³⁴ But the priests were too few, so that they were unable to skin all the burnt offerings; ^(A)therefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was finished and the other priests had consecrated themselves. For ^(B)the Levites were more ^[a]conscientious to consecrate themselves than the priests.

³ since they could not celebrate it ^(A)at that time, because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers, nor had the people been gathered to Jerusalem.