1When all this had ended, the Israelites who were there went out to the towns of Judah, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. They destroyed the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin and in Ephraim and Manasseh. After they had destroyed all of them, the Israelites returned to their own towns and to their own property.
Contributions for Worship
2Hezekiah assigned the priests and Levites to divisions—each of them according to their duties as priests or Levites—to offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, to minister, to give thanks and to sing praises at the gates of the Lord’s dwelling. 3The king contributed from his own possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moons and at the appointed festivals as written in the Law of the Lord. 4He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord. 5As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, olive oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything. 6The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the Lord their God, and they piled them in heaps. 7They began doing this in the third month and finished in the seventh month. 8When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and blessed his people Israel.
9Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps; 10and Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok, answered, “Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the Lord has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over.”
11Hezekiah gave orders to prepare storerooms in the temple of the Lord, and this was done. 12Then they faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts. Konaniah, a Levite, was the overseer in charge of these things, and his brother Shimei was next in rank. 13Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath and Benaiah were assistants of Konaniah and Shimei his brother. All these served by appointment of King Hezekiah and Azariah the official in charge of the temple of God.
14Kore son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the East Gate, was in charge of the freewill offerings given to God, distributing the contributions made to the Lord and also the consecrated gifts. 15Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shekaniah assisted him faithfully in the towns of the priests, distributing to their fellow priests according to their divisions, old and young alike.
16In addition, they distributed to the males three years old or more whose names were in the genealogical records—all who would enter the temple of the Lord to perform the daily duties of their various tasks, according to their responsibilities and their divisions. 17And they distributed to the priests enrolled by their families in the genealogical records and likewise to the Levites twenty years old or more, according to their responsibilities and their divisions. 18They included all the little ones, the wives, and the sons and daughters of the whole community listed in these genealogical records. For they were faithful in consecrating themselves.
19As for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who lived on the farm lands around their towns or in any other towns, men were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among them and to all who were recorded in the genealogies of the Levites.
20This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. 21In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.
Sehemu Za Ibada Za Kipagani Zaondolewa
131:1 2Fal 18:4; Isa 36:7; 2Nya 13:14Baada ya mambo haya yote kumalizika, Waisraeli ambao walikuwako huko wakaenda kwenye miji ya Yuda, wakayavunja yale mawe ya kuabudia na kuzikatakata zile nguzo za Ashera. Wakabomoa mahali pa juu pa kuabudia miungu pamoja na madhabahu zake kila mahali katika Yuda na Benyamini na katika Efraimu na Manase. Baada ya kuviharibu hivi vyote, Waisraeli wakarudi katika miji yao wenyewe na kwenye milki zao.
231:2 2Nya 29:9; Za 71:22; 1Nya 23:28-32; 15:2Hezekia akawapanga makuhani na Walawi katika migawanyo, kila mgawanyo kulingana na wajibu wao, kama ni makuhani au Walawi, ili kutoa sadaka za kuteketezwa na sadaka za amani, kuhudumu, kushukuru na kuimba sifa katika malango ya makao ya Bwana. 331:3 1Nya 29:3; Eze 45:17; Hes 28:1; 29:40Mfalme akatoa matoleo kutoka mali zake mwenyewe kwa ajili ya sadaka za kuteketezwa za asubuhi na za jioni na sadaka za kuteketezwa kwa siku za Sabato, kwa Sikukuu za Mwezi Mwandamo na kwa ajili ya sikukuu zilizoamriwa kama ilivyoandikwa katika Sheria ya Bwana. 431:4 Neh 13:10-12; Mal 2:7; 1Kor 9:13; Hes 18:8Akawaagiza watu wanaoishi Yerusalemu watoe sehemu iliyo haki ya makuhani na Walawi ili waweze kujitoa kikamilifu kutimiza wajibu wao katika Sheria ya Bwana. 531:5 Neh 13:12; Eze 44:30; Kum 12:17; 1Kor 15:20; Kut 22:29; 23:19; Hes 18:12; Eze 20:40; Yak 1:18; Mit 3:9Mara tu baada ya kutolewa tangazo hilo, Waisraeli wakatoa kwa ukarimu malimbuko ya nafaka zao, divai mpya, mafuta na asali pamoja na vyote vilivyotoka mashambani. Wakaleta kiasi kikubwa cha fungu la kumi la kila kitu. 631:6 Law 27:30; Neh 13:10-12; Kum 14:28; Rut 3:7Watu wa Israeli na Yuda walioishi katika miji ya Yuda wakaleta pia fungu la kumi la makundi yao ya ngʼombe na makundi ya kondoo na mbuzi pia na fungu la kumi la vitu vitakatifu vilivyowekwa wakfu kwa ajili ya Bwana Mungu wao na kuvikusanya katika malundo. 731:7 Kut 23:16Wakaanza kufanya haya katika mwezi wa tatu na kumaliza katika mwezi wa saba. 831:8 Za 144:13-15; Mwa 14:19; 2Sam 6:18; Kum 33:29; 1Fal 8:55-56; 2Nya 6:3; Za 33:12; 144:15Wakati Hezekia na maafisa wake walipokuja na kuona yale malundo, wakamsifu Bwana na kuwabariki watu wake Israeli.
