2 Chronicles 30 9

2 Chronicles 30:9 kjv

For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

2 Chronicles 30:9 nkjv

For if you return to the LORD, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him."

2 Chronicles 30:9 niv

If you return to the LORD, then your fellow Israelites and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will return to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him."

2 Chronicles 30:9 esv

For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him."

2 Chronicles 30:9 nlt

"For if you return to the LORD, your relatives and your children will be treated mercifully by their captors, and they will be able to return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful. If you return to him, he will not continue to turn his face from you."

2 Chronicles 30 verses

2 Chronicles 30 9 Meaning

This verse contains a fervent plea and a foundational promise from King Hezekiah's messengers to the scattered and subjugated remnants of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. It declares that if the people sincerely turn back to the Lord in repentance, their exiled kin and children will receive mercy from their captors and be allowed to return to their homeland. This promise is anchored in the unchanging character of God Himself, who is presented as inherently gracious and merciful, guaranteeing that He will not reject those who humble themselves and genuinely return to Him.

2 Chronicles 30 9 Context

King Hezekiah of Judah began his reign with significant religious reforms aimed at cleansing the temple and restoring true worship (2 Chr 29). During this time, the Northern Kingdom of Israel had already fallen to Assyria, and many of its inhabitants were exiled and scattered (2 Kings 17). Despite the division and enmity between Judah and Israel, Hezekiah extended an extraordinary invitation to all of Israel to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover, an act of spiritual unity deeply rooted in the Law. This verse, 2 Chronicles 30:9, is a central part of the royal decree sent by the runners. It serves as an earnest appeal, grounded in theological truth, explaining why the scattered Israelites should overcome political animosity and respond to Hezekiah's call, emphasizing the divine mercy available through repentance.

2 Chronicles 30 9 Word analysis

• For if you return to the Lord (כִּ֣י בְשׁוּבְכֶ֞ם אֶל־יְהוָ֗ה - ki v'shuvkhem el Yahweh):
  • `כִּ֣י (ki)`: "For" or "because." It introduces the reason or basis for the following promise, tying the future outcomes to the condition of their response.
  • `בְשׁוּבְכֶ֞ם (b'shuvkhem)`: "In your returning" or "if you return." This is a key verb, `שׁוּב (shuv)`, a fundamental concept in the Hebrew Bible. It means 'to turn,' 'to return,' or 'to repent.' It signifies a complete reversal of direction – turning away from a wrong path and turning back towards God. It implies both a change of mind (metanoia) and corresponding actions of obedience. This is a deliberate, active response.
  • `אֶל־יְהוָ֗ה (el Yahweh)`: "To the Lord." Emphasizes that the turning or returning must be specifically directed toward God Himself, implying a restoration of the covenant relationship.
• your brethren and your children (אֲחֵיכֶ֤ם וּבְנֵיכֶם֙ - acheykhem u'veneykhem): Refers to the exiled Northern Israelites and their descendants. This highlights the intergenerational and familial impact of their repentance. The message appeals to their care for their family members still suffering under oppression.
• will find compassion before those who led them captive (לְרַחֲמִ֣ים לִפְנֵי֩ שׁוֹבֵיהֶ֨ם - l'rachamim lifney shoveyhem):
  • `לְרַחֲמִ֣ים (l'rachamim)`: "For compassion" or "to obtain mercy." Derived from `רַחַם (racham)`, a word conveying deep, visceral, often maternal, tender mercy or pity. It denotes an inner emotional response leading to a desire to relieve suffering. This signifies a profound softening of hostile hearts.
  • `שׁוֹבֵיהֶ֨ם (shoveyhem)`: "Their captors" or "those who took them captive." This refers to the Assyrians, known for their brutality. The promise suggests a supernatural intervention to change the hearts of the oppressors, a testament to God's sovereign power over nations and individuals.
• and return to this land (וְשָׁבוּ֙ לָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את - v'shavu la'aretz hazot):
  • `וְשָׁבוּ֙ (v'shavu)`: "And they will return." Again using the verb `שׁוּב (shuv)`, but this time it refers to a literal, physical return from exile to the land of Israel. It ties spiritual repentance directly to tangible, physical restoration and the fulfillment of God's covenant promises concerning the land.
  • `לָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את (la'aretz hazot)`: "To this land." Explicitly refers to the Promised Land, the ancestral inheritance given by God.
• for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful (כִּֽי־חַנּ֧וּן וְרַח֛וּם יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם - ki-hannun v'rachum Yahweh Eloheychem):
  • `כִּֽי (ki)`: "For" or "because." Reinforces that God's character is the ultimate guarantee and reason for the promises.
  • `חַנּ֧וּן (channun)`: "Gracious." Derived from `חָנַן (chanan)`, meaning 'to show favor,' 'to be gracious.' It speaks of God's undeserved kindness and favor, bestowed out of His own good nature, not human merit.
  • `וְרַח֛וּם (v'rachum)`: "And merciful." From `רַחַם (racham)`, linked to deep compassion, a consistent divine attribute in the Bible. This pair (`חַנּ֧וּן וְרַח֛וּם`) often appears together (e.g., Exod 34:6-7) describing the fundamental, unchangeable nature of God.
  • `יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם (Yahweh Eloheychem)`: "The Lord your God." This covenant name "Yahweh" (the self-existent, faithful God) combined with "your God" emphasizes His personal relationship and faithfulness to His people, providing a powerful assurance of His commitment.
• and will not turn His face from you (וְלֹא־יָסִ֥יר פָּנִ֛ים מִכֶּ֖ם - v'lo-yasir panim mikem): An idiom meaning God will not reject, abandon, or hide from them. It signifies His presence, attention, favor, and acceptance. Turning the face away implies displeasure or refusal to engage.
• if you return to Him (אִם־תָּשֻׁ֥בוּ אֵלָֽיו - im tashuvu elav): This concluding phrase repeats the initial condition, emphasizing that God's gracious response is contingent on genuine repentance and turning back to Him. It underscores human responsibility in receiving divine favor.

