORD are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist them.
2 Chronicles 13:10 esv
But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him. We have priests ministering to the LORD who are sons of Aaron, and Levites for their service.
2 Chronicles 13:10 nlt
"But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not abandoned him. Only the descendants of Aaron serve the LORD as priests, and the Levites alone may help them in their work.
2 Chronicles 13 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 7:16 | "And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever..." | God's eternal covenant with David's house. |
| Ps 89:3-4 | "I have made a covenant with my chosen one... I will establish your offspring..." | God's faithfulness to the Davidic covenant. |
| Deut 12:5-7 | "You shall seek the place that the LORD your God will choose... and there you shall bring your burnt offerings..." | Centralized worship at God's chosen place. |
| Exod 28:1 | "Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him... to serve me as priests." | God appoints Aaron's line for the priesthood. |
| Num 3:10 | "And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood..." | Exclusivity of Aaronic priesthood confirmed. |
| Num 18:7 | "But you and your sons with you shall guard your priesthood... I give your priesthood as a gift." | Divine grant of priesthood to Aaron's descendants. |
| 1 Chr 23:27-32 | "For according to the last instructions of David, these are the sons of Levi... to minister." | Levites assigned specific roles for temple service. |
| 1 Kin 12:28-31 | "...made two calves of gold... He also made priests from all sorts of people, who were not of the Levites." | Jeroboam's illegitimate worship system. |
| 2 Chr 11:13-16 | "And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel presented themselves to him..." | Priests and Levites abandoned Israel for Judah. |
| Deut 6:4-5 | "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God..." | Call to singular allegiance to God. |
| Jos 24:14-15 | "Choose this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." | Decisive choice for Yahweh's worship. |
| Jer 31:33 | "And I will be their God, and they shall be my people." | Covenant declaration of relationship. |
| Hos 2:23 | "And I will say to Not My People, ‘You are My people’; and he shall say, ‘You are My God.’" | Restoration of covenant relationship. |
| Heb 8:10 | "For this is the covenant that I will make... I will be their God, and they shall be My people." | Echo of covenant in New Covenant context. |
| Jer 2:13 | "For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me..." | Condemnation for forsaking God. |
| Judg 2:12 | "And they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out..." | Pattern of abandoning God for other deities. |
| Jn 4:24 | "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." | Principle of true, heart-felt worship. |
| Mal 1:6-8 | "A son honors his father... 'If I am a father, where is My honor?'... bringing defiled food to My altar." | Rebuke of dishonorable worship practices. |
| Heb 7:11-17 | "If perfection were attainable through the Levitical priesthood... what further need would there be for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek...?" | Christ's superior priesthood compared to the Levitical. |
| Lev 1:9 | "...the priest shall burn all of it on the altar... an offering by fire... a pleasing aroma to the LORD." | Priest's role in mediation and sacrifice. |
| Rom 12:1 | "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice..." | Call to spiritual worship as believers. |
| 2 Tim 3:16 | "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching..." | Scripture as the basis for truth and doctrine. |
| 1 Cor 10:1-11 | Examples from Israel's history are warnings for believers. | Learning from Israel's successes and failures. |
| Isa 45:5-6 | "I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God..." | Affirmation of Yahweh's exclusive deity. |
2 Chronicles 13 verses
2 Chronicles 13 10 Meaning
2 Chronicles 13:10 is a pivotal declaration by King Abijah of Judah, contrasting his kingdom's adherence to God's covenant with the apostasy of the Northern Kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam. It asserts that Judah remains faithful to Yahweh, the true God, and maintains His legitimate priestly and Levitical order for worship. This verse encapsulates Judah's theological claim to legitimacy based on its continued observance of God's prescribed worship system, highlighting divine fidelity as the basis for their nation's distinct identity and anticipated divine favor.
2 Chronicles 13 10 Context
This verse is part of Abijah's defiant speech to Jeroboam and the armies of Israel before the Battle of Mount Zemaraim (2 Chron 13:4-12). Abijah, the king of Judah, articulates the theological distinctions between the two kingdoms. His address centers on Judah's adherence to God's covenant with David, their exclusive worship of Yahweh, and their maintenance of the divinely ordained Aaronic priesthood and Levitical service. This contrasts sharply with Jeroboam's establishment of unauthorized golden calves at Bethel and Dan, his appointment of non-Levitical priests, and his invention of new festivals, all described in 1 Kings 12 and 2 Chronicles 11. Abijah's speech frames the upcoming battle not merely as a political conflict but as a clash between fidelity to God and idolatrous rebellion, establishing the theological premise for Judah's subsequent miraculous victory.
2 Chronicles 13 10 Word analysis
- But as for us (wa'ănachnû וַאֲנַחְנוּ): An emphatic conjunction and pronoun. It creates a stark, dramatic contrast, isolating Judah from Israel's behavior. It highlights Judah's conscious choice and identity in opposition to the North.
- the LORD is our God (YHWH 'elōhênû יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ):
- the LORD (YHWH): God's covenant name, signifying His personal, revealed character and faithfulness.
- is our God ('elōhênû): A declaration of exclusive allegiance and covenant relationship. It asserts their belonging to Yahweh and His ownership over them, implying fidelity to Him alone. This phrase underlines the distinct identity and divine relationship of Judah.
- and we have not forsaken him (wəlō' 'ăzavānū וְלֹא עֲזַבְנֻהוּ):
- not forsaken (lō' 'ăzavānū): Strong negative, indicating continuous and deliberate non-abandonment. This refers to loyalty to the covenant and true worship, distinguishing Judah from Israel's spiritual apostasy. It implies active maintenance of their covenant responsibilities.
- We have priests ministering to the LORD who are sons of Aaron (wəlānû kōhănîm meshārĕtîm layhwh bənê 'ahărōn וְלָנוּ כֹהֲנִים מְשָׁרְתִים לַיהוָה בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן):
- priests ministering (kōhănîm meshārĕtîm): Emphasizes the legitimacy and functionality of the priesthood. These are not merely titles, but active servants in the cultus.
- sons of Aaron (bənê 'ahărōn): This specifies the exclusive, divinely ordained lineage for priesthood, established in Mosaic law. It is a direct refutation of Jeroboam's "priests from all sorts of people" (1 Kin 12:31).
- and Levites for their service (wəhalləviyyim bamməlā’ḵet וְהַלְוִיִּם בַּמְּלָאכָה):
- Levites (Leviyyim): The tribe designated by God to assist the Aaronic priests in temple duties.
- for their service (bamməlā’ḵet): Refers to the specific "work" or "duties" prescribed for the Levites in the temple cultus (e.g., caring for the Tabernacle, music, guarding). This highlights the orderly and complete adherence to God's regulations for worship.
2 Chronicles 13 10 Bonus section
The Chronicler places significant emphasis on proper worship and the legitimacy of the priesthood and temple service. This reflects a post-exilic concern with maintaining religious purity and institutional integrity, providing a historical narrative that reinforces these values. Abijah's speech here serves as a theological manifesto, explaining Judah's prosperity and survival through the lens of divine faithfulness and proper adherence to God's ordinances for worship, even in military conflict. It showcases the Chronicler's polemical interest in condemning Jeroboam's innovations while elevating the faithful Davidic line and the true worship centered in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 13 10 Commentary
This verse forms the bedrock of Abijah's argument, articulating Judah's unique position of faithfulness and legitimacy before God. It's a declarative statement of covenant loyalty: Judah unequivocally identifies Yahweh as "our God," explicitly rejecting any notion of having abandoned Him—a stark contrast to Israel's idolatrous deviations. The verse meticulously points out their continued adherence to God's established order for worship by emphasizing the presence and active ministry of "sons of Aaron" as legitimate priests, unlike Jeroboam's unauthorized priesthood. Furthermore, the inclusion of "Levites for their service" underscores the full compliance with the detailed Mosaic laws concerning the temple cult and its personnel. This comprehensive maintenance of proper religious practices, including the authorized priesthood and temple ministry, signifies Judah's covenant integrity. It suggests that their loyalty to God's revealed will would serve as the basis for divine intervention and success against their northern kinsmen, who had apostatized from the true faith.