2 Chronicles 31

Cleanup Continues & Support for God’s Workers

1 When all this was finished, all the Israelites who were there went out to the cities of Judah and smashed the sacred pillars, chopped down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they totally wiped them out. Then all the Israelites went back to their own cities, each to his own property.

2 Hezekiah set up the divisions of the priests and Levites for their divisions, each priest and Levite according to his service, for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to minister, to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the Lord’s camps.

3 The king also gave a share from his own property for the burnt offerings: for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed festivals, as it is written in the Law of the Lord.

4 He also commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the share to the priests and Levites, so they could focus on the Law of the Lord.

5 As soon as the command went out, the Israelites brought in a ton of the firstfruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey, and all the produce of the fields. They also brought in a huge amount of tithes of everything.

6 And the Israelites and Judeans who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things that were consecrated to the Lord their God. They brought them in and piled them up.

7 They started piling up in the third month and finished in the seventh month.

8 When Hezekiah and the officials came and saw the piles, they praised the Lord and His people Israel.

9 Hezekiah asked the priests and the Levites about the piles.

10 Azariah the chief priest, from the house of Zadok, told him, “Since they started bringing the offerings into the Lord’s temple, we have had enough to eat and plenty left over, because the Lord blessed His people. And this huge amount is what is left over.”

11 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare storage rooms in the Lord’s temple, and they prepared them.

12 They faithfully brought in the offerings, tithes, and dedicated gifts. Conaniah the Levite was the chief officer over them, and Shimei his brother was second.

13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers under Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of King Hezekiah and Azariah the official of God’s temple.

14 Kore son of Imnah the Levite, the gatekeeper on the east side, was in charge of the freewill offerings to God, to distribute the contributions to the Lord and the most holy things.

15 Under him were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, faithfully distributing to their relatives, to the big brothers and the little brothers.

16 This was for the males from three years old and up, everyone who entered the Lord’s temple for their daily duty, for their service in their divisions.

17 Also for the priests, recorded by their father’s families, and the Levites from twenty years old and up, by their divisions;

18 And for all their little kids, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, for the whole assembly. For they faithfully made themselves holy.

19 Also for the sons of Aaron, the priests, who were in the pasturelands of their cities or in any city, men who were named were appointed to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone counted among the Levites.

20 Hezekiah did this throughout all Judah; he did what was good, right, and faithful before the Lord his God.

21 And every work that he started in the service of God’s temple, and in the Law, and in the commands, seeking his God, he did it with all his heart, and he was successful.