The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 34:12 Explained

2 Chronicles 34:12

KJV: And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of musick.

YLT: And the men are working faithfully in the business, and over them are appointed Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathite, to overlook; and of the Levites, every one understanding about instruments of song,

Darby: And the men did the work faithfully. And over them were appointed Jahath and Obadiah, Levites, of the children of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the children of the Kohathites, for the oversight; and all these Levites were skilled in instruments of music.

ASV: And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and others of the Levites, all that were skilful with instruments of music.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the men  did  the work  faithfully:  and the overseers  of them [were] Jahath  and Obadiah,  the Levites,  of the sons  of Merari;  and Zechariah  and Meshullam,  of the sons of the Kohathites,  to set [it] forward;  and [other of] the Levites,  all that could skill  of instruments  of musick. 

What does 2 Chronicles 34:12 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Chronicles 34:12-21 - A Disturbing Discovery
The finding of the roll of the Law was a very significant incident. That it should have become so rare-apparently this was the only copy extant-was doubtless due to the destructive and desecrating efforts of Manasseh and other kings. Some pious hand had concealed it from the search of the inquisitors, and the secret had never been divulged. It is small wonder that the king's heart misgave him when he compared the divine ideal with the actual condition of things in Judah and Jerusalem. Here is an illustration of the way in which conscience may awake to the demands of God, which have long been buried amid the drift and rubbish of our lives, ignored and disobeyed. One day this neglect is brought suddenly and sadly home to us, and we cry out in an agony of conviction.
Let us read God's Word carefully and reverently, until we come on something which accuses us, and then stop to listen. We must submit ourselves to its scrutiny. We must allow it to divide between soul and spirit. We must enthrottle it, at whatever cost, as the critic of our lives. We must follow its leadings wherever it points the way. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Chronicles 34

1  Josiah's good reign
3  He destroys idolatry
8  He takes order for the repair of the temple
14  Hilkiah, having found a book of the law,
21  Josiah sends to Huldah to enquire of the Lord
23  Huldah prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem, but respite thereof in Josiah's time
29  Josiah, causing it to be read in a solemn assembly, renews the covenant with God

What do the individual words in 2 Chronicles 34:12 mean?

And the men did faithfully the work and their overseers [were] Jahath and Obadiah the Levites of the sons of Merari and Zechariah and Meshullam of the Kohathites to supervise and [Others of] the Levites all of whom were skillful with instruments of music
וְהָאֲנָשִׁים֩ עֹשִׂ֨ים בֶּאֱמוּנָ֜ה בַּמְּלָאכָ֗ה וַעֲלֵיהֶ֣ם ׀ מֻ֠פְקָדִים יַ֣חַת וְעֹבַדְיָ֤הוּ הַלְוִיִּם֙ מִן־ בְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִ֔י וּזְכַרְיָ֧ה וּמְשֻׁלָּ֛ם הַקְּהָתִ֖ים לְנַצֵּ֑חַ וְהַ֨לְוִיִּ֔ם כָּל־ מֵבִ֖ין בִּכְלֵי־ שִֽׁיר

וְהָאֲנָשִׁים֩  And  the  men 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
בֶּאֱמוּנָ֜ה  faithfully 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֱמוּנָה  
Sense: firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness.
בַּמְּלָאכָ֗ה  the  work 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְלָאכָה  
Sense: occupation, work, business.
וַעֲלֵיהֶ֣ם ׀  and  their 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
מֻ֠פְקָדִים  overseers 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
יַ֣חַת  [were]  Jahath 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַחַת  
Sense: son of Reaiah and grandson of Shobal of the tribe of Judah.
וְעֹבַדְיָ֤הוּ  and  Obadiah 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹבַדְיָה 
Sense: the 4th of the 2 minor prophets; nothing personal is known of him but it is probable that he was contemporary with Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel.
הַלְוִיִּם֙  the  Levites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מְרָרִ֔י  of  Merari 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְרָרִי  
Sense: the 3rd son of Levi and head of a Levitical family.
וּזְכַרְיָ֧ה  and  Zechariah 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: זְכַרְיָה 
Sense: th in order of the minor prophets; a priest, son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo, who, along with Haggai, directed the rebuilding of the temple in the days of Zerubbabel.
וּמְשֻׁלָּ֛ם  and  Meshullam 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְשֻׁלָּם  
Sense: grandfather of Shaphan, the scribe. 2 son of Zerubbabel. 3 a Benjamite of the sons of Elpaal. 4 a Benjamite, father of Sallu. 5 a Benjamite who lived at Jerusalem after the captivity. 6 a Benjamite. 6a perhaps the same as 3 or 4. 7 a Gadite in the reign of king Jotham of Judah. 8 son of Berechiah who assisted in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. 9 son of Besodeiah who assisted Jehoiada the son of Paseah in restoring the old gate of Jerusalem. 0 a chief of the people who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah. father of Hilkiah and high priest probably in the reign of king Amon of Judah.
הַקְּהָתִ֖ים  of  the  Kohathites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: קְהָתִי  
Sense: the descendants of Kohath, the 2nd son of Levi.
לְנַצֵּ֑חַ  to  supervise 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: נָצַח  
Sense: to excel, be bright, be preeminent, be perpetual, be overseer, be enduring.
וְהַ֨לְוִיִּ֔ם  and  [Others  of]  the  Levites 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
מֵבִ֖ין  of  whom  were  skillful 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.
בִּכְלֵי־  with  instruments 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
שִֽׁיר  of  music 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁיר 
Sense: song.