Word-Groups Analysis:

• "For if you return to the Lord... your brethren and your children will find compassion... and return to this land...": This connects spiritual action (repentance) directly to physical and societal benefits (mercy from captors, physical restoration to the land). It illustrates the comprehensive nature of God's restoration, addressing both the spiritual root (sin) and its outward consequences (exile and oppression).
• "For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.": This forms a crucial theological underpinning. God's inherent, unchangeable character (gracious and merciful) is the guarantee of His willingness to welcome repentant sinners. His consistent nature is the bedrock upon which all promises of forgiveness and restoration rest. The second mention of "if you return to Him" reiterates the reciprocity required in the covenant relationship.

2 Chronicles 30 9 Bonus section

• Hezekiah's visionary outreach across the historical Judah-Israel divide showcases a profound theological understanding of "all Israel" and anticipates a future spiritual and physical reunification of God's people. This points to themes fulfilled in the New Covenant through Christ, where all barriers (Jew/Gentile) are broken down, and the church becomes "Israel of God."
• The emphasis on `שׁוּב (shuv)`, "return," is paramount in Old Testament prophetic literature, frequently appearing as the key to avoiding judgment and receiving divine favor. This word encompasses both physical return from exile and spiritual turning from sin, illustrating a holistic concept of restoration in biblical thought.
• The fact that this promise came while the people were still under severe foreign oppression makes the call to repentance incredibly hopeful. It teaches that even in the direst circumstances, God's grace and mercy are accessible and can alter seemingly insurmountable realities, such as captors showing compassion.
• While the general response from the North was ridicule for the messengers, a notable remnant "humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem" (2 Chr 30:10-11). This highlights the principle that God's promises, though broadly offered, are concretely experienced by those who personally respond in faith and humility, illustrating the enduring call to individual decision within a collective context.

2 Chronicles 30 9 Commentary

2 Chronicles 30:9 presents a pivotal appeal within Hezekiah's historic call for national Passover celebration, especially poignant for the long-estranged and dispersed Northern tribes. The core message is a blend of conditional promise and divine character. It assures the people that if they authentically turn back to God – signifying a genuine repentance – then two profound blessings await. Firstly, God will sovereignly influence their cruel captors to show them mercy, which would pave the way for their return to the land. This is a remarkable promise, showing God's control even over pagan nations. Secondly, and more profoundly, God Himself, revealed as gracious and merciful, will not turn away from them. This declaration of God's unchanging nature underscores His eager willingness to accept His returning people, irrespective of their past failings. The verse stresses that divine intervention and restoration are deeply rooted in God's attributes but activated by humanity's contrite and returning heart. It is a powerful articulation of grace available through repentance, leading to a restored relationship and tangible blessings.