2 Chronicles 31

1 When all [everything, every aspect] this had ended [come to a close, finished], the Israelites [descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] in attendance [present, gathered] went out to the cities [towns, inhabited places] of Judah [the tribe of Judah, a region in Israel] and broke up [shattered, demolished] the sacred pillars [memorials, monuments], chopped down [cut down, hewed] the Asherah poles [idols, images of the goddess Asherah], and tore down [destroyed, threw down] the high places [elevated areas, cultic platforms] and altars [places of sacrifice, worship] throughout [all of, in every part of] Judah and Benjamin [the tribes of Judah and Benjamin], as well as [also, in addition to] in Ephraim [the tribe of Ephraim, a region in Israel] and Manasseh [the tribe of Manasseh, a region in Israel], until [as far as, to the point where] they had utterly destroyed [completely demolished, ruined] them all [everything, every last one]. Then [after that, afterwards] all the Israelites [descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] returned [turned back, went back] to their cities [towns, inhabited places], each [every individual, person] to his own property [possession, inheritance]. word study 2 Hezekiah [the faithful king] reestablished the divisions [courses, groups] of the priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] and Levites [assistants to the priests, descendants of Levi]—each of them according to their duties [assigned tasks, responsibilities] as priests [ministers of God] or Levites [servants of God]—for the burnt offerings [sacrifices completely consumed by fire, acts of worship] and peace offerings [voluntary sacrifices, expressions of gratitude], for ministry [service to God and others], for giving thanks [expressing gratitude, praise], and for singing praises [worshiping with music, celebration] at the gates [entrances, thresholds] of the LORD’s [Yehovah, the covenant God] dwelling [temple, place of worship]. word study 3 The king [as a royal person, the monarch] contributed from his own possessions [private property, substance] for the regular morning [at the break of day] and evening [at sunset] burnt offerings [ascent to the altar, sacrifices] and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths [days of rest, worship], New Moons [lunar cycle, beginning of the month], and appointed feasts [set times, sacred seasons], as written [recorded, inscribed] in the Law [instruction, guidance] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 4 Moreover, he commanded the people living [dwelling, inhabiting] in Jerusalem [the city of peace] to make a contribution [to give, to provide, their portion] for the priests [the spiritual leaders, mediators] and Levites [the descendants of Levi, assistants to the priests] so that they could devote [give themselves, be strong, encouraged] themselves to the Law [instruction, teachings, commandments] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God, The covenant Name of God]. word study 5 As soon as the order [commandment, message] went out, the Israelites [sons of Israel, descendants of Jacob] generously provided the firstfruits [initial harvest, beginning of the crop] of the grain [wheat], new wine [freshly squeezed, fermented], oil [producing light, for anointing], and honey [a sweet and valuable food], and of all [everything, the whole] the produce [income, crops] of the field [land, flat area for cultivation], and they brought in an abundance [greatness, plenty]—a tithe [tenth part] of everything [all, the whole]. word study 6 And the Israelites [sons of Jacob, descendants of the faithful] and Judahites [people of the tribe of Judah] who lived [dwelt, resided] in the cities [towns, settlements] of Judah also brought [offered, gave] a tithe [a tenth part, a portion] of their herds [cattle, oxen] and flocks [sheep, goats] and a tithe [a tenth part, a portion] of the holy things [consecrated items, sacred gifts] consecrated [set apart, dedicated] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] their God [Elohim, the one true God], and they laid [placed, arranged] them in large heaps [piles, accumulations]. word study 7 In the third [initial, beginning] month they began [to lay the foundation, started] building up [establishing, founding] the heaps [piles, stacks], and they finished [completed, ended] in the seventh month. word study 8 When Hezekiah [the son of Ahaz, a king of Judah] and his officials [rulers, leaders] came [approached, entered] and viewed [saw, looked at] the heaps [piles, stores of goods], they blessed [praised, honored] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] and His people [nation, descendants] Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, God’s chosen people]. word study 9 Then Hezekiah [inquired of, sought insight from] questioned [to seek, ask about] the priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] and Levites [descendants of Levi, worship assistants] about [concerning, regarding] the heaps [piles, accumulations of goods], word study 10 and Azariah [spiritual leader], the chief priest of the household [family, lineage] of Zadok, answered him, “Since the people