2 Chronicles 31:7

Authorized King James Version

In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וּבַחֹ֥דֶשׁ
month
the new moon; by implication, a month
#2
הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֔י
In the third
third; feminine a third (part); by extension, a third (day, year or time); specifically, a third-story cell)
#3
הֵחֵ֥לּוּ
they began
properly, to bore, i.e., (by implication) to wound, to dissolve; figuratively, to profane (a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin
#4
הָֽעֲרֵמ֖וֹת
of the heaps
a heap; specifically, a sheaf
#5
לְיִסּ֑וֹד
to lay the foundation
to set (literally or figuratively); intensively, to found; reflexively, to sit down together, i.e., settle, consult
#6
וּבַחֹ֥דֶשׁ
month
the new moon; by implication, a month
#7
הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י
them in the seventh
seventh
#8
כִּלּֽוּ׃
and finished
to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be finished, perish) or transitive (to complete, prepare, consume)

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection