CHAP. XXXI.
Idolatry is abolished; and provisions
made for the ministers.
1 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 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 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 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 Which when it was noised
abroad in the ears of the
people, the children of Israel
offered in abundance the first-fruits
of corn, wine, and
oil, and honey: and brought
the tithe of all things, which
the ground bringeth forth.
6 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 they
began to lay the foundations
of the heaps, and in the seventh
month they finished
them.
8 And when Ezechias and
his princes came in, they saw
the heaps, and they blessed
-- --
the Lord and the people of Israel.
9 And Ezechias asked the
priests and the Levites, why
the heaps lay so:
10 Azarias the chief priest
of the race of Sadoc answered
him, saying: Since the
first-fruits 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 Then Ezechias commanded
to prepare store-houses
in the house of the Lord.
And when they had done
so,
12 They brought in faithfully
both the first-fruits, 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 after him Jahiel,
and Azarias, and Nahath, and
Asael, and Jerimoth, and Josabad,
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 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 first-fruits and the things
dedicated for the holies of holies.
15 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 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 ministery, and their offices
according to their courses,
day by day.
17 To the priests by their
families, and to the Levites
from the twentieth year and
upward, by their classes and
companies,
18 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 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 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 In all the service of the
ministery 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.
Challoner [1752], THE NEW TESTAMENT OF Our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. Translated out of the Latin Vulgat Diligently compared with the original Greek And first published by the English College of Rhemes, anno 1582. Newly revised, and corrected according to the Clementin Edition of the Scriptures. WITH ANNOTATIONS For clearing up modern Controversies in Religion, and other Difficulties of Holy Writ () [word count] [B12000].
