31:1 And when all these things were
finished, all Israel that were found in the cities of Judah went out, and
broke in pieces the pillars, and cut down the groves, and tore down the high
places and the altars out of all Judea and Benjamin, also of Ephraim and
Manasse, till they made an end: and all Israel returned, every one to his
inheritance, and to their cities.
31:2 And Ezekias appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites, and
the courses of each one according to his ministry, to the priests and to the
Levites, for the whole-burnt-offering, and for the peace-offering, and to
praise, and to give thanks, and to minister in the gates, [and] in the
courts of the house of Yehovah.
31:3 And the king's proportion out of his substance [was appointed] for the
whole-burnt-offerings, the morning and the evening one, and the
whole-burnt-offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the
feasts that were ordered in the law of Yehovah.
31:4 And they told the people who dwelt in Jerusalem, to give the portion of
the priests and the Levites, that they might be strong in the ministry of
the house of Yehovah.
31:5 And as he gave the command, Israel brought abundantly first-fruits of
corn, and wine, and oil, and honey, and every fruit of the field: and the
children of Israel and Judah brought tithes of everything abundantly.
31:6 And they that dwelt in the cities of Judah themselves also brought
tithes of calves and sheep, and tithes of goats, and consecrated them to the
Lord their Elohim, and they brought them and laid tem in heaps.
31:7 In the third month the heaps began to be piled, and in the seventh
month they were finished.
31:8 And Ezekias and the princes came and saw the heaps, and blessed the
Lord, and his people Israel.
31:9 Then Ezekias enquired of the priests and the Levites concerning the
heaps.
31:10 And Azarias the priest, the chief over the house of Sadoc, spoke to
him, and said, From the time that the first-fruits began to be brought into
the house of Yehovah, we have eaten and drunk, and left even abundantly;
for Yehovah has blessed his people, and we have left to this amount.
31:11 And Ezekias told them yet farther to prepare chambers for the house of
Yehovah; and they prepared [them],
31:12 and they brought thither the first-fruits and the tithes faithfully:
and Chonenias the Levite was superintendent over them, and Semei his brother
was next.
31:13 and Jeiel, and Ozias, and Naeth, and Asael, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad,
and Eliel, and Samachia, and Maath, and Banaias, and his sons, were
appointed by Chonenias and Semei his brother, as Ezekias the king, and
Azarias who was over the house of Yehovah commanded.
31:14 And Core, the [son] of Jemna the Levite, the porter eastward, [was]
over the gifts, to distribute the first-fruits of Yehovah, and the most
holy things,
31:15 by the hand of Odom, and Benjamin, and Jesus, and Semei, and Amarias,
and Sechonias, by the hand of the priests faithfully, to give to their
brethren according to the courses, as well to great as small;
31:16 besides the increase of males from three years old and upward, to
every one entering into the house of Yehovah, [a portion] according to a
daily rate, for service in the daily courses of their order.
31:17 This [is] the distribution of the priests according to the houses of
their families; and the Levites in their daily courses from twenty years old
and upward [were] in [their] order,
31:18 to assign stations for all the increase of their sons and their
daughters, for the whole number: for they faithfully sanctified the holy
place.
1:19 As for the sons of Aaron that executed the priests' office,-- even
those from their cities the men in each several city who were named
expressly,-- [were appointed] to give a portion to every male among the
priests, and to every one reckoned among the Levites.
31:20 And Ezekias did so through all Judah, and did that which was good and
right before Yehovah his Elohim.
31:21 And in every work which he began in service in the house of Yehovah,
and in the law, and in the ordinances, he sought his Elohim with all his soul,
and wrought, and prospered. |
31:1 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.
31:2 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 Yehovah.
31:3 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 Yehovah.
31:4 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 Yehovah.
31:5 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.
31:6 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 Yehovah their Elohim, and
laid them by heaps.
31:7 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and
finished them in the seventh month.
31:8 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed
Yehovah, and his people Israel.
31:9 Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning
the heaps.
31:10 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
Yehovah, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for Yehovah hath
blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.
31:11 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of Yehovah;
and they prepared them,
31:12 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.
31:13 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 Elohim.
31:14 And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east, was
over the freewill offerings of Elohim, to distribute the oblations of Yehovah,
and the most holy things.
31:15 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:
31:16 Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even
unto every one that entereth into the house of Yehovah, his daily portion
for their service in their charges according to their courses;
31:17 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;
31:18 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:
31:19 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.
31:20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was
good and right and truth before Yehovah his Elohim.
31:21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of Elohim,
and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his Elohim, he did it with all
his heart, and prospered. |