In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the Lord his God.

They went to Hilkiah(A) the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the temple of God, which the Levites who were the gatekeepers had collected from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim and the entire remnant of Israel and from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 Then they entrusted it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the Lord’s temple. These men paid the workers who repaired and restored the temple. 11 They also gave money(B) to the carpenters and builders to purchase dressed stone, and timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.(C)

12 The workers labored faithfully.(D) Over them to direct them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descended from Kohath. The Levites—all who were skilled in playing musical instruments—(E) 13 had charge of the laborers(F) and supervised all the workers from job to job. Some of the Levites were secretaries, scribes and gatekeepers.

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In the eighteenth year of his reign, he continued his policy of purifying the land and the temple.[a] He sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the city official, and Joah son of Joahaz the secretary to repair the temple of the Lord his God. They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the silver that had been brought to God’s temple. The Levites who guarded the door had collected it from the people of[b] Manasseh and Ephraim and from all who were left in Israel, as well as from all the people of[c] Judah and Benjamin and the residents of[d] Jerusalem. 10 They handed it over to the construction foremen[e] assigned to the Lord’s temple. They in turn paid the temple workers to restore and repair it.[f] 11 They gave money to the craftsmen and builders to buy chiseled stone and wood for the braces and rafters of the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into disrepair.[g] 12 The men worked faithfully. Their supervisors were Jahath and Obadiah (Levites descended from Merari), as well as Zechariah and Meshullam (descendants of Kohath). The Levites, all of whom were skilled musicians, 13 supervised the laborers and all the foremen on their various jobs.[h] Some of the Levites were scribes, officials, and guards.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 34:8 tn Heb “to purify the land and the house.”
  2. 2 Chronicles 34:9 tn Heb “from Manasseh and Ephraim.” The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the names “Manasseh and Ephraim” here by metonymy for the people of Manasseh and Ephraim.
  3. 2 Chronicles 34:9 tn Heb “all Judah and Benjamin.” The words “the people of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the names “Judah and Benjamin” here by metonymy for the people of Judah and Benjamin.
  4. 2 Chronicles 34:9 tc The Hebrew consonantal text (Kethib) assumes the reading, “and the residents of.” The marginal reading (Qere) is “and they returned.”
  5. 2 Chronicles 34:10 tn Heb “doer[s] of the work.”
  6. 2 Chronicles 34:10 tn Heb “and they gave it to the doers of the work who were working in the house of the Lord to restore and to repair the house.”
  7. 2 Chronicles 34:11 tn Heb “of the houses that the kings of Judah had destroyed.”
  8. 2 Chronicles 34:13 tn Heb “[were] over the laborers and were directing every doer of work for work assignment and work assignment.”