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2 Chronicles 31
Lexham English Bible

Hezekiah Organizes the Priesthood

31 And when all this was finished, all Israel who were found in the cities of Judah went out and shattered the stone pillars, cut down the Asherahs, and destroyed the high places and the altars from all Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh to the very last one.[a] Then all the Israelites returned, each to his own property and to their cities.

2 And Hezekiah appointed working groups of the priests and the Levites, each according to their divisions, according to the service for priests and Levites,[b] for burnt offerings, for peace offerings, to serve, to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camps of Yahweh. 3 And the gift of the king was out of his own possessions for the burnt offerings—the burnt offerings for the morning and the evening and for Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and appointed feasts, as is written in the law of Yahweh. 4 Then he said to the people, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to give a gift for the priests and the Levites, so that they might be strong in the law of Yahweh. 5 And the word spread. The Israelites gave abundantly from the firstfruits of grain, new wine, olive oil, honey, and all kinds of grains from the field. And they brought tithes of everything in abundance. 6 Then the people of Israel and Judah who were living in the cities of Judah, they also brought a tithe of cattle and sheep and a tithe of consecrated objects to Yahweh their God. And they gave heaps upon heaps. 7 In the third month the heaps began to pile up, and in the seventh month they ceased. 8 When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed Yahweh and his people Israel. 9 And Hezekiah questioned[c] the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, saying, “Since the offerings began to be brought to the house of Yahweh, we have eaten and been satisfied, and have much to spare, for Yahweh has blessed his people. Now see this abundant remainder!”

11 And Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of Yahweh, and they were prepared. 12 Then they brought the offerings and tithes and holy objects faithfully. And over them as leader was Conaniah the Levite. And Shimei his brother was second in rank. 13 And Jehiel, Azaziah, Nathan, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were chief officers under the hand of Conaniah and Shimei, his brother, by appointment of King Hezekiah. And Azaraiah was leader of the house of God. 14 Now Kore the son of Imlah, the Levite, the gatekeeper of the east gate was over the freewill offerings of God, to give offerings to Yahweh and the most holy things. 15 And at his hand were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah in the cities of the priests and entrusted[d] to give to their brothers by working groups, according to the eldest to the youngest, 16 besides their enrollment by genealogy, to males from three years old and upward, to all who came into the house of Yahweh, as each day required[e] for their service in their posts according to their working groups. 17 And the enrollment of the priests was according to the house of their fathers, and the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, according to their posts by their working groups. 18 And they were enrolled with all their little ones, their wives, their sons, and their daughters for the whole assembly because of their faithfulness. And they sanctified themselves in holiness. 19 And for the descendants[f] of Aaron, the priests, who were in the fields of the pasturelands of their cities, in each and every one of their cities[g] were men who were designated by name to give shares to every male among the priests and to everyone enrolled among the Levites.

20 And Hezekiah did according to this throughout all Judah. And he did what is good and what is right and what is faithful before Yahweh his God. 21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God or with respect to the law and the commandment to seek his God, he did with all his heart, and he prospered.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 31:1 Literally “until finishing”
  2. 2 Chronicles 31:2 Literally “according to the mouth of his service, for priests and Levites”
  3. 2 Chronicles 31:9 Or “sought”
  4. 2 Chronicles 31:15 Literally “in faithfulness”
  5. 2 Chronicles 31:16 Literally “for the word of the day by his day”
  6. 2 Chronicles 31:19 Or “sons”
  7. 2 Chronicles 31:19 Literally “in every city and the city”
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2 Chronicles 31
New English Translation

31 When all this was over, the Israelites[a] who were in the cities of Judah went out and smashed the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and demolished[b] all the high places and altars throughout Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh.[c] Then all the Israelites returned to their own homes in their cities.[d]

The People Contribute to the Temple

2 Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and Levites to do their assigned tasks[e]—to offer burnt sacrifices and present offerings and to serve, give thanks, and offer praise in the gates of the Lord’s sanctuary.[f]

3 The king contributed[g] some of what he owned for burnt sacrifices, including the morning and evening burnt sacrifices and the burnt sacrifices made on Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and at other appointed times prescribed[h] in the law of the Lord. 4 He ordered[i] the people living in Jerusalem to contribute the portion prescribed for the priests and Levites so they might be obedient[j] to the law of the Lord. 5 When the edict was issued,[k] the Israelites freely contributed[l] the initial portion of their grain, wine, olive oil, honey, and all the produce of their fields. They brought a tenth of everything, which added up to a huge amount. 6 The Israelites and people of Judah[m] who lived in the cities of Judah also contributed a tenth of their cattle and sheep, as well as a tenth of the holy items consecrated to the Lord their God. They brought them and placed them in many heaps.[n] 7 In the third month they began piling their contributions in heaps[o] and finished in the seventh month. 8 When Hezekiah and the officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and pronounced blessings on his people Israel.[p]

