希西迦的改革

31 当一切都办妥后,所有在场的以色列人就前往犹大各城邑,打碎神柱,砍倒亚舍拉神像,又拆毁犹大、便雅悯、以法莲、玛拿西境内所有的丘坛和祭坛,然后各自返回自己的城邑和家园。

希西迦分派祭司和利未人的班次,使他们各司其职,献上燔祭和平安祭,在耶和华殿门内事奉,称谢、颂赞耶和华。 王又从自己的产业中划分出一部分作为早晚的燔祭,以及安息日、朔日及耶和华律法规定的其他节期的燔祭。

他又吩咐耶路撒冷的居民将祭司和利未人当得的份交给他们,好使他们专心执行耶和华的律法。 谕旨一出,以色列人就献出许多初熟的五谷、新酒、新油、蜂蜜、田间的出产及各样物品的十分之一,数量极多。 住在犹大各城的以色列人和犹大人也送来牛羊的十分之一,以及献给他们的上帝耶和华的圣物,就是十一奉献,把它们堆积成堆。 他们从三月开始堆积,到七月才结束。 希西迦与众官员来了,看见堆积起来的供物,就称颂耶和华,又为耶和华的以色列子民祝福。 希西迦向祭司和利未人询问这些供物的事, 10 撒督家族的亚撒利雅大祭司回答说:“自从民众把这些供物送到耶和华的殿里以来,我们不但吃得饱,还剩下许多。因为耶和华赐福给祂的子民,所以才有这么多剩余。”

11 于是,希西迦下令在耶和华的殿里预备库房。他们预备好后, 12 便忠心地把供物、十一奉献和圣物放进库房。利未人歌楠雅总管这事,他的兄弟示每做助手。 13 耶歇、亚撒细雅、拿哈、亚撒黑、耶利末、约撒拔、以列、伊斯玛基雅、玛哈和比拿雅做监督协助歌楠雅和他兄弟示每,他们都是希西迦王和管理上帝殿的亚撒利雅指派的。 14 看守东门的利未人音拿的儿子可利,负责管理民众自愿献给上帝的礼物,以及分发献给耶和华的供物和至圣之物。 15 伊甸、珉雅珉、耶书亚、示玛雅、亚玛利雅和示迦尼雅在祭司所在的各城忠心地协助可利,按照班次,不分老幼,将物品分给他们的弟兄。 16 此外,他们还分给三岁及三岁以上、姓名记在家谱上、每天在耶和华的殿中按班次供职的男子, 17 并分给按宗族登记在家谱上的祭司,按班次和职任分给二十岁及二十岁以上的利未人, 18 也按照家谱分给他们的妻子儿女,因为他们诚心洁净自己。 19 至于住在各城郊野做祭司的亚伦子孙,各城都有指定的人把应得之份分给祭司中所有的男子和登记在家谱上的利未人。

20 希西迦在犹大全境都如此行,做他的上帝耶和华视为良善、正直和忠心的事。 21 无论是在上帝的殿中事奉,还是遵行律法和诫命,他都寻求他的上帝,尽心去做。因此,他行事顺利。

Hezekiah Organizes the Priests

31 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and (A)broke in pieces the (B)pillars and cut down (C)the Asherim and broke down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the people of Israel returned to their cities, every man to his possession.

And Hezekiah appointed (D)the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, division by division, each according to his service, the priests and the Levites, (E)for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to minister in the gates of the camp of the Lord and to give thanks and praise. (F)The contribution of the king from his own possessions was for the burnt offerings: the burnt offerings of morning and evening, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the appointed feasts, (G)as it is written in the Law of the Lord. And he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give (H)the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the Lord. As soon as the command was spread abroad, the people of Israel gave in abundance the firstfruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field. And they brought in abundantly (I)the tithe of everything. And the people of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and (J)the tithe of the dedicated things that had been dedicated to the Lord their God, and laid them in heaps. In the third month they began to pile up the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and his people Israel. And Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites about the heaps. 10 Azariah the chief priest, who was (K)of the house of Zadok, answered him, “Since they began to bring the contributions into the house of the Lord, we have eaten and had enough and have plenty left, (L)for the Lord has blessed his people, so that we have this large amount left.”

11 Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare (M)chambers in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. 12 And they faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the dedicated things. The chief officer (N)in charge of them was Conaniah the Levite, with (O)Shimei his brother as second, 13 (P)while Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, (Q)Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers assisting Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king and (R)Azariah the chief officer of the house of God. 14 And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the east gate, was over the freewill offerings to God, to apportion the contribution reserved for the Lord and the most holy offerings. 15 (S)Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah were faithfully assisting him in (T)the cities of the priests, to distribute the portions to their brothers, old and young alike, by divisions, 16 except those enrolled by genealogy, males from three years old and upward—all who entered the house of the Lord (U)as the duty of each day required—for their service according to their offices, by their divisions. 17 The enrollment of the priests was according to their fathers' houses; that of the Levites (V)from twenty years old and upward was according to their offices, by their divisions. 18 They were enrolled with all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, the whole assembly, for they were faithful in keeping themselves holy. 19 And for the sons of Aaron, the priests, who were in the fields of common land belonging to their cities, there were men in the several cities who were (W)designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone among the Levites who was enrolled.

20 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, (X)and he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. 21 And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.

31 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the Lord.

He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the Lord.

Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord.

And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.

And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps.

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

And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord, and his people Israel.

Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.

10 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the Lord hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.

11 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord; and they prepared them,

12 And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.

13 And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.

14 And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the oblations of the Lord, and the most holy things.

15 And next him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their set office, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as to the small:

16 Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even unto every one that entereth into the house of the Lord, his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses;

17 Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses;

18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness:

19 Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites.

20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God.

21 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.