2 Chronicles 31:1-12

31:1 When all this was over, the Israelites ¹  who were in the cities of Judah went out and smashed the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and demolished ²  all the high places and altars throughout Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. ³  Then all the Israelites returned to their own homes in their cities. ⁴ 

The People Contribute to the Temple

31:2 Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and Levites to do their assigned tasks ⁵  – to offer burnt sacrifices and present offerings and to serve, give thanks, and offer praise in the gates of the Lord’s sanctuary. ⁶ 

31:3 The king contributed ⁷  some of what he owned for burnt sacrifices, including the morning and evening burnt sacrifices and the burnt sacrifices made on Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and at other appointed times prescribed ⁸  in the law of the Lord. 31:4 He ordered ⁹  the people living in Jerusalem ¹⁰  to contribute the portion prescribed for the priests and Levites so they might be obedient ¹¹  to the law of the Lord. 31:5 When the edict was issued, ¹²  the Israelites freely contributed ¹³  the initial portion of their grain, wine, olive oil, honey, and all the produce of their fields. They brought a tenth of everything, which added up to a huge amount. 31:6 The Israelites and people of Judah ¹⁴  who lived in the cities of Judah also contributed a tenth of their cattle and sheep, as well as a tenth of the holy items consecrated to the Lord their God. They brought them and placed them in many heaps. ¹⁵  31:7 In the third month they began piling their contributions in heaps ¹⁶  and finished in the seventh month. 31:8 When Hezekiah and the officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and pronounced blessings on his people Israel. ¹⁷ 

31:9 When Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps, 31:10 Azariah, the head priest from the family of Zadok, said to him, “Since the contributions began arriving in the Lord’s temple, we have had plenty to eat and have a large quantity left over. For the Lord has blessed his people, and this large amount remains.” 31:11 Hezekiah ordered that storerooms be prepared in the Lord’s temple. When this was done, ¹⁸  31:12 they brought in the contributions, tithes, ¹⁹  and consecrated items that had been offered. ²⁰  Konaniah, a Levite, was in charge of all this, assisted by his brother Shimei.

[31:1]  ¹ tn Heb “all Israel.”

[31:1]  ² tn Or “tore down.”

[31:1]  ³ tn Heb “the high places and the altars from all Judah and Benjamin and in Ephraim and in Manasseh until finished.”

[31:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “and the sons of Israel returned, each to his possession to their cities.”

[31:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “and Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites according to their divisions, each in accordance with his service for the priests and for the Levites.”

[31:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “in the gates of the encampments of the Lord.”

[31:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “the portion of the king [was].”

[31:3]  ⁸ tn Heb “as written.”

[31:4]  ⁹ tn Heb “said to.”

[31:4]  ¹⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[31:4]  ¹¹ tn Heb “might hold firmly.”

[31:5]  ¹² tn Heb “and when the word spread out.”

[31:5]  ¹³ tn Heb “the sons of Israel multiplied.”

[31:6]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “and the sons of Israel and Judah.”

[31:6]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “heaps, heaps.” Repetition of the noun draws attention to the large number of heaps.

[31:7]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “they began the heaps, to establish.”

[31:8]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “they blessed the Lord and his people Israel.”

[31:11]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “and they prepared.”

[31:12]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “tenth.”

[31:12]  ²⁰ tn Heb “and holy things in faithfulness.”