9 When Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps, 10 Azariah, the head priest from the family of Zadok, said to him, “Since the contributions began arriving in the Lord’s temple, we have had plenty to eat and have a large quantity left over. For the Lord has blessed his people, and this large amount remains.” 11 Hezekiah ordered that storerooms be prepared in the Lord’s temple. When this was done,[q] 12 they brought in the contributions, tithes,[r] and consecrated items that had been offered.[s] Konaniah, a Levite, was in charge of all this, assisted by his brother Shimei. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath, and Benaiah worked under the supervision of Konaniah and his brother Shimei, as directed by King Hezekiah and Azariah, the supervisor of God’s temple.

14 Kore son of Imnah, a Levite and the guard on the east side, was in charge of the voluntary offerings made to God and disbursed the contributions made to the Lord and the consecrated items. 15 In the cities of the priests, Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah faithfully assisted him in making disbursements to their fellow priests[t] according to their divisions, regardless of age.[u] 16 They made disbursements to all the males three years old and up who were listed in the genealogical records—to all who would enter the Lord’s temple to serve on a daily basis and fulfill their duties as assigned to their divisions.[v] 17 They made disbursements to the priests listed in the genealogical records by their families, and to the Levites twenty years old and up, according to their duties as assigned to their divisions, 18 and to all the infants, wives, sons, and daughters of the entire assembly listed in the genealogical records, for they faithfully consecrated themselves. 19 As for the descendants of Aaron, the priests who lived in the outskirts of all their cities,[w] men were assigned[x] to disburse portions to every male among the priests and to every Levite listed in the genealogical records.

20 This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what the Lord his God considered good and right and faithful. 21 He wholeheartedly and successfully reinstituted service in God’s temple and obedience to the law, in order to follow his God.[y]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 31:1 tn Heb “all Israel.”
  2. 2 Chronicles 31:1 tn Or “tore down.”
  3. 2 Chronicles 31:1 tn Heb “the high places and the altars from all Judah and Benjamin and in Ephraim and in Manasseh until finished.”
  4. 2 Chronicles 31:1 tn Heb “and the sons of Israel returned, each to his possession to their cities.”
  5. 2 Chronicles 31:2 tn Heb “and Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites according to their divisions, each in accordance with his service for the priests and for the Levites.”
  6. 2 Chronicles 31:2 tn Heb “in the gates of the encampments of the Lord.”
  7. 2 Chronicles 31:3 tn Heb “the portion of the king [was].”
  8. 2 Chronicles 31:3 tn Heb “festivals, as written.”
  9. 2 Chronicles 31:4 tn Heb “said to.”
  10. 2 Chronicles 31:4 tn Heb “might hold firmly.”
  11. 2 Chronicles 31:5 tn Heb “and when the word spread out.”
  12. 2 Chronicles 31:5 tn Heb “the sons of Israel multiplied.”
  13. 2 Chronicles 31:6 tn Heb “and the sons of Israel and Judah.”
  14. 2 Chronicles 31:6 tn Heb “heaps, heaps.” Repetition of the noun draws attention to the large number of heaps.
  15. 2 Chronicles 31:7 tn Heb “they began the heaps to establish.”
  16. 2 Chronicles 31:8 tn Heb “they blessed the Lord and his people Israel.”
  17. 2 Chronicles 31:11 tn Heb “and they prepared.”
  18. 2 Chronicles 31:12 tn Heb “tenth.”
  19. 2 Chronicles 31:12 tn Heb “and holy things in faithfulness.”
  20. 2 Chronicles 31:15 tn Heb “to their brothers.”
  21. 2 Chronicles 31:15 tn Heb “like great, like small” (i.e., old and young alike).
  22. 2 Chronicles 31:16 tn Heb “in addition enrolling them by males from a son of three years and upwards, to everyone who enters the house of the Lord for a matter of a day in its day, for their service by their duties according to their divisions.”
  23. 2 Chronicles 31:19 tn Heb “the priests in the fields of the pastureland of their cities in every city and city.”
  24. 2 Chronicles 31:19 tn Heb “designated by names.”
  25. 2 Chronicles 31:21 tn Heb “and in all the work which he began with regard to the service of the house of God and with respect to the law and with respect to the commandment, to seek his God; with all his heart he acted and he succeeded.”
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