The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 31:21 Explained

2 Chronicles 31:21

KJV: And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

YLT: and in every work that he hath begun for the service of the house of God, and for the law, and for the command, to seek to his God, with all his heart he hath wrought and prospered.

Darby: And in every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart and prospered.

ASV: And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And in every work  that he began  in the service  of the house  of God,  and in the law,  and in the commandments,  to seek  his God,  he did  [it] with all his heart,  and prospered. 

What does 2 Chronicles 31:21 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Chronicles 31:11-21 - Order And Prosperity
There are several noticeable expressions in this paragraph. We are told that they brought in the dedicated things faithfully, 2 Chronicles 31:12; and that the small as well as the great received their share, even as the daily portion of each required, 2 Chronicles 31:16, r.v. margin; also that the priests sanctified themselves in holiness, 2 Chronicles 31:18, as though touched and quickened by the generous gifts of the people. And in consequence of their entire devotion to the service of the sanctuary, adequate provision was made for their wives and children; while officers were appointed to distribute equal ration to all in the cities of the priests, who, from age or other reasons, were not able to serve in the Temple.
The closing expression about Hezekiah, that he began nothing into which he did not put his heart and that God placed the crown of prosperity on him and his work, presents a striking contrast to the tale of disaster in the reign of Ahaz, and is an incentive to all of us to go and do likewise. See Romans 12:11. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Chronicles 31

1  The people go forward in destroying idolatry
2  Hezekiah orders the courses of the priests and Levites,
4  and provides for their work and maintenance
5  The people's forwardness in offerings and tithes
11  Hezekiah appoints officers to dispose of the tithes
20  The sincerity of Hezekiah

What do the individual words in 2 Chronicles 31:21 mean?

And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God and in the law and in the commandment to seek his God with all his heart he did [it] so he prospered -
וּבְכָֽל־ מַעֲשֶׂ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־ הֵחֵ֣ל ׀ בַּעֲבוֹדַ֣ת בֵּית־ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים וּבַתּוֹרָה֙ וּבַמִּצְוָ֔ה לִדְרֹ֖שׁ לֵֽאלֹהָ֑יו בְּכָל־ לְבָב֥וֹ עָשָׂ֖ה וְהִצְלִֽיחַ פ

וּבְכָֽל־  And  in  every 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מַעֲשֶׂ֞ה  work 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הֵחֵ֣ל ׀  he  began 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָלַל 
Sense: to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin.
בַּעֲבוֹדַ֣ת  in  the  service 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֲבֹדָה  
Sense: labour, service.
בֵּית־  of  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וּבַתּוֹרָה֙  and  in  the  law 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
וּבַמִּצְוָ֔ה  and  in  the  commandment 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
לִדְרֹ֖שׁ  to  seek 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
לֵֽאלֹהָ֑יו  his  God 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בְּכָל־  with  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
לְבָב֥וֹ  his  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לֵבָב  
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
עָשָׂ֖ה  he  did  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וְהִצְלִֽיחַ  so  he  prospered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָלַח 
Sense: (Qal) to rush.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation