2 Chronicles 31
Expanded Bible
The Collection for the Priests(A)
31 When the Passover celebration was finished, all the Israelites in Jerusalem went out to the towns of Judah. There they smashed the ·stone [sacred] pillars [C used in pagan worship]. They cut down the Asherah ·idols [poles; 14:3] and destroyed the altars and ·places for worshiping gods [L high places; 11:15] in all of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. After they had destroyed all of them, the Israelites returned to their own towns and ·homes [properties].
2 King Hezekiah ·appointed [organized; assigned] ·groups [divisions] of priests and Levites for their special duties. They were to ·offer [sacrifice] burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] and ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offerings [Lev. 3:1], to ·worship [serve], and to give thanks and praise at the gates of the Lord’s ·house [L camp]. 3 Hezekiah gave some of his own animals for the burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17], which were given every morning and evening, on Sabbath days, during New Moons, and at other feasts ·commanded [prescribed] in the Lord’s ·Teachings [instructions; laws].
4 Hezekiah commanded the people living in Jerusalem to give the priests and Levites the portion ·that belonged to [prescribed for] them. Then the priests and Levites could ·give all their time [devote themselves] to the Lord’s ·Teachings [instructions; laws]. 5 As soon as the king’s command went out to the Israelites, they gave ·freely of the [generously/abundantly from the] first ·portion [fruits; harvest] of their grain, new wine, oil, honey, and ·everything they grew [all the produce] in their fields. They brought a large amount, ·one-tenth [a tithe] of everything. 6 The people of Israel and Judah who lived in Judah also brought ·one-tenth [a tithe] of their cattle and sheep and ·one-tenth [a tithe] of the ·holy things [sacred/consecrated/dedicated things] that were given to the Lord their God, and they put all of them in ·piles [heaps]. 7 The people began the ·piles [heaps] in the third month [C late spring] and finished in the seventh month [C early autumn]. 8 When Hezekiah and his ·officers [officials] came and saw the ·piles [heaps], they ·praised [blessed; thanked] the Lord and his people Israel. 9 Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the ·piles [heaps]. 10 Azariah, the leading priest from Zadok’s ·family [clan; L house], answered Hezekiah, “Since the people began to bring their ·offerings [contributions; gifts] to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, we have had plenty to eat and plenty left over, because the Lord has blessed his people. So we have all this left over.”
11 Then Hezekiah commanded the priests to prepare the storerooms in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. So this was done. 12 Then the priests brought in the ·offerings [contributions] and the ·things given to the Lord [consecrated/purified/sanctified things] and ·one-tenth of everything the people had given [the tithes]. Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge of these things, and his brother Shimei was ·second to him [his assistant]. 13 Conaniah and his brother Shimei were over these supervisors: Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath, and Benaiah. King Hezekiah and Azariah the officer in charge of the ·Temple [L house] of God had ·chosen [appointed] them.
14 Kore son of Imnah the Levite was in charge of the ·special gifts the people wanted to give [voluntary/free will offerings] to God. He was responsible for ·giving out [distributing] the contributions made to the Lord and the ·holy [consecrated; dedicated] gifts. Kore was the guard at the East Gate. 15 Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah helped Kore in the towns where the priests lived. They gave from what was collected to ·the other groups of priests [their brothers by divisions], both ·old [great] and ·young [small].
16 They also gave to the males three years old and older who had their names in the ·Levite family [genealogical] ·histories [records]. ·They were to enter […all who entered] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord for their daily ·service [duties], ·each group having its own responsibilities [according to their divisions]. 17 The priests were given their part of the collection, by ·families [ancestral houses], as listed in the ·family [genealogical] ·histories [records]. The Levites twenty years old and older were given their part of the collection, based on their ·responsibilities [duties] and their ·groups [divisions]. 18 The Levites’ babies, wives, sons, and daughters also got part of the collection. This was done for all the Levites who were ·listed [enrolled] in the ·family histories [genealogical records], because they ·always kept themselves ready to serve the Lord [faithfully consecrated/purified themselves].
19 Some of Aaron’s descendants, the priests, lived on the farmlands near the towns or in the towns. Men were ·chosen [appointed; designated] by name to ·give [distribute] part of the collection to these priests. All the males and those ·named [listed] in the ·family histories [genealogical records] of the Levites received part of the collection.
20 This is what King Hezekiah did ·in [throughout] Judah. He did what was good and right and ·obedient [faithful; true; pleasing] before the Lord his God. 21 Hezekiah tried to ·obey [seek] God in his service of the ·Temple [L house] of God, and in following his ·teachings [instructions; laws] and commands. He ·gave himself fully to his work for God [did so wholeheartedly] and therefore ·had success [prospered].
2 Chronicles 31
Amplified Bible
Idols Are Destroyed
31 Now when all of this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, and smashed the [pagan] pillars (obelisks, memorial stones) in pieces, cut down the Asherim (wooden symbols of a female deity), and tore down the high places and the altars [of idolatry] throughout all Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons (descendants) of Israel returned to their own cities, each to his own property.
2 And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests, and the Levites by their divisions, each in accordance with his service, both 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 camp of the Lord.
Reforms Continued
3 Hezekiah also appointed the king’s [personal] portion of his goods: for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths and for the New Moons and for the appointed feasts, as it is written in the Law of the Lord. 4 He also told (ordered) the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion that was due to the priests and Levites, so that they might [be free to] devote themselves to the Law of the Lord. 5 As soon as the king’s order spread, the Israelites gave in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, [olive] oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in the tithe of everything abundantly. 6 The sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of sacred gifts which were consecrated to the Lord their God, and placed them in heaps. 7 In the third month [at the end of wheat harvest] they began to make the heaps, and they finished them in the seventh month. 8 When Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and His people Israel. 9 Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and Levites about the heaps. 10 Azariah the high priest of the house of Zadok answered him, “Since the people began to bring the offerings 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 told them to prepare rooms [for storage] in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. 12 They faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the sacred (dedicated) things. Conaniah the Levite was in charge of them, and Shimei his brother was second [in authority]. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers directed by Conaniah and Shimei his brother by the appointment of King Hezekiah, and Azariah was the chief officer of the house of God. 14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the East Gate, was in charge of the voluntary offerings to God, to apportion the contributions for the Lord and the most holy things. 15 Under his authority were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah in the cities of the priests, to distribute faithfully their portions to their brothers (relatives) by divisions, whether great or small, 16 without regard to their genealogical registration, to the males from thirty years old and upward—everyone who entered the house of the Lord for his daily obligations—for their service in accordance with their duties by their divisions; 17 as well as the priests who were registered genealogically according to their fathers’ households, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, by their duties and by their divisions. 18 The genealogical registration included all their little children, their wives, and their sons and daughters, for the whole assembly, because they consecrated themselves faithfully in holiness. 19 Also for the sons of Aaron, the priests, who were in the pasture lands of their cities or in each and every city, there were men who were designated by name to give portions to every male among the priests and to everyone genealogically registered among the Levites.
20 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah; and 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 keeping with the law and the commandment, seeking and inquiring of his God [and longing for Him], he did with all his heart and prospered.
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