Chronicles II 31

1 And when all these things were finished, all Israel that were found in the cities of Juda 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.

And when these things had been duly celebrated, all Israel that were found in the cities of Juda, went out, and they broke the idols, and cut down the groves. demolished the high places, and destroyed the altars, not only out of all Juda and Benjamin, but out of Ephraim also and Manasses, till they had utterly destroyed them: then all the children of Israel returned to their possessions and cities.

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 the Lord.

And Ezechias appointed companies of the priests, and the Levites, by their courses, every man in his own office, to wit, both of the priests, and of the Levites, for holocausts, and for peace offerings, to minister, and to praise, and to sing in the gates of the camp of the Lord.

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 the Lord.

And the king’s part was, that of his proper substance the holocaust should be offered always morning and evening, and on the sabbaths, and the new moons and the other solemnities, as it is written in the law of Moses.

4 And they told the people who lived in Jerusalem, to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be strong in the ministry of the house of the Lord.

He commanded also the people that dwelt in Jerusalem, to give to the priests, and the Levites their portion, that they might attend to the law of the Lord.

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 Juda brought tithes of everything abundantly.

Which when it was noised abroad in the ears of the people, the children of Israel offered in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey: and brought the tithe of all things which the ground bringeth forth.

6 And they that lived in the cities of Juda themselves also brought tithes of calves and sheep, and tithes of goats, and consecrated them to the Lord their God, and they brought them and laid them in heaps.

Moreover the children of Israel and Juda, that dwelt in the cities of Juda, brought in the tithes of oxen, and sheep, and the tithes of holy things, which they had vowed to the Lord their God: and carrying them all, made many heaps.

7 In the third month the heaps began to be piled, and in the seventh month they were finished.

In the third month they began to lay the foundations of the heaps, and in the seventh month, they finished them.

8 And Ezekias and the princes came and saw the heaps, and blessed the Lord, and his people Israel.

And when Ezechias and his princes came in, they saw the heaps, and they blessed the Lord and the people of Israel.

9 Then Ezekias enquired of the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.

And Ezechias asked the priests and the Levites, why the heaps lay so.

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 the Lord, we have eaten and drunk, and left even abundantly; for the Lord has blessed his people, and we have left to this amount.

Azarias the chief priest of the race of Sadoc answered him, saying: Since the firstfruits began to be offered in the house of the Lord, we have eaten, and have been filled, and abundance is left, because the Lord hath blessed his people: and of that which is left is this great store which thou seest.

11 And Ezekias told them yet farther to prepare chambers for the house of the Lord; and they prepared [them],

Then Ezechias commanded to prepare storehouses in the house of the Lord. And when they had done so,

12 and they brought there the first fruits and the tithes faithfully: and Chonenias the Levite was superintendent over them, and Semei his brother was next.

They brought in faithfully both the firstfruits, and the tithes, and all they had vowed. And the overseer of them was Chonenias the Levite, and Semei his brother was the second,

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 the Lord commanded.

And after him Jehiel, and Azarias, and Nahath, and Asael, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Jesmachias, and Mahath, and Banaias, overseers under the hand of Chonenias, and Semei his brother, by the commandment of Ezechias the king, and Azarias the high priest of the house of God, to whom all things appertained.

14 And Core, the [son] of Jemna the Levite, the porter eastward, [was] over the gifts, to distribute the first fruits of the Lord, and the most holy things,

But Core the son of Jemna the Levite, the porter of the east gate, was overseer of the things which were freely offered to the Lord, and of the firstfruits and the things dedicated for the holy of holies.

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;

And under his charge were Eden, and Benjamin, Jesue, and Semeias, and Amarias, and Sechenias, in the cities of the priests, to distribute faithfully portions to their brethren, both little and great:

16 besides the increase of males from three years old and upward, to every one entering into the house of the Lord, [a portion] according to a daily rate, for service in the daily courses of their order.

Besides the males from three years old and upward, to all that went into the temple of the Lord, and whatsoever there was need of in the ministry, and their offices according to their courses, day by day.

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,

To the priests by their families, and to the Levites from the twentieth year and upward, by their classes and companies.

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.

And to all the multitude, both to their wives, and to their children of both sexes, victuals were given faithfully out of the things that had been sanctified.

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 amongst the priests, and to every one reckoned amongst the Levites.

Also of the sons of Aaron who were in the fields and in the suburbs of each city, there were men appointed, to distribute portions to all the males, among the priests and the Levites.

20 And Ezekias did so through all Juda, and did that which was good and right before the Lord his God.

So Ezechias did all things, which we have said in all Juda, and wrought that which was good; and right, and truth, before the Lord his God,

21 And in every work which he began in service in the house of the Lord, and in the law, and in the ordinances, he sought his God with all his soul, and wrought, and prospered.

In all the service of the ministry of the house of the Lord according to the law and the ceremonies, desiring to seek his God with all his heart, and he did it and prospered,