2 Chronicles 36 14

2 Chronicles 36:14 kjv

Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 36:14 nkjv

Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the LORD which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 36:14 niv

Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful, following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the LORD, which he had consecrated in Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 36:14 esv

All the officers of the priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations. And they polluted the house of the LORD that he had made holy in Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 36:14 nlt

Likewise, all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful. They followed all the pagan practices of the surrounding nations, desecrating the Temple of the LORD that had been consecrated in Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 36 verses

2 Chronicles 36 14 Meaning

2 Chronicles 36:14 encapsulates the profound and persistent rebellion of the Judean nation against God, immediately preceding their exile to Babylon. It reveals that both the highest religious leaders (priests) and the common people deeply and progressively engaged in acts considered abhorrent to God, emulating the idolatrous and immoral practices of the pagan nations around them. Their unfaithfulness led directly to the desecration of the sacred Temple in Jerusalem, which God Himself had consecrated for His dwelling, thus provoking divine judgment and the resultant destruction and captivity.

2 Chronicles 36 14 Context

This verse is the penultimate summary of Judah's spiritual decline at the very end of 2 Chronicles, leading directly to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian captivity. Chapter 36 vividly details the succession of kings from Josiah's sons—Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah—all of whom "did what was evil in the sight of the Lord." This final chapter provides a devastating account of their failure to heed God's prophets, leading to intense divine wrath. Verse 14 specifically highlights that the corruption was not limited to the kings; it permeated every level of society, particularly among the religious leadership (priests) and the entire populace. Historically, this period marked the last decades of the Kingdom of Judah (early 6th century BCE), a time characterized by increasing syncretism, idolatry, and moral decay, despite prophetic warnings from Jeremiah and others. The cumulative effect of this unfaithfulness provoked God's righteous judgment, signifying the breaking of the Mosaic covenant and the end of the Davidic dynasty's immediate rule in Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 36 14 Word analysis

• Furthermore (גַּם, gam): This conjunction emphasizes the cumulative and intensifying nature of the sin. It signifies "also" or "even," here highlighting an added dimension of wickedness, an escalating unfaithfulness.
• all (כָּל־, kol): Denotes universality and comprehensiveness, indicating that the transgression was pervasive, encompassing every level of society rather than just isolated instances.
• the leaders of the priests (שָׂרֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים, sarei ha-kohanim): Refers to the chief officials or heads among the priestly order. Their leadership in transgression is particularly egregious because they were entrusted with maintaining holiness, teaching God's law, and mediating between God and the people. Their failure underscored the total moral collapse.
• and the people (וְהָעָם, ve-ha'am): Implies the common citizens, showing that the sin was widespread, extending beyond the ruling elite or even the religious hierarchy to affect the entire nation. This universality underscores corporate guilt.
• transgressed (מָּעֲלוּ, ma'alu): From the root מָּעַל (ma'al), meaning to act unfaithfully, to commit trespass, especially against God or consecrated things; it signifies a breach of trust, a perfidious act. It implies a deeper treachery beyond simple disobedience, touching upon sacrilege and covenant breaking.
• more and more: This is conveyed by the intensifying use of gam before ma'alu and the overall context of escalating apostasy. It implies a continuous, progressive increase in the depth and frequency of their unfaithfulness and covenant violation. It’s not just singular acts but a compounding, worsening condition.
• according to all the abominations (כְּכֹל תּוֹעֲבוֹת, ke-kol to'evot): The phrase to'evot refers to practices that are morally repugnant and spiritually abhorrent to God, primarily idolatry, child sacrifice, divination, cultic prostitution, and other perverse sexual acts. The addition of "all" emphasizes the extent to which they adopted a full spectrum of such practices.
• of the nations (הַגּוֹיִם, ha-goyim): Refers to the pagan, non-Israelite peoples surrounding Judah, particularly Canaanites and Babylonians. God had strictly warned Israel against adopting their religious and moral customs (Deut 18). Emulating these practices constituted a direct rejection of God's covenant and holiness.
• and they defiled (וַיְטַמְּאוּ, vaytamme'u): From the root טָמֵא (tame), meaning to make unclean or impure, to desecrate. This indicates active, intentional spiritual contamination. The defilement was both ritual (e.g., bringing idols into the Temple, offering unholy sacrifices) and moral (due to the wickedness of the worshippers).
• the house of the Lord (אֶת־בֵּית־יְהוָה, et-beit YHVH): Refers to the Temple in Jerusalem, which was the physical symbol of God's presence among His people, the place where His name dwelt. Its defilement was the ultimate sacrilege and a direct affront to God Himself.
• which He had consecrated (אֲשֶׁר קִדַּשׁ, asher kiddash): From the root קָדַשׁ (kadash), meaning to make holy, set apart for sacred use. This highlights the severity of their sin; they defiled something God Himself had specifically chosen, purified, and dedicated for His holy purposes, magnifying their irreverence and culpability.
• in Jerusalem (בִּירוּשָׁלַם, biyrushalaim): Specifies the central location of their apostasy and its consequences. Jerusalem was meant to be the holy city, a light to the nations, but instead, it became a focal point of desecration and idolatry.

2 Chronicles 36 14 Bonus section

The chronicler’s specific emphasis on "the leaders of the priests and the people" points to a collective national guilt, but with a heightened sense of culpability for those in spiritual authority. The priests, specifically ordained to teach God's law, mediate holiness, and lead in worship, instead became principal agents of profanation. Their failure was a profound breach of their covenant duties, turning the very symbols of God's presence into instruments of apostasy. This serves as a timeless warning that spiritual leadership bears a greater accountability before God (cf. Jas 3:1). Furthermore, the contrast between "He had consecrated" and "they defiled" highlights the gravity of humanity's sin in assaulting God's divine purity and perfect purposes, serving as a reminder that what God sets apart as holy must be revered, for God will not be mocked or His dwelling profaned indefinitely.

2 Chronicles 36 14 Commentary

2 Chronicles 36:14 succinctly details the depths of Judah's spiritual depravity at the close of its monarchical history. The responsibility for this pervasive unfaithfulness is placed squarely on both religious leaders and the entire population. The phrase "more and more" illustrates a dangerous progression of sin—not a single error but a compounding of rebellion, a deep-seated and increasing treachery against God's covenant. This escalating disloyalty led them to fully embrace the "abominations of the nations," a direct affront to God's warnings and commandments, representing total apostasy and spiritual syncretism. The climax of their defiance was the desecration of the Lord's own consecrated Temple in Jerusalem. This was not mere ritual impurity but involved the actual introduction of pagan altars, idols, and abominable practices into God's holy sanctuary, as detailed vividly in prophetic books like Ezekiel 8. Such defilement of what God had Himself set apart demonstrated an utter disregard for His holiness and His exclusive worship, leaving no other recourse but divine judgment leading to exile.