2 Chronicles Chapter 31
Showing all 21 verses for 2 Chronicles Chapter 31.
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"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. "
"When all this was finished, all the Israelites who were present went out to the towns of Judah and smashed the sacred stone pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and altars throughout Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had completely destroyed them all. Then everyone returned to their own home and property."
Let a genuinely good, moving experience actually change how you live afterwards - don't let the feeling fade without doing something practical with it. The test of a real spiritual high is what you go and do the next day.
"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. "
"Hezekiah organised the priests and Levites into their divisions, each according to his duties, for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to serve, give thanks, and offer praise at the gates of the LORD's dwelling."
After the exciting breakthrough, don't neglect the boring administrative follow-through - the schedules, the systems, the who-does-what. That unglamorous structure is often what makes real change last rather than fade.
"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. "
"He also designated a portion of his own personal wealth for the burnt offerings - the daily morning and evening offerings, and those for the Sabbaths, new moons, and appointed festivals, exactly as written in the law of the LORD."
If you say something matters to you, be willing to put your own resources - time, money, energy - behind it, not just your words or your instructions to others. Genuine priorities show up in what you personally fund and protect.
"Moreover he commanded the people that in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the LORD. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"He also instructed the people living in Jerusalem to give the priests and Levites their proper share, so that they could devote themselves fully to the law of the LORD."
If you want someone to do meaningful work well - whether it's a teacher, a carer, anyone serving others - support them practically, not just with encouraging words. Real backing frees people to give their best.
"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. "
"As soon as the order went out, the Israelites brought in generous firstfruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and all the produce of the field, and they brought in the tithe of everything in abundance."
When you understand a genuine need clearly, don't wait to be pressured into helping - respond quickly and generously the moment you see what's needed. Prompt generosity is worth more than delayed obligation.
"And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that 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. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"The Israelites and people of Judah living in the towns of Judah also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and the tithe of the holy things dedicated to the LORD their God, and piled them up in heaps."
True generosity often produces more than what was asked for - it overflows. When you give from a genuinely willing heart, don't be surprised if it turns out to be more than enough.
"In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. "
"They began piling up the heaps in the third month and finished by the seventh month."
Real generosity, like real faithfulness, tends to be sustained over time rather than a single burst - keep giving and contributing steadily, not just when it's exciting or new.
"And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD, and his people Israel. "
"When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the LORD and blessed his people Israel."
When you see the fruit of other people's generosity or hard work, take the time to genuinely notice it and say so. Gratitude expressed openly encourages people to keep giving their best.
"Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. "
"Then Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps."
Don't just celebrate a good outcome and move on - stay curious and ask good questions about how things are actually working, so that success gets managed wisely rather than wasted.
"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. "
"Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok, answered him: "Ever since the people began bringing their offerings into the Temple, we've had plenty to eat and have had a large amount left over too, because the LORD has blessed his people, and what's left is this great supply you see.""
When you're in a position of trust over resources, be honest and transparent in your reporting, and give credit where it's genuinely due rather than taking it for yourself. Honest accounting builds trust that lasts.
"Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the LORD; and they prepared them, "
"Hezekiah then ordered storerooms to be prepared in the Temple, and they were made ready."
When good things come your way in abundance, don't just let them pile up carelessly - build proper structures to steward them well, so nothing good goes to waste. Wisdom means planning for blessing, not just receiving it.
"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. "
"They brought in the offerings, tithes, and dedicated items faithfully, with Cononiah the Levite in charge, and his brother Shimei as second-in-command."
When you're entrusted with something valuable that belongs to a wider community, handle it with visible, careful faithfulness - let people be able to trust exactly how it's being managed, because you've named who's responsible.
"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. "
"Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath and Benaiah served as overseers under Cononiah and his brother Shimei, appointed by order of King Hezekiah and Azariah, the chief official of the Temple."
The unnamed, unglamorous jobs, the ones nobody writes songs about, still matter enormously and deserve real commitment. Being faithful in a role nobody notices is still work worth doing well.
"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. "
"Kore, son of Imnah the Levite, the gatekeeper on the east side, was in charge of the freewill offerings to God, distributing the contributions made to the LORD and the most holy things."
The way you handle what people freely and generously give - whether gifts, trust or responsibility - reveals your real character. Handle what's entrusted to you with the same care whether or not anyone's watching.
"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: "
"Working alongside him were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah, stationed faithfully in the priestly towns, distributing to their fellow priests by rotation, fairly to both the great and the small."
When you're responsible for distributing anything - resources, praise, opportunity - treat the least significant person with exactly the same fairness as the most important one. That's the real test of your integrity.
"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; "
"This also applied to their registered males, from three years old and upward, everyone who came into the Temple for his daily duties according to his division."
What you build and provide for shouldn't only serve capable adults - think about how it includes and nurtures the youngest and most dependent among you too. A truly generous system leaves nobody out because of their age or ability.
"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; "
"This covered the priests registered by their family lines, and the Levites twenty years old and upward, according to their duties and divisions."
Fair systems usually need clear, consistent rules that everyone can understand and rely on, not favouritism or arbitrary decisions made case by case. Clarity itself is a form of kindness to the people depending on the system.
"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: "
"This also included their registered little children, wives, sons and daughters, throughout the whole community, because in their appointed positions they consecrated themselves in holiness."
When you take on meaningful, demanding responsibility, remember your family shares in that calling too, and they deserve to be cared for and included, not left as an afterthought while you pursue your purpose.
"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. "
"As for the descendants of Aaron who lived out in the countryside surrounding their towns, specific named men in each town were appointed to give portions to all the males among the priests and to everyone registered among the Levites."
Don't let people fall through the cracks just because they're out of sight or far from the centre of things. Make deliberate effort to reach and fairly include the people who are easy to overlook.
"And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God. "
"This is what Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, doing what was good, right and true before the LORD his God."
Aim to be someone whose life could genuinely be summed up as good, right and true - not perfect, but consistently aiming in the right direction across everything you do, not just in one area.
"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. "
"In everything he undertook, whether in the service of God's house, or in following the law and commandments, he sought his God with all his heart, and he prospered."
Whatever you genuinely put your whole heart into - not half-hearted, not divided, not going through the motions - tends to bear real fruit over time. Find what's worth your whole heart, and give it exactly that.