2 Chronicles 31

1 When all this had finished, the Israelites who were there went to the towns of Judah and smashed the pagan pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and destroyed the high places and altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had completely demolished all of them. After that they all went home to their respective towns.

And when these things had been celebrated according to ritual, all of Israel who had been found in the cities of Judah went forth, and they broke apart the idols and cut down the sacred groves. They demolished the high places and destroyed the altars, not only out of all Judah and Benjamin, but also out of Ephraim as well as Manasseh, until they utterly destroyed them. And all the sons of Israel returned to their possessions and cities.

2 Then Hezekiah reallocated the divisions of the priests and Levites, each according to their service: presenting burnt offerings and friendship offerings, serving, giving thanks, and singing praises at the entrances of the Lord's Temple.

Then Hezekiah appointed the companies of the priests and Levites by their divisions, each man in his proper office, certainly as much for the priests as for the Levites, for the sake of holocausts and peace offerings, so that they might minister and confess and sing, at the gates of the camp of the Lord.

3 The king contributed personally towards the morning and evening burnt offerings, and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, new moons, and special feasts, as required by the Law of the Lord.

Now the portion of the king, from his own substance, was such that they could offer a holocaust always, in morning and in evening, also on the Sabbaths, and the new moons, and the other solemnities, just as it was written in the law of Moses.

4 He also ordered the people living in Jerusalem to provide for the priests and Levites so that they could dedicate themselves to studying and teaching the Law of the Lord.

And now he instructed the people living in Jerusalem that they were to give portions to the priests and Levites, so that they would be able to attend to the law of the Lord.

5 As soon as the message went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of the grain, new wine, olive oil, and honey, and of all the crops. They brought plenty, a tithe of everything.

And when this had reached the ears of the multitude, the sons of Israel brought an abundance of first-fruits of grain, wine, and oil, and also honey. And they offered a tenth part of all that the soil brings forth.

6 The people of Israel now living in Judah, and the people of Judah brought a tithe of their herds and flocks. They also brought a tithe of what had been dedicated to the Lord their God, and piled them up.

Then too, the sons of Israel and Judah, who were living in the cities of Judah, brought tithes of oxen and sheep, and tithes of the holy things that they had vowed to the Lord their God. And carrying all these things, they made many stacks.

7 They started doing this in the third month, and they finished in the seventh month.

In the third month, they began to lay out the foundations of the stacks. And in the seventh month, they finished them.

8 When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw what had been collected, they thanked the Lord and his people Israel.

And when Hezekiah and his rulers had entered, they saw the stacks, and they blessed the Lord and the people of Israel.

9 Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about what had been collected.

And Hezekiah questioned the priests and Levites, as to why the stacks were laid out in this way.

10 Azariah, the chief priest of the family of Zadok, answered, “Ever since the people began to bring their contributions into the Lord's Temple, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare. Because the Lord has blessed his people there is so much left over.”

Azariah, the high priest from the stock of Zadok, answered him, saying: “Since the first-fruits began to be offered in the house of the Lord, we have eaten and been satisfied, and much remains. For the Lord has blessed his people. Then what was left over is this great abundance, which you see.”

11 Hezekiah ordered the construction of storehouses in the Lord's Temple. Once they were ready,

And so Hezekiah instructed that they should prepare storage places for the house of the Lord. And when they had done so,

12 the people faithfully brought in their offerings, tithes, and dedicated gifts. Conaniah the Levite was the one who was responsible for them, and his brother Shimei was second in command.

they faithfully brought in the first-fruits, as well as the tithes and all that they had vowed. Now the overseer of these things was Conaniah, a Levite; and his brother, Shimei, was second.

13 They were in charge of the following officers: Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers who assisted Conaniah and Shimei his brother. They were appointed by King Hezekiah and Azariah, the chief officer of God's Temple.

And after him, there was Jehiel, and Azariah, and Nahath, and Asaahel, and Jerimoth, and also Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, who were overseers under the hands of Conaniah, and his brother, Shimei, by the authority of Hezekiah, the king, and Azariah, the high priest of the house of God, to whom all these things belonged.

14 Kore, son of Imnah, the Levite, the gatekeeper of the East Gate, was responsible for receiving the freewill offerings given to God. He also distributed the offerings given to the Lord, together with the consecrated gifts.

Yet truly, Kore, the son of Imnah, a Levite and the porter of the eastern gate, was the overseer of the things that were being offered freely to the Lord, and of the first-fruits, and of the things consecrated for the Holy of Holies.

15 Under him were his assistants Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah. They faithfully made the allocations to their fellow Levites in their towns, according to the priestly divisions, sharing equally with the old and young.

And under his charge were Eden, and Benjamin, Jeshua, and Shemaiah, and also Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, so that they would distribute faithfully to their brothers, the small as well as the great, their portions

16 They also gave allowances to the males listed in the genealogy who were three years of age or older, to all who would enter the Lord's Temple to perform their daily duties of serving according to the responsibilities of their divisions.

(except for the males from three years old and upward) for all who were entering the temple of the Lord, and for whatever was needed for the ministry, throughout each day, as well as for the observances according to their divisions.

17 They also gave allowances to the priests listed by family in the genealogy, and to the Levites twenty years of age or older, according to the responsibilities of their divisions.

And so, for the priests, by their families, and for the Levites, from the twentieth year and upward, by their orders and companies,

18 The genealogy included all the babies, wives, sons, and daughters of the whole community, for they were faithful in making sure they dedicated themselves as holy.

and for the entire multitude, as much for the wives as for their children of both sexes, provisions were offered faithfully from whatever had been sanctified.

19 In the case of the priests, the descendants of Aaron, those who lived on the farmlands around their towns, men were appointed by name in all the towns to distribute an allocation to every male among the priests and to every Levite as listed in the genealogies.

Then too, men were appointed of the sons of Aaron, throughout the fields and the suburbs of each city, who would distribute portions to all the males among the priests and Levites.

20 This is what Hezekiah did throughout the whole of Judah. He did what was good, right, and true before the Lord his God.

Therefore, Hezekiah did all these things (which we have said) in all of Judah. And he worked what is good and upright and true before the Lord his God,

21 In everything he did in working for God's Temple and in following God's laws and commandments, Hezekiah was sincere in his commitment to God. So he was successful in all he did.

for the whole service of the ministry of the house of the Lord, in accord with the law and the ceremonies, desiring to seek his God with his whole heart. And he did so, and he prospered.