2 Chronicles 31

Chapter context

What is happening in 2 Chronicles 31?

templereformprayerjudgment

2 Chronicles 31 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as exile and Cyrus’s decree. Second Chronicles recounts Solomon’s temple, the Judahite kings, reform movements, the fall of Jerusalem, and Cyrus’s decree of return. Read this chapter with the wider themes of temple, reform, and prayer in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

¹ Now 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. 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. ³ He 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. ⁴ Moreover 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. ⁶ And 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. ⁷ In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. ⁸ And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD, and his people Israel. ⁹ Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. ¹⁰ And 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, ¹² And 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. ¹³ And 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. ¹⁴ And 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. ¹⁵ And 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: ¹⁶ Beside 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; ¹⁷ Both 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; ¹⁸ And 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: ¹⁹ Also 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. ²¹ And 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.

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Glossary

Benjamin Person v. 1: Son of my right hand. (1. ) The younger son of Jacob by Rachel ( Gen. 35:18 ). His birth took place at Ephrath, on the road between Bethel and Bethlehem, at a short distance from the latter place.
Hezekiah Person v. 2, 8-9, 11, 13, 20: Whom Jehovah has strengthened. (1. ) Son of Ahaz ( 2 Kings 18:1 ; 2 Chr. 29:1 ), whom he succeeded on the throne of the kingdom of Judah. He reigned twenty-nine years (B. C. 726-697).
Jerusalem Place v. 4: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Jerusalem.
Azariah Person v. 10, 13: Whom Jehovah helps. (1. ) Son of Ethan, of the tribe of Judah ( 1 Chr. 2:8 ). (2. ) Son of Ahimaaz, who succeeded his grandfather Zadok as high priest ( 1 Chr. 6:9 ; 1 Kings 4:2 ) in the days of Solomon.
Zadok Person v. 10: Righteous. (1. ) A son of Ahitub, of the line of Eleazer ( 2 Sam. 8:17 ; 1 Chr. 24:3 ), high priest in the time of David ( 2 Sam. 20:25 ) and Solomon ( 1 Kings 4:4 ).
Levite Tribe v. 12, 14: A descendant of the tribe of Levi ( Ex. 6:25 ; Lev. 25:32 ; Num. 35:2 ; Josh. 21:3 , 41).
Shimei Person v. 12-13: Famous. (1. ) A son of Gershon, and grandson of Levi ( Num. 3:18 ; 1 Chr. 6:17 , 29); called Shimi in Ex. 6:17 .
Asahel Person v. 13: Made by God, the youngest son of Zeruiah, David’s sister. He was celebrated for his swiftness of foot.
Azaziah Person v. 13: Whom Jehovah strengthened. (1. ) One of the Levitical harpers in the temple ( 1 Chr. 15:21 ). (2. ) The father of Hoshea, who was made ruler over the Ephraimites ( 1 Chr. 27:20 ).
Benaiah Person v. 13: Built up by Jehovah. (1. ) The son of Jehoiada, chief priest ( 1 Chr. 27:5 ). He was set by David over his body-guard of Cherethites and Pelethites ( 2 Sam. 8:18 ; 1 Kings 1:32 ; 1 Chr. 18:17 ).
Eliel Person v. 13: To whom God is might. (1. ) A chief of Manasseh, on the east of Jordan ( 1 Chr. 5:24 ). (2. ) A Gadite who joined David in the hold at Ziklag ( 1 Chr. 12:11 ).
Jerimoth Person v. 13: Heights. (1. ) One of the sons of Bela ( 1 Chr. 7:7 ). (2. ) 1 Chr. 24:30 , a Merarite Levite. (3. ) A Benjamite slinger who joined David at Ziklag ( 1 Chr. 12:5 ). (4. ) A Levitical musician under Heman his father.
Jozabad Tribe v. 13: Whom Jehovah bestows. (1. ) One of the Benjamite archers who joined David at Ziklag ( 1 Chr. 12:4 ). (2. ) A chief of the tribe of Manasseh ( 1 Chr. 12:20 ).
Mahath Person v. 13: Grasping. (1. ) A Kohathite Levite, father of Elkanah ( 1 Chr. 6:35 ). (2. ) Another Kohathite Levite, of the time of Hezekiah ( 2 Chr. 29:12 ).
Nahath Person v. 13: Rest. (1. ) One of the four sons of Reuel, the son of Esau ( Gen. 36:13 , 17). (2. ) A Kohathite Levite ( 1 Chr. 6:26 ). (3. ) A Levite, one of the overseers of the sacred offerings of the temple ( 2 Chr. 31:13 ).
East Gate Place v. 14: Biblical gate. Modern identification: Jerusalem.
Amariah Person v. 15: Said by Jehovah. (1. ) One of the descendants of Aaron by Eleazar ( 1 Chr. 6:7 , 52). He was probably the last of the high priests of Eleazar’s line prior to the transfer of that office to Eli, of the line of Ithamar.
Shecaniah Person v. 15: One intimate with Jehovah. (1. ) A priest to whom the tenth lot came forth when David divided the priests ( 1 Chr. 24:11 ).
Shemaiah Person v. 15: Whom Jehovah heard. (1. ) A prophet in the reign of Rehoboam ( 1 Kings 12:22-24 ). (2. ) Neh. 3:29 . (3. ) A Simeonite ( 1 Chr. 4:37 ). (4. ) A priest ( Neh. 12:42 ). (5. ) A Levite ( 1 Chr. 9:16 ). (6. ) 1 Chr. 9:14 ; Neh. 11:15 .
City People v. 19: The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain ( Gen. 4:17 ). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12).