The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 30:8 Explained

2 Chronicles 30:8

KJV: Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

YLT: 'Now, harden not your neck like your fathers, give a hand to Jehovah, and come in to His sanctuary, that He hath sanctified to the age, and serve Jehovah your God, and the fierceness of His anger doth turn back from you;

Darby: Now, harden not your necks, as your fathers; yield yourselves to Jehovah, and come to his sanctuary, which he has sanctified for ever; and serve Jehovah your God, that the fierceness of his anger may turn away from you.

ASV: Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were; but yield yourselves unto Jehovah, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever, and serve Jehovah your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now be ye not stiffnecked,  as your fathers  [were, but] yield  yourselves  unto the LORD,  and enter  into his sanctuary,  which he hath sanctified  for ever:  and serve  the LORD  your God,  that the fierceness  of his wrath  may turn away  from you. 

What does 2 Chronicles 30:8 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Chronicles 30:1-12 - A Summons To The Nation
Though one of the most important feasts, the Passover had long been neglected. When a spiritual revival takes place, men naturally begin to observe the old sacred institutions, through which religious feeling can express itself. As the proper month for observing it had gone, rather than miss the whole year, the king and his people resolved to observe their annual festival in the second month, as provided in Numbers 9:10-11. The quickened life of Judah revealed itself in a fervent yearning for national unity, and the invitation to share in celebrating the Passover was distributed from Dan to Beersheba. Many mocked, imputing Hezekiah's appeal to low motives of ambition and self-aggrandizement. We cannot doubt that Isaiah prompted the king to suggest that if Israel would accept the invitation and join in a common act of penitence and faith, it would probably lead to the rehabilitation of their national life. In putting aside this suggestion, Israel not only flouted the royal proposal, but destroyed one of the last methods of undoing the ruin which had already commenced in the Northern Kingdom. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Chronicles 30

1  Hezekiah proclaims a solemn passover on the second month for Judah and Israel
13  The assembly, having destroyed the altars of idolatry, keep the feast fourteen days
27  The priests and Levites bless the people

What do the individual words in 2 Chronicles 30:8 mean?

Now not do be stiff-necked as your fathers [were] [but] yield yourselves - to Yahweh and enter His sanctuary which He has sanctified forever and serve - Yahweh your God that may turn away from you the fierceness of His wrath
עַתָּ֕ה אַל־ תַּקְשׁ֥וּ עָרְפְּכֶ֖ם כַּאֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם תְּנוּ־ יָ֣ד לַיהוָ֗ה וּבֹ֤אוּ לְמִקְדָּשׁוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִקְדִּ֣ישׁ לְעוֹלָ֔ם וְעִבְדוּ֙ אֶת־ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם וְיָשֹׁ֥ב מִכֶּ֖ם חֲר֥וֹן אַפּֽוֹ

עַתָּ֕ה  Now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
תַּקְשׁ֥וּ  do  be 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: קָשָׁה  
Sense: to be hard, be severe, be fierce, be harsh.
עָרְפְּכֶ֖ם  stiff-necked 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: עֹרֶף  
Sense: neck, back of the neck, back.
כַּאֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם  as  your  fathers  [were] 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
תְּנוּ־  [but]  yield  yourselves 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
יָ֣ד  - 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
לַיהוָ֗ה  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וּבֹ֤אוּ  and  enter 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לְמִקְדָּשׁוֹ֙  His  sanctuary 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִקְדָּשׁ  
Sense: sacred place, sanctuary, holy place.
הִקְדִּ֣ישׁ  He  has  sanctified 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָדַשׁ  
Sense: to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.
לְעוֹלָ֔ם  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
וְעִבְדוּ֙  and  serve 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וְיָשֹׁ֥ב  that  may  turn  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
מִכֶּ֖ם  from  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
חֲר֥וֹן  the  fierceness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חָרֹון  
Sense: anger, heat, burning (of anger).
אַפּֽוֹ  of  His  wrath 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.