The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 30:10 Explained

2 Chronicles 30:10

KJV: So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

YLT: And the runners are passing over from city to city, in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, even unto Zebulun: and they are laughing at them, and mocking at them,

Darby: And the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun; but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them.

ASV: So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So the posts  passed  from city  to city  through the country  of Ephraim  and Manasseh  even unto Zebulun:  but they laughed them to scorn,  and mocked  them. 

What does 2 Chronicles 30:10 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 30:10 mean?

So the runners passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh and as far as Zebulun but they laughed at them and mocked them
וַיִּֽהְי֨וּ הָרָצִ֜ים עֹבְרִ֨ים מֵעִ֧יר ׀ לָעִ֛יר בְּאֶֽרֶץ־ אֶפְרַ֥יִם וּמְנַשֶּׁ֖ה וְעַד־ זְבֻל֑וּן וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ מַשְׂחִיקִ֣ים עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וּמַלְעִגִ֖ים בָּֽם

וַיִּֽהְי֨וּ  So 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הָרָצִ֜ים  the  runners 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: רוּץ 
Sense: to run.
עֹבְרִ֨ים  passed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
מֵעִ֧יר ׀  from  city 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
לָעִ֛יר  to  city 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
בְּאֶֽרֶץ־  through  the  country 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אֶפְרַ֥יִם  of  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
וּמְנַשֶּׁ֖ה  and  Manasseh 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְנַשֶּׁה  
Sense: the eldest son of Joseph and progenitor of the tribe of Manasseh.
וְעַד־  and  as  far  as 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
זְבֻל֑וּן  Zebulun 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: זְבוּלוּן  
Sense: the 0th of the sons of Jacob, 6th and last of Leah; progenitor of Zebulun.
מַשְׂחִיקִ֣ים  they  laughed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שָׂחַק  
Sense: to laugh, play, mock.
עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם  at  them 
Parse: 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.
וּמַלְעִגִ֖ים  and  mocked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: לָעַג  
Sense: to mock, deride, ridicule.