New American Standard Bible 2020

2 Chronicles 31

Idols Are Destroyed

1Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, 1broke the memorial stones in pieces, cut down the 2Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until 3they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession.

2And Hezekiah appointed 4the divisions of the priests and the Levites by their divisions, each according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, 5for 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

3He also appointed 6the 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, 7as it is written in the Law of the Lord. 4Also he told the people who lived in Jerusalem to give 8the portion due to the priests and the Levites, so that they might devote themselves to 9the Law of the Lord. 5As soon as the 10order 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 11the tithe of everything. 6The sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and 12the tithe of 13sacred gifts which were consecrated to the Lord their God, and placed them in heaps. 7In the third month they began to 14make the heaps, and they finished them by the seventh month. 8When Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and 15His people Israel. 9Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10Azariah, the chief priest 16of the house of Zadok, said to 17him, “18Since 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.”

11Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare 19rooms in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. 12They faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the consecrated things; and Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge 20of them, and his brother Shimei was second. 13Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers 21under the authority of Conaniah and his brother Shimei by the appointment of King Hezekiah, and 22Azariah was the chief officer of the house of God. 14Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the eastern gate, was in charge of the 23voluntary offerings for God, to distribute the contributions for the Lord and the most holy things. 15 24Under his authority were 25Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in 26the cities of the priests, to distribute their portions faithfully to their brothers by divisions, whether great or small, 16without regard to their genealogical enrollment, to the males from 27 28thirty years old and upward--everyone who entered the house of the Lord 29for his daily obligations--for their work in their duties according to their divisions; 17as well as the priests who were enrolled genealogically according to their fathers’ households, and the Levites 30from twenty years old and upward, by their duties and their divisions. 18The genealogical enrollment included 31all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, for the whole assembly, for they consecrated themselves 32faithfully in holiness. 19Also for the sons of Aaron, the priests, who were in 33the pasture lands of their cities, or in each and every city, 34there were men who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone genealogically enrolled among the Levites.

20Hezekiah did this throughout Judah; and 35he did what was good, right, and true before the Lord his God. 21Every 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 36prospered.

Notes

1. 2 Chronicles 31:1 2 Kin 18:4 ↩
2. 2 Chronicles 31:1 I.e., wooden symbols of a female deity (Asherah) ↩
3. 2 Chronicles 31:1 Lit to completion ↩
4. 2 Chronicles 31:2 1 Chr 24:1 ↩
5. 2 Chronicles 31:2 1 Chr 23:28-31 ↩
6. 2 Chronicles 31:3 2 Chr 35:7 ↩
7. 2 Chronicles 31:3 Num 28:1-29:40 ↩
8. 2 Chronicles 31:4 Num 18:8 ↩
9. 2 Chronicles 31:4 Mal 2:7 ↩
10. 2 Chronicles 31:5 Lit word ↩
11. 2 Chronicles 31:5 Neh 13:12 ↩
12. 2 Chronicles 31:6 Lev 27:30; Deut 14:28 ↩
13. 2 Chronicles 31:6 Lit consecrated things ↩
14. 2 Chronicles 31:7 Lit lay ↩
15. 2 Chronicles 31:8 Deut 33:29; Ps 33:12; 144:15 ↩
16. 2 Chronicles 31:10 1 Chr 6:8, 9 ↩
17. 2 Chronicles 31:10 Lit him, and he said ↩
18. 2 Chronicles 31:10 Mal 3:10 ↩
19. 2 Chronicles 31:11 1 Kin 6:5, 8 ↩
20. 2 Chronicles 31:12 2 Chr 35:9 ↩
21. 2 Chronicles 31:13 Lit from the hand of ↩
22. 2 Chronicles 31:13 2 Chr 31:10 ↩
23. 2 Chronicles 31:14 Or freewill offerings ↩
24. 2 Chronicles 31:15 Lit On his hand ↩
25. 2 Chronicles 31:15 2 Chr 29:12 ↩
26. 2 Chronicles 31:15 Josh 21:9-19 ↩
27. 2 Chronicles 31:16 Heb three ↩
28. 2 Chronicles 31:16 1 Chr 23:3 ↩
29. 2 Chronicles 31:16 Ezra 3:4 ↩
30. 2 Chronicles 31:17 1 Chr 23:24 ↩
31. 2 Chronicles 31:18 Lit with all ↩
32. 2 Chronicles 31:18 Lit in their faithfulness ↩
33. 2 Chronicles 31:19 Lev 25:34; Num 35:2-5 ↩
34. 2 Chronicles 31:19 2 Chr 31:12-15 ↩
35. 2 Chronicles 31:20 2 Kin 20:3; 22:2 ↩
36. 2 Chronicles 31:21 Deut 29:9; Prov 3:9, 10 ↩

Idols Are Destroyed

Reforms Continued

Notes

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 31