1Now 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.31.1 present: Heb. found31.1 images: Heb. statues31.1 until…: Heb. until to make an end
2¶ And 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. 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. 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.
5¶ And 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.31.5 came…: Heb. brake forth31.5 honey: or, dates 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.31.6 by heaps: Heb. heaps, heaps 7In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. 8And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD, and his people Israel. 9Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 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.
11¶ Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the LORD; and they prepared them,31.11 chambers: or, storehouses 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. 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.31.13 under…: Heb. at the hand 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. 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:31.15 next…: Heb. at his hand31.15 set…: or, trust 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; 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; 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:31.18 set…: or, trust 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.
20¶ And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth 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.
希西迦的改革
1當一切都辦妥後，所有在場的以色列人就前往猶大各城邑，打碎神柱，砍倒亞舍拉神像，又拆毀猶大、便雅憫、以法蓮、瑪拿西境內所有的邱壇和祭壇，然後各自返回自己的城邑和家園。
2希西迦分派祭司和利未人的班次，使他們各司其職，獻上燔祭和平安祭，在耶和華殿門內事奉，稱謝、頌讚耶和華。 3王又從自己的產業中劃分出一部分作為早晚的燔祭，以及安息日、朔日及耶和華律法規定的其他節期的燔祭。
4他又吩咐耶路撒冷的居民將祭司和利未人當得的份交給他們，好使他們專心執行耶和華的律法。 5諭旨一出，以色列人就獻出許多初熟的五穀、新酒、新油、蜂蜜、田間的出產及各樣物品的十分之一，數量極多。 6住在猶大各城的以色列人和猶大人也送來牛羊的十分之一，以及獻給他們的上帝耶和華的聖物，就是十一奉獻，把它們堆積成堆。 7他們從三月開始堆積，到七月才結束。 8希西迦與眾官員來了，看見堆積起來的供物，就稱頌耶和華，又為耶和華的以色列子民祝福。 9希西迦向祭司和利未人詢問這些供物的事， 10撒督家族的亞撒利雅大祭司回答說：「自從民眾把這些供物送到耶和華的殿裡以來，我們不但吃得飽，還剩下許多。因為耶和華賜福給祂的子民，所以才有這麼多剩餘。」
11於是，希西迦下令在耶和華的殿裡預備庫房。他們預備好後， 12便忠心地把供物、十一奉獻和聖物放進庫房。利未人歌楠雅總管這事，他的兄弟示每做助手。 13耶歇、亞撒細雅、拿哈、亞撒黑、耶利末、約撒拔、以列、伊斯瑪基雅、瑪哈和比拿雅做監督協助歌楠雅和他兄弟示每，他們都是希西迦王和管理上帝殿的亞撒利雅指派的。 14看守東門的利未人音拿的兒子可利，負責管理民眾自願獻給上帝的禮物，以及分發獻給耶和華的供物和至聖之物。 15伊甸、珉雅珉、耶書亞、示瑪雅、亞瑪利雅和示迦尼雅在祭司所在的各城忠心地協助可利，按照班次，不分老幼，將物品分給他們的弟兄。 16此外，他們還分給三歲及三歲以上、姓名記在家譜上、每天在耶和華的殿中按班次供職的男子， 17並分給按宗族登記在家譜上的祭司，按班次和職任分給二十歲及二十歲以上的利未人， 18也按照家譜分給他們的妻子兒女，因為他們誠心潔淨自己。 19至於住在各城郊野做祭司的亞倫子孫，各城都有指定的人把應得之份分給祭司中所有的男子和登記在家譜上的利未人。
20希西迦在猶大全境都如此行，做他的上帝耶和華視為良善、正直和忠心的事。 21無論是在上帝的殿中事奉，還是遵行律法和誡命，他都尋求他的上帝，盡心去做。因此，他行事順利。
