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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

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]

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. 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. 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. 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] In the third month they began piling their contributions in heaps[o] and finished in the seventh month. When Hezekiah and the officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and pronounced blessings on his people Israel.[p]

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.”

毀棄一切偶像(A)

31 這一切都作完了,所有在那裡的以色列人就都出去,到猶大的各城,打碎神柱,砍下亞舍拉;又在猶大、便雅憫、以法蓮和瑪拿西各地,把邱壇和祭壇完全拆毀。然後以色列眾人都各回各城,各歸自己的地業去了。

獻祭的條例

希西家指派祭司和利未人的班次,使祭司和利未人照著自己的班次,各按各職獻燔祭和平安祭,又在耶和華殿門內事奉,稱謝和讚美耶和華。 王又在自己的財物中定出一份作燔祭,就是早晚的燔祭,安息日、月朔和節期的燔祭,都是照著耶和華律法上所記的。 王又吩咐住在耶路撒冷的人民,要把祭司和利未人應得的一份給他們,使他們專心執行耶和華的律法。

什一奉獻

這命令一發出,以色列人就送來很多初熟的五穀、新酒、油和蜜,以及田間各樣的出產,又把各物品的十分之一,大批送來。 住在猶大各城的以色列人和猶大人,也把牛羊的十分之一,和分別為聖歸耶和華他們的 神的聖物的十分之一,都送了來,囤積成堆。 從三月開始囤積,到七月才完畢。 希西家和眾領袖來了,看見這些囤積物品,就稱頌耶和華,又為耶和華的子民以色列祝福。 希西家向祭司和利未人詢問這些囤積物品的時候, 10 撒督家的大祭司亞撒利雅回答他,說:“自從人民把供物送進耶和華殿以來,我們就可以吃飽,並且還有很多剩下來。因為耶和華賜福給他的子民,所以剩下的才這樣豐盛。”

預備倉房和分配供物

11 希西家吩咐人在耶和華的殿裡預備倉房,他們就預備了。 12 他們很忠心地把供物、各物品的十分之一和分別為聖之物,都搬進倉裡去。利未人歌楠雅總管這些物品,他的兄弟示每作副總管。 13 耶歇、亞撒細雅、拿哈、亞撒黑、耶利末、約撒拔、以利、伊斯瑪基雅、瑪哈、比拿雅在歌楠雅和他的兄弟示每手下,負責監督的工作,他們都是由希西家王和神殿的總管亞撒利雅委派的。 14 看守東門的利未人音拿的兒子可利,掌管自願獻給 神的禮物,分發獻與耶和華的供物和至聖之物。 15 在他手下有伊甸、珉雅珉、耶書亞、示瑪雅、亞瑪利雅和示迦尼雅,在祭司的各城裡,按著班次,無論大小,把供物分發給他們的親族。 16 此外,按著家譜,三十歲(“三十歲”原文作“三歲”)及以上的男子:凡是每日按著班次,照著本分進耶和華的殿供職的,也分發給他們。 17 又分發給按著家族登記在家譜上的祭司,也按著班次職責分給二十歲及以上的利未人。 18 又按照家譜的登記,分給他們的全體的小孩、妻子和兒女,因為他們忠心地自潔成聖。 19 至於住在各城郊野作祭司的亞倫的子孫,在各城裡都有按名字指定的人,把應得的分分發給祭司中所有的男子,和所有登記在家譜中的利未人。

希西家行耶和華喜悅的

20 希西家在猶大全地都這樣行,他在耶和華他的 神面前行良善、正直和誠實的事。 21 他經辦的一切事,無論是關於神殿的事奉,或是關於律法和誡命的遵行,他都尋求他的 神。因為他盡心去行,所以盡都順利。

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.