< 2 Chronicles 31 >
1 Now, when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went forth unto the cities of Judah, and brake in pieces the pillars—and cut down the Sacred Stems—and threw down the high places and the altars, out of all Judah and Benjamin—and throughout Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had made an end, —then all the sons of Israel returned every man to his own possession, unto their own cities.
2 And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests, and the Levites, over their courses, every man according to the requirements of his service, both priests and Levites, for ascending-sacrifice and for peace-offerings, —to be in attendance and to give thanks and to offer praise, in the gates of the camps of Yahweh;
3 also the portion of the king out of his own substance, for the ascending-sacrifices, —[even] for the ascending-sacrifices of the morning and of the evening, and the ascending-sacrifices for the sabbaths, and for the new moons and for the appointed feasts, —as written in the law of Yahweh.
4 And he bade the people who were dwelling in Jerusalem give the portion of the priests and the Levites, —to the end they might persevere in the law of Yahweh.
5 And, as soon as the thing spread abroad, the sons of Israel caused to abound the firstfruit of corn, new wine, and oil, and honey, and all the increase of the field, -yea, the tithe of all—in abundance, brought they in.
6 And, as for the sons of Israel and Judah who were dwelling in the cities of Judah, even they, a tithe of oxen, and sheep, and a tithe of hallowed things, which had been hallowed unto Yahweh their God, did bring in and pile up—heaps, heaps.
7 In the third month, began they the heaps, at the foundation, —and, in the seventh, they finished.
8 And Hezekiah and the rulers came, and saw the heaps, —and blessed Yahweh, and his people Israel.
9 Then applied Hezekiah unto the priests and the Levites, concerning the heaps.
10 And Azariah, the chief priest of the house of Zadok, spake unto him, —and said—From the time of beginning to bring in, the heave-offering, into the house of Yahweh—to eat and to be full, there hath still been left, even to this abundance. For, Yahweh, hath blessed his people, and, that which is left, is this great plenty.
11 Then Hezekiah gave word to prepare chambers, in the house of Yahweh, and they prepared them;
12 and brought in the heave-offering and the tithe and the hallowed things, faithfully, —and, over them, as chief ruler, was Cononiah the Levite, and Shimei his brother, next;
13 and Jehiel and Azaziah and Nahath and Asahel and Jerimoth and Jozabad, and Eliel and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, —overseers under the direction of Cononiah and Shemei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the chief ruler of the house of God.
14 And, Kore, son of Imnah the Levite, the door-keeper on the east, was over the freewill offerings of God, —to give the heave-offering of Yahweh, and the most holy things.
15 And, under his direction, were Eden and Miniamin and Jeshua and Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in trust to give unto their brethren by courses, as the great so the small;
16 besides registering them by males, from three years old and upward, unto every one that entered into the house of Yahweh, in the need of a day upon its day, —by their service, in their watches, according to their courses:
17 both the registering of the priests, by their ancestral houses, and the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, —in their watches, in their courses;
18 even to the registering of all their little ones, their wives and their sons and their daughters, unto all the convocation, —for, in their trust, they hallowed themselves in holiness;
19 also unto the sons of Aaron the priests in the fields of the pasture land of their cities, in every several city, men who were expressed by name, —to give portions to every male among the priests, and to all registered among the Levites.
20 And Hezekiah did thus, throughout all Judah, —and he did that which was good and right and faithful, before Yahweh his God.
21 And, in all the work which he began in the service of the house of God—and in the law—and in the commandment, to seek unto his God, with all his heart, he wrought, and prospered.