The Collection for the Priests^(A)

31 When the Passover celebration was finished, all the Israelites in Jerusalem went out to the towns of Judah. There they smashed the ·stone [sacred] pillars [^Cused in pagan worship]. They cut down the Asherah ·idols [poles; 14:3] and destroyed the altars and ·places for worshiping gods [^Lhigh places; 11:15] in all of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. After they had destroyed all of them, the Israelites returned to their own towns and ·homes [properties].

² King