2 Crônicas 31

BLIVRE · Chapter 31/36

1Feitas todas estas coisas, todos os de Israel que se haviam achado ali, saíram pelas cidades de Judá, e quebraram as estátuas e destruíram os bosques, e derrubaram os altos e os altares por todo Judá e Benjamim, e também em Efraim e Manassés,

2E definiu Ezequias as repartições dos sacerdotes e dos levitas conforme a suas ordens, cada um segundo seu ofício, os sacerdotes e os levitas para o holocausto e pacíficos, para que ministrassem, para que confessassem e louvassem às portas dos acampamentos do SENHOR.

3A contribuição do rei de sua riqueza era holocaustos a manhã e tarde, e holocaustos para os sábados, novas luas, e solenidades, como está escrito na lei do SENHOR.

4Mandou também ao povo que habitava em Jerusalém, que dessem a porção aos sacerdotes e levitas, para que se esforçassem na lei do SENHOR.

5E quando este edito foi divulgado, os filhos de Israel deram muitas primícias de grão, vinho, azeite, mel, e de todos os frutos da terra: trouxeram também os dízimos de todas as coisas em abundância.

6Também os filhos de Israel e de Judá, que habitavam nas cidades de Judá, deram do mesmo modo os dízimos das vacas e das ovelhas: e trouxeram os dízimos do santificado, das coisas que haviam prometido ao SENHOR seu Deus, e puseram-nos por amontoados.

7No mês terceiro começaram a fundar aqueles amontoados, e no mês sétimo acabaram.

8E Ezequias e os príncipes vieram a ver os amontoados, e bendisseram ao SENHOR, e a seu povo Israel.

9E perguntou Ezequias aos sacerdotes e aos levitas acerca dos amontoados.

10E respondeu-lhe Azarias, sumo sacerdote, da casa de Zadoque, e disse: Desde que começaram a trazer a oferta à casa do SENHOR, comemos e nos saciamos, e nos sobrou muito: porque o SENHOR abençoou seu povo, e restou esta abundância.

11Então mandou Ezequias que preparassem câmaras na casa do SENHOR; e prepararam-nas.

12E puseram as primícias e dízimos e as coisas consagradas, fielmente; e deram cargo disso a Conanias levita, o principal, e Simei seu irmão foi o segundo.

13E Jeiel, Azazias, Naate, Asael, Jeremote, Jozabade, Eliel, Ismaquias, Maate, e Benaia, foram capatazes sob a mão de Conanias e de Simei seu irmão, por mandamento do rei Ezequias e de Azarias, príncipe da casa de Deus.

14E Coré filho de Imná levita, porteiro ao oriente, tinha cargo dos donativos de Deus, e das ofertas do SENHOR que se davam, e de tudo o que se santificava.

15E a sua mão estava Éden, Benjamim, Jesua, Semaías, Amarias, e Secanias, nas cidades dos sacerdotes, para dar com fidelidade a seus irmãos suas partes conforme a suas ordens, assim ao maior como ao menor:

16A mais dos homens anotados por suas linhagens, de três anos acima, a todos os que entravam na casa do SENHOR, sua porção diária por seu ministério, segundo seus ofícios e classes;

17Também aos que eram contados entre os sacerdotes pelas famílias de seus pais, e aos levitas de idade de vinte anos acima, conforme a seus ofícios e ordens;

18Assim aos de sua geração com todos seus meninos, e suas mulheres, e seus filhos e filhas, a toda a família; porque com fidelidade se consagravam às coisas santas.

19Do mesmo modo em ordem aos filhos de Arão, sacerdotes, que estavam nos campos de suas cidades, por todas as cidades, os homens nomeados tinham cargo de dar suas porções a todos os homens dos sacerdotes, e a toda a linhagem dos levitas.

20De esta maneira fez Ezequias em todo Judá: e executou o que era bom, correto, e verdadeiro, diante do SENHOR seu Deus.

21Em tudo quanto começou no serviço da casa de Deus, e na lei e mandamentos, buscou a seu Deus, e o fez de todo coração, e foi próspero.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

After the great Passover celebration, the people destroy idols and pagan altars throughout the territory, both in Judah and in the regions of the former northern kingdom. Hezekiah reorganizes the financial support of the priests and Levites, and the people contribute generously with tithes and offerings.

Explanation

The spiritual enthusiasm generated by the Passover celebration turns into lasting practical action: the people, genuinely motivated, go out destroying symbols of idolatry not only in Jerusalem but throughout the territory, including areas of the former northern kingdom. The material generosity that follows is so abundant that it surprises the priests themselves, who report having 'enough to eat, and left plenty' — a sign that material blessing naturally followed genuine spiritual renewal. The careful reorganization of the support systems for priests and Levites, with storehouses and fair distribution, shows that Hezekiah understood that spiritual reform needed solid practical structures to sustain itself long-term, not just momentary enthusiasm.

Fun facts

  • The amount of offerings was so great that special chambers had to be built inside the temple just to store the surplus tithes, showing an extraordinarily practical and concrete response of generosity to the people's spiritual renewal.
  • The chapter's final summary, stating that Hezekiah did what was 'good, and right, and truth, before the LORD his God... with all his heart,' is one of the most completely positive evaluations given to any king in the whole book of 2 Chronicles.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. 2 Crônicas 31:1After the feast, the people spread out through the cities of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, tearing down sacred pillars, sacred poles, and idolatrous altars, before finally returning each to his own town.
  2. 2 Crônicas 31:2Hezekiah reorganizes the divisions of priests and Levites, each with a specific duty to offer burnt offerings, minister, give thanks, and sing praise at the gates of the temple.
  3. 2 Crônicas 31:3Hezekiah sets aside a portion of his own royal property to fund the daily burnt offerings, and those for the Sabbaths, new moons, and appointed feasts, according to the law of the Lord.
  4. 2 Crônicas 31:4He also commands the people of Jerusalem to provide the priests and Levites their due portion, so that they can devote themselves fully to the law of the Lord.
  5. 2 Crônicas 31:5As soon as word of Hezekiah’s reform spreads, the people bring so much tithe of grain, wine, oil, and honey that it all has to be stacked up in heaps — a very concrete way of showing just how much popular enthusiasm this moment stirred up.
  6. 2 Crônicas 31:6Besides the people of Judah, residents of the towns also bring tithes of cattle and sheep, along with tithes of consecrated things, forming huge heaps of offerings.
  7. 2 Crônicas 31:7This collection of offerings begins in the third month and does not end until the seventh month — a process that continues for several months.
  8. 2 Crônicas 31:8Seeing these heaps of offerings, Hezekiah and the officials bless the Lord and His people Israel for the generosity they have shown.
  9. 2 Crônicas 31:9Hezekiah asks the priests and Levites about the source and the use of that whole accumulated mass of offerings.
  10. 2 Crônicas 31:10The high priest Azariah answers that ever since the offerings began coming in, there has been food in abundance left over — the Lord blessed His people so much that a great deal still remains.
  11. 2 Crônicas 31:11Hearing this answer, Hezekiah orders special chambers to be prepared in the temple to store all this surplus.
  12. 2 Crônicas 31:12The offerings, tithes, and consecrated things are stored faithfully in these chambers, under the oversight of the Levite Conaniah and his brother Shimei.
  13. 2 Crônicas 31:13Several other Levites work as overseers under the direction of Conaniah and Shimei, following direct orders from King Hezekiah and the high priest Azariah.
  14. 2 Crônicas 31:14Kore, a Levite gatekeeper on the east side of the temple, is put in charge of managing the freewill offerings and distributing the sacred contributions.
  15. 2 Crônicas 31:15Under Kore’s oversight, a team of Levites faithfully distributes the portions to their fellow priests in their respective towns, without distinction between small and great.
  16. 2 Crônicas 31:16The distribution of the offerings follows a detailed system based on genealogy and age, including even children as young as three, to make sure every family of priests and Levites received its share fairly. It is careful administration, not just good intentions.
  17. 2 Crônicas 31:17The distribution includes priests registered by family and Levites twenty years old and up, organized according to their rotations of service.
  18. 2 Crônicas 31:18The system also covers the children, wives, sons, and daughters of the whole assembly, because all of them faithfully kept themselves consecrated in the sacred things.
  19. 2 Crônicas 31:19Even the priests who lived scattered through the fields around the towns receive their share, managed by men specifically appointed to make this distribution fair.
  20. 2 Crônicas 31:20The Chronicler’s summary of Hezekiah is glowing: throughout Judah, he did what was good, right, and faithful before the Lord his God.
  21. 2 Crônicas 31:21In everything Hezekiah undertook — in the service of the temple, in the law, in the commandments — he sought God with all his heart, and so he prospered.

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