2 Chronicles 15:3

Now for a long season Israel [hath been] without the true God,.... The fear, worship, and service of him being greatly neglected by them for a long time; what period of time is referred to is not

Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.

Heb. For many days have been to Israel without the true God, & c, i.e. they have long lived without the sound knowledge and worship of the true God. The prophet confirms his foregoing exhortation, and the threatening annexed to it, that if they forsook God, he would forsake them, from the usual manner of God’ s dealing with Israel formerly, and therefore in the same case they may expect the same usage. Israel, here mentioned and propounded as an example, is here understood, either, 1. Specially of the ten tribes, distinguished by that name from the kingdom of Judah; whose condition had been, since Jeroboam’ s revolt, and now was such in some measure, as is here described, they having been, and still being, without God and his true worship, and therefore exposed to many vexations, and wars, and miseries. But these had not as yet turned unto God, or sought him, nor was God yet found of them, as is said of this Israel, . Nor had they as yet been exercised with those grievous and continual vexations, and wars, and mutual destructions of which he here speaks, ,6, and which in succeeding times they felt; for except that one blow which they had from Abijah, 2 Chronicles 13, we read of none other great mischiefs which befell them. Or rather, 2. Generally of the whole nation of Israel in former times, and especially in the times of the judges; to which all that follows suits very well; for then many times they were, though not wholly and universally, yet in a very great measure, and for the generality of them, without God, and his law, and teaching priests, as plainly appears from divers passages in the Book of the Judges; and then indeed they were brought to all the exigencies and calamities here following; then they had grievous wars, both foreign and domestic; and then they did sometimes turn to the Lord and sought him, and he was found of them, and did raise up judges and saviours to them; of which see Jude 2 at large, and , 10:10, &c.

2 Chronicles 15:3 Now for a long season Israel [hath been] without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.Ver. 3. Now for a long season.] For about thirty years. Israel.] The ten revolted tribes. Hath been without the true God.] So were our ancestors the old Britons, whose idols were portenta diabolica, saith Gildas, pene numero Aegyptiaca vincentia, monstrous idols. And without a teaching priest.] No wonder, therefore, that they were "without God in the world," stark atheists, sine lege, sine rege, sine fide, "without law, king or fidelity" as the Brazilians are said to be.

(3) Now for a long season Israel hath been.—Literally, And many days to Israel, without true God, and without teaching priest, and without teaching. This is clearly an illustration of the general truth asserted in last verse. “Many a time hath Israel been without true God,” etc. Periods of religious decline, such as those recorded in the Book of Judges, as well as those of later times, especially since the division of the kingdom, are adduced as historical proof of the statement that the Lord was with Israel while they were with him. (Comp. Judges 2:11-19; Judges 3:7-10; also Hosea 3:4-5.) Without.—Lĕ ?lô’, only here in this sense. The true God.—Jeremiah 10:9 : “Jehovah is true God” (’elohîm ’emeth).Teaching priest.—Kôhçn môreh. (See Leviticus 10:11; Deuteronomy 17:9; Deuteronomy 33:10; Deuteronomy 24:8; Ezekiel 44:23; Jeremiah 18:18; Malachi 2:6-7.) The priests instructed the people in the Torah, or divine Law (literally, teaching).

Verse 3. Now for a long season Israel] "Israel hath followed Jeroboam, and they have not worshipped the true God. They have burnt incense to their golden calves; their priestlings [כומריא cumeraiya, their black, sooty sacrificers] have burnt perfumes with a strange worship, and have not exercised themselves in the law." - Targum. These priests could not teach, because they had not learnt; and as they had abandoned the law of the Lord, consequently they had no proper matter for instruction. There is a great diversity of opinions concerning the meaning of this text. Some consider it a prophecy relative to the future state of this people, and the final destruction of the Jews as to their political existence: others consider it as referring to the state of the people under the reigns of Rehoboam and Abijah, which were happily changed under that of Asa; and this appears to me to be the most natural sense of the words.

3. for a long season] R.V. for long seasons. 2 Chronicles 15:3-6 contain the reflections of the Chronicler himself on the whole previous course of Israelite history. Azariah’s own exhortation is continued in 2 Chronicles 15:7. without a teaching priest, and without law] The connexion between these two is closer than the English suggests. “Law” (Heb. torah) is properly “teaching, guidance.” A “teaching” (Heb. moreh) priest is one who gives “torah” or “guidance” on doubtful points of morality or ritual. Cp. Malachi 2:7.

“Israel” here is used generally for the whole people of God; and the reference is especially to the many apostasies in the days of the Judges, which were followed by repentance and deliverance.

3. Now for a long season — Literally, and many clays to Israel to be without a God of truth, etc. The period here referred to by the long season, or many days, has been variously understood.