9Hezekia akawauliza makuhani na Walawi kuhusu yale malundo, 1031:10 2Sam 8:17; Kut 36:5; Hag 2:19; Mal 3:10-12naye Azaria aliyekuwa kuhani mkuu, kutoka jamaa ya Sadoki, akajibu, “Tangu watu walipoanza kuleta sadaka zao katika Hekalu la Bwana tumekuwa na chakula cha kutosha na vingi vya kuweka akiba kwa sababu Bwana amewabariki watu wake, hivyo tumekuwa na kiasi kingi kilichobaki.”
Kutambuliwa Kwa Makuhani Na Walawi
11Hezekia akatoa agizo la kutengeneza vyumba vya ghala katika Hekalu la Bwana nalo hili likafanyika. 1231:12 2Nya 35:9; Neh 13:13Kisha kwa uaminifu wakaleta sadaka zao, mafungu yao ya kumi na vitu vilivyowekwa wakfu. Konania Mlawi, ndiye alikuwa msimamizi wa vitu hivi na Shimei ndugu yake ndiye alikuwa msaidizi wake. 13Yehieli, Azazia, Nahathi, Asaheli, Yeremothi, Yozabadi, Elieli, Ismakia, Mahathi na Benaya walikuwa waangalizi chini ya Konania na Shimei ndugu yake, waliokuwa wamewekwa na Mfalme Hezekia na Azaria, afisa msimamizi wa Hekalu la Mungu.
14Kore mwana wa Imna, Mlawi, bawabu wa Lango la Mashariki, alikuwa msimamizi wa sadaka za hiari zilizotolewa kwa Mungu, akiyagawanya hayo matoleo yaliyotolewa kwa Bwana na pia zile sadaka zilizowekwa wakfu. 1531:15 2Nya 29:12; Yos 21:9-19Edeni, Miniamini, Yeshua, Shemaya, Amaria na Shekania walimsaidia kwa uaminifu katika miji ya makuhani, wakiwagawia makuhani wenzao kufuatana na migawanyo yao, wazee kwa vijana sawasawa.
1631:16 1Nya 23:3; Ezr 3:4Zaidi ya hao wakawagawia wanaume wenye umri wa miaka mitatu au zaidi ambao majina yao yalikuwa kwenye orodha ya vizazi, wale wote ambao wangeingia katika Hekalu la Bwana ili kufanya kazi zao mbalimbali za kila siku kulingana na wajibu katika mgawanyo wao. 1731:17 1Nya 23:24, 27Kuandikishwa kwa makuhani kulikuwa kwa kufuata chimbuko la nyumba za baba zao na Walawi kuanzia umri wa miaka ishirini au zaidi ilikuwa kufuatana na huduma zao, kwa migawanyo yao. 18Makuhani waliandikishwa pamoja na watoto wao wadogo, wake zao, watoto wao wa kiume na wa kike, jamii yote iliandikishwa kwa kufuata orodha ya vizazi vyao. Kwa kuwa walikuwa waaminifu katika kujitakasa.
1931:19 Law 25:34; 2Nya 31:12-15; Hes 35:2Kuhusu makuhani, wazao wa Aroni walioishi kwenye mashamba yaliyozunguka miji yao au katika miji mingine yoyote, watu walitajwa majina ili kumgawia kila mwanaume miongoni mwao na kwa wote waliokuwa katika orodha ya vizazi vya Walawi.
2031:20 2Fal 20:3; 22:2; 1The 2:10; 1Fal 15:5; Yn 1:47Hivi ndivyo Hezekia alivyofanya katika Yuda yote, akifanya lile lililo jema, sawa na la uaminifu mbele za Bwana Mungu wake. 2131:21 Kum 29:9; Mit 3:9; Yos 4:7; Mal 3:10; 1Tim 4:8Naye katika kila kitu alichofanya katika huduma kwenye Hekalu la Mungu na katika utii kwa sheria na amri, alimtafuta Mungu wake na kufanya kazi kwa moyo wake wote. Naye hivyo akafanikiwa.
