2 Chronicles 31

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.

1When all this was finished, the Israelites who were there went out to the towns of Judah. They smashed the stone pillars used to worship other gods. They cut down the wooden poles set up for the goddess Asherah. They tore down the altars and hilltop worship spots in Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. They kept going until every one was gone. Then all the Israelites went back home to their own towns and land.

NoteThe "groves" in the old wording were not gardens. They were tall wooden poles set up to worship a goddess named Asherah. The "high places" were open-air worship spots, often on a hill.

2And 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 the LORD.

2Hezekiah set the priests and Levites back into their work groups. Priests offered the gifts at the altar. Levites helped them and led the singing. Each man had his own job. Some handled the burnt offerings and the peace offerings. Some served, gave thanks, and sang praise at the gates of the LORD's house.

3He 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 the LORD.

3The king gave part of his own goods for the burnt offerings. This paid for the morning and evening offerings every day. It also paid for the offerings on Sabbath days, new moon days, and the special feast days. The law of the LORD said to do it this way.

NoteA "new moon" day was the first day of a month. People knew the month had started when they saw the thin new moon.

4Moreover 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 the LORD.

4He also told the people living in Jerusalem to give a share to the priests and Levites. Then those men could spend their time on the law of the LORD.

5And 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.

5As soon as the order went out, the Israelites brought in a lot. They brought the first and best of their grain, new wine, oil, and honey. They brought the first of everything their fields grew. They also brought a tenth of all they had.

Note"Corn" in the old English means grain of any kind, like wheat or barley. It does not mean the yellow corn we eat today.

6And 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 the LORD their God, and laid them by heaps.

6The people of Israel and Judah who lived in Judah's towns brought gifts too. They brought one out of every ten cattle and sheep. They brought a tenth of the holy gifts set apart for the LORD their God. They laid it all down in big piles.

7In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.

7They started building the piles in the third month. They finished in the seventh month.

8And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD, and his people Israel.

8Hezekiah and his leaders came and looked at the piles. They praised the LORD and asked good things for his people Israel.

9Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.

9Then Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the piles.

10And 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 LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.

10Azariah, the chief priest from the family of Zadok, answered him. He said, "Since the people started bringing gifts to the LORD's house, we have had plenty to eat. There is still a lot left over. The LORD has blessed his people. All this extra is what is left."

11Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the LORD; and they prepared them,

11Then Hezekiah told them to get storerooms ready in the LORD's house. So they got them ready.

12And 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.

12They carefully brought in the gifts, the tenths, and the things set apart for God. Cononiah the Levite was the man in charge of it all. His brother Shimei was his helper.

13And 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 God.

13Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were the watchers over the work. They worked under Cononiah and his brother Shimei. King Hezekiah and Azariah, the leader of God's house, had picked them.

14And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the oblations of the LORD, and the most holy things.

14Kore son of Imnah, a Levite, was the guard at the east gate. He was in charge of the gifts people gave just because they wanted to. He handed out the offerings brought to the LORD and the most holy gifts.

15And 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:

15Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah worked under him. They lived in the towns where the priests lived. They gave out shares to the other priests, group by group. The oldest and the youngest all got a share.

16Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even unto every one that entereth into the house of the LORD, his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses;

16They also gave a share to the males written in the family lists, from three years old and up. These were the ones who came to the LORD's house for their daily work with their own group.

17Both 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;

17The priests were written in the lists by their families. The Levites were written down from twenty years old and up, by their jobs and their groups.

18And 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:

18The lists also included all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. Everyone in the whole group was counted. They had faithfully kept themselves set apart for God.

19Also 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.

19Some priests from the family of Aaron lived on farmland outside their towns. In each town, men were picked by name for a job. They gave a share to every male among the priests. They gave a share to every Levite on the family lists.

20And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.

20This is what Hezekiah did all through Judah. He did what was good and right and true before the LORD his God.

21And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

21He worked hard at everything he started. He worked on the service of God's house, and on the law and the commands. He was trying to follow his God with his whole heart. And things went well for him.