began to bring their contributions [offerings, gifts] into the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], we have had enough to eat [been satisfied, filled] and there is plenty [an abundance, more than enough] left over, because the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] has blessed [praised, honored] His people; this great abundance [overflow, surplus] is what is left over [remaining, excess].” word study 11 Then Hezekiah [the king of Judah, son of Ahaz] commanded [to say, spoke, gave orders] them to prepare [to establish, set up, appoint] storerooms [chambers, rooms, storehouses] in the house [the temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], and they did [established, set up, prepared] so. word study 12 And they faithfully [with trust and loyalty, in a steadfast manner] brought in the contributions [offerings], tithes [a tenth of one’s income], and dedicated gifts [holy things, set apart for God]. Conaniah [Jehovah has established, a leader] the Levite [a descendant of Levi, a priestly tribe] was the officer [ruler, leader] in charge of them, and his brother [male sibling, close relative] Shimei [famous, renowned] was second [next in rank]. word study 13 Jehiel [a servant of God], Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers [officials in charge, leaders] under the authority [hand, direction] of Conaniah and his brother [close relative, kin] Shimei, by appointment [command, designation] of King [ruler, monarch] Hezekiah and of Azariah the chief official [leader, ruler] of the house [temple, dwelling place] of God [Elohim, the supreme Being]. word study 14 Kore [a Levite descendant] son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper [gatekeeper, porter] of the East [direction of sunrise] Gate, was in charge of the freewill offerings [voluntary gifts, spontaneous donations] given to God [Elohim, the supreme Being], distributing the contributions [offerings, tributes] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] and the consecrated [set-apart, holy] gifts [sacred donations, holy things]. word study 15 Under his [divine] authority [and guidance], Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah faithfully [with trust and loyalty] distributed portions [allocations, shares] to their fellow priests [brothers in ministry] in their cities [towns, communities], according to their divisions [sections, groups], old [elderly, mature] and young [youthful, immature] alike [equally, without distinction]. word study 16 In addition, they distributed portions to the males [who were reckoned by genealogy] registered by genealogy who were three [or older, from the age of] years of age or older—to all who would enter [go into, approach] the house [temple, dwelling place] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] for their daily [each day, day by day] duties for service [work, ministry] in the responsibilities [charges, offices] of their divisions [sections, courses]— word study 17 and to the priests [spiritual leaders, ministers] enrolled [listed, recorded] according to their families [households, genealogical lines] in the genealogy [family history, lineage], as well as to the Levites [descendants of Levi, temple servants] twenty years of age or older [from twenty years old and upward], according to their duties [responsibilities, assignments] and divisions [groups, courses]. word study 18 The genealogy [including family records, enrollment] included all the little ones [children, infants], wives [women], sons, and daughters [female children] in the whole assembly [congregation, gathering]. For they had faithfully [in their office of trust, with firmness and security] consecrated [set apart, sanctified] themselves as holy [in holiness, sacred]. word study 19 As for the priests [the spiritual leaders, descendants of Aaron], the descendants of Aaron [the first high priest, brother of Moses], who lived on the farmlands [fields, pasture lands] around each of their cities [towns, settlements] or in any other city [town, village], men [individuals, males] were designated by name [specifically appointed, chosen] to distribute a portion [a share, an allocation] to every male [man, male descendant] among the priests [the spiritual leaders, ministers] and to every Levite [a descendant of Levi, a tribe of Israel] listed by the genealogies [family records, ancestral lines]. word study 20 So this [thus, in this manner] is what Hezekiah [a king of Judah] did throughout [in all of] Judah. He did what was [considered to be] good [pleasant, beneficial] and upright [straight, just] and true [faithful, trustworthy] before [in the presence of] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] his God [Elohim, the one true deity]. word study 21 He was diligent [sincere in his commitment, with serious purpose] in every work [deed, action] that he began [started, initiated] in the service [ministry, worship] of the house [place, temple] of God [Elohim, the one supreme God], and in the law [instruction, commandments] and the commandments [rules, guidelines], in order to seek [search, ask] his God [with all his heart, sincerely]. And so he prospered [was successful, rushed forward]. word study