希西迦的改革

31 當一切都辦妥後,所有在場的以色列人就前往猶大各城邑,打碎神柱,砍倒亞舍拉神像,又拆毀猶大、便雅憫、以法蓮、瑪拿西境內所有的邱壇和祭壇,然後各自返回自己的城邑和家園。

希西迦分派祭司和利未人的班次,使他們各司其職,獻上燔祭和平安祭,在耶和華殿門內事奉,稱謝、頌讚耶和華。 王又從自己的產業中劃分出一部分作為早晚的燔祭,以及安息日、朔日及耶和華律法規定的其他節期的燔祭。

他又吩咐耶路撒冷的居民將祭司和利未人當得的份交給他們,好使他們專心執行耶和華的律法。 諭旨一出,以色列人就獻出許多初熟的五穀、新酒、新油、蜂蜜、田間的出產及各樣物品的十分之一,數量極多。 住在猶大各城的以色列人和猶大人也送來牛羊的十分之一,以及獻給他們的上帝耶和華的聖物,就是十一奉獻,把它們堆積成堆。 他們從三月開始堆積,到七月才結束。 希西迦與眾官員來了,看見堆積起來的供物,就稱頌耶和華,又為耶和華的以色列子民祝福。 希西迦向祭司和利未人詢問這些供物的事, 10 撒督家族的亞撒利雅大祭司回答說:「自從民眾把這些供物送到耶和華的殿裡以來,我們不但吃得飽,還剩下許多。因為耶和華賜福給祂的子民,所以才有這麼多剩餘。」

11 於是,希西迦下令在耶和華的殿裡預備庫房。他們預備好後, 12 便忠心地把供物、十一奉獻和聖物放進庫房。利未人歌楠雅總管這事,他的兄弟示每做助手。 13 耶歇、亞撒細雅、拿哈、亞撒黑、耶利末、約撒拔、以列、伊斯瑪基雅、瑪哈和比拿雅做監督協助歌楠雅和他兄弟示每,他們都是希西迦王和管理上帝殿的亞撒利雅指派的。 14 看守東門的利未人音拿的兒子可利,負責管理民眾自願獻給上帝的禮物,以及分發獻給耶和華的供物和至聖之物。 15 伊甸、珉雅珉、耶書亞、示瑪雅、亞瑪利雅和示迦尼雅在祭司所在的各城忠心地協助可利,按照班次,不分老幼,將物品分給他們的弟兄。 16 此外,他們還分給三歲及三歲以上、姓名記在家譜上、每天在耶和華的殿中按班次供職的男子, 17 並分給按宗族登記在家譜上的祭司,按班次和職任分給二十歲及二十歲以上的利未人, 18 也按照家譜分給他們的妻子兒女,因為他們誠心潔淨自己。 19 至於住在各城郊野做祭司的亞倫子孫,各城都有指定的人把應得之份分給祭司中所有的男子和登記在家譜上的利未人。

20 希西迦在猶大全境都如此行,做他的上帝耶和華視為良善、正直和忠心的事。 21 無論是在上帝的殿中事奉,還是遵行律法和誡命,他都尋求他的上帝,盡心去做。因此,他行事順利。

Idols Are Destroyed

31 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, (A)broke the memorial stones in pieces, cut down the [a]Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until [b]they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession.

And Hezekiah appointed (B)the divisions of the priests and the Levites by their divisions, each according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, (C)for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to serve and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the camp of the Lord.

Reforms Continued

He also appointed (D)the king’s portion of his property for the burnt offerings, namely, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths and for the new moons and for the appointed festivals, (E)as it is written in the Law of the Lord. Also he told the people who lived in Jerusalem to give (F)the portion due to the priests and the Levites, so that they might devote themselves to (G)the Law of the Lord. As soon as the [c]order spread, the sons of Israel abundantly provided the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly (H)the tithe of everything. The sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and (I)the tithe of [d]sacred gifts which were consecrated to the Lord their God, and placed them in heaps. In the third month they began to [e]make the heaps, and they finished them by the seventh month. When Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and (J)His people Israel. Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 Azariah, the chief priest (K)of the house of Zadok, said to [f]him, “(L)Since the contributions started coming into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat with plenty left over, for the Lord has blessed His people, and this great quantity is left over.”

11 Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare (M)rooms in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. 12 They faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the consecrated things; and Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge (N)of them, and his brother Shimei was second. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers [g]under the authority of Conaniah and his brother Shimei by the appointment of King Hezekiah, and (O)Azariah was the chief officer of the house of God. 14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the eastern gate, was in charge of the [h]voluntary offerings for God, to distribute the contributions for the Lord and the most holy things. 15 [i]Under his authority were (P)Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in (Q)the cities of the priests, to distribute their portions faithfully to their brothers by divisions, whether great or small, 16 without regard to their genealogical enrollment, to the males from [j](R)thirty years old and upward—everyone who entered the house of the Lord (S)for his daily obligations—for their work in their duties according to their divisions; 17 as well as the priests who were enrolled genealogically according to their fathers’ households, and the Levites (T)from twenty years old and upward, by their duties and their divisions. 18 The genealogical enrollment included [k]all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, for the whole assembly, for they consecrated themselves [l]faithfully in holiness. 19 Also for the sons of Aaron, the priests, who were in (U)the pasture lands of their cities, or in each and every city, (V)there were men who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone genealogically enrolled among the Levites.

20 Hezekiah did this throughout Judah; and (W)he did what was good, right, and true before the Lord his God. 21 Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in the Law and in the commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and (X)prospered.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 31:1 I.e., wooden symbols of a female deity (Asherah)
  2. 2 Chronicles 31:1 Lit to completion
  3. 2 Chronicles 31:5 Lit word
  4. 2 Chronicles 31:6 Lit consecrated things
  5. 2 Chronicles 31:7 Lit lay
  6. 2 Chronicles 31:10 Lit him, and he said
  7. 2 Chronicles 31:13 Lit from the hand of
  8. 2 Chronicles 31:14 Or freewill offerings
  9. 2 Chronicles 31:15 Lit On his hand
  10. 2 Chronicles 31:16 Heb three
  11. 2 Chronicles 31:18 Lit with all
  12. 2 Chronicles 31:18 Lit in their faithfulness