Liber II Paralipomenon, 31

1. cumque hæc fuissent rite celebrata egressus est omnis Israël qui inventus fuerat in urbibus Juda et fregerunt simulacra succideruntque lucos demoliti sunt excelsa et altaria destruxerunt non solum de universo Juda et Beniamin sed de Ephraim quoque et Manasse donec penitus everterent reversique sunt omnes filii Israël in possessiones et civitates suas

1. And when these things had been duly celebrated, all Israel that were found in the cities of Juda, went out, and they broke the idols, and cut down the groves. demolished the high places, and destroyed the altars, not only out of all Juda and Benjamin, but out of Ephraim also and Manasses, till they had utterly destroyed them: then all the children of Israel returned to their possessions and cities.

2. Ezechias vero constituit turmas sacerdotales et leviticas per divisiones suas unumquemque in officio proprio tam sacerdotum videlicet quam Levitarum ad holocausta et pacifica ut ministrarent et confiterentur canerentque in portis castrorum Domini

2. And Ezechias appointed companies of the priests, and the Levites, by their courses, every man in his own office, to wit, both of the priests, and of the Levites, for holocausts, and for peace offerings, to minister, and to praise, and to sing in the gates of the camp of the Lord.

3. pars autem regis erat ut de propria ejus substantia offerretur holocaustum mane semper et vespere sabbatis quoque et kalendis et sollemnitatibus ceteris sicut scriptum est in lege Mosi

3. And the king's part was, that of his proper substance the holocaust should be offered always morning and evening, and on the sabbaths, and the new moons and the other solemnities, as it is written in the law of Moses.

4. præcepit etiam populo habitantium Hierusalem ut darent partes sacerdotibus et Levitis et possent vacare legi Domini

4. He commanded also the people that dwelt in Jerusalem, to give to the priests, and the Levites their portion, that they might attend to the law of the Lord.

5. quod cum percrebruisset in auribus multitudinis plurimas obtulere primitias filii Israël frumenti vini et olei mellis quoque et omnium quæ gignit humus decimas obtulerunt

5. Which when it was noised abroad in the ears of the people, the children of Israel offered in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey: and brought the tithe of all things which the ground bringeth forth.

6. sed et filii Israël et Juda qui habitabant in urbibus Juda obtulerunt decimas boum et ovium decimasque sanctorum quæ voverant Domino Deo suo atque universa portantes fecerunt acervos plurimos

6. Moreover the children of Israel and Juda, that dwelt in the cities of Juda, brought in the tithes of oxen, and sheep, and the tithes of holy things, which they had vowed to the Lord their God: and carrying them all, made many heaps.

7. mense tertio cœperunt acervorum jacere fundamenta et mense septimo conpleverunt eos

7. In the third month they began to lay the foundations of the heaps, and in the seventh month, they finished them.

8. cumque ingressi fuissent Ezechias et principes ejus viderunt acervos et benedixerunt Domino ac populo Israël

8. And when Ezechias and his princes came in, they saw the heaps, and they blessed the Lord and the people of Israel.

9. interrogavitque Ezechias sacerdotes et Levitas cur ita jacerent acervi

9. And Ezechias asked the priests and the Levites, why the heaps lay so.

10. respondit illi Azarias sacerdos primus de stirpe Sadoc dicens ex quo cœperunt offerri primitiæ in domo Domini comedimus et saturati sumus remanseruntque plurima eo quod benedixerit Dominus populo suo reliquiarum autem copia est ista quam cernis

10. Azarias the chief priest of the race of Sadoc answered him, saying: Since the firstfruits began to be offered in the house of the Lord, we have eaten, and have been filled, and abundance is left, because the Lord hath blessed his people: and of that which is left is this great store which thou seest.

11. præcepit igitur Ezechias ut præpararent horrea in domo Domini quod cum fecissent

11. Then Ezechias commanded to prepare storehouses in the house of the Lord. And when they had done so,

12. intulerunt tam primitias quam decimas et quæcumque voverant fideliter fuit autem præfectus eorum Chonenias Levita et Semei frater ejus secundus

12. They brought in faithfully both the firstfruits, and the tithes, and all they had vowed. And the overseer of them was Chonenias the Levite, and Semei his brother was the second,

13. post quem Jeihel et Azazias et Naath et Asaël et Jerimoth Jozabath quoque et Helihel et Jesmachias et Maath et Banajas præpositi sub manibus Choneniæ et Semei fratris ejus ex imperio Ezechiæ regis et Azariæ pontificis domus Domini ad quos omnia pertinebant

13. And after him Jehiel, and Azarias, and Nahath, and Asael, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Jesmachias, and Mahath, and Banaias, overseers under the hand of Chonenias, and Semei his brother, by the commandment of Ezechias the king, and Azarias the high priest of the house of God, to whom all things appertained.

14. Core vero filius Jemna Levites et janitor orientalis portæ præpositus erat his quæ sponte offerebantur Domino primitiisque et consecratis in sancta sanctorum

14. But Core the son of Jemna the Levite, the porter of the east gate, was overseer of the things which were freely offered to the Lord, and of the firstfruits and the things dedicated for the holy of holies.

15. et sub cura ejus Eden et Meniamin Hiesue et Samejas Amarias quoque et Sechenias in civitatibus sacerdotum ut fideliter distribuerent fratribus suis partes minoribus atque majoribus

15. And under his charge were Eden, and Benjamin, Jesue, and Semeias, and Amarias, and Sechenias, in the cities of the priests, to distribute faithfully portions to their brethren, both little and great:

16. exceptis maribus ab annis tribus et supra cunctis qui ingrediebantur templum Domini et quicquid per dies singulos conducebat in ministerio atque observationibus juxta divisiones suas

16. Besides the males from three years old and upward, to all that went into the temple of the Lord, and whatsoever there was need of in the ministry, and their offices according to their courses, day by day.

17. sacerdotibus per familias et Levitis a vicesimo anno et supra per ordines et turmas suas

17. To the priests by their families, and to the Levites from the twentieth year and upward, by their classes and companies.

18. universæque multitudini tam uxoribus quam liberis eorum utriusque sexus fideliter cibi de his quæ sanctificata fuerant præbebantur

18. And to all the multitude, both to their wives, and to their children of both sexes, victuals were given faithfully out of the things that had been sanctified.

19. sed et filiorum Aaron per agros et suburbana urbium singularum dispositi erant viri qui partes distribuerent universo sexui masculino de sacerdotibus et Levitis

19. Also of the sons of Aaron who were in the fields and in the suburbs of each city, there were men appointed, to distribute portions to all the males, among the priests and the Levites.

20. fecit ergo Ezechias universa quæ diximus in omni Juda operatusque est bonum et rectum et verum coram Domino Deo suo

20. So Ezechias did all things, which we have said in all Juda, and wrought that which was good; and right, and truth, before the Lord his God,

21. in universa cultura ministerii domus Domini juxta legem et cærimonias volens requirere Deum suum in toto corde suo fecitque et prosperatus est

21. In all the service of the ministry of the house of the Lord according to the law and the ceremonies, desiring to seek his God with all his heart, and he did it and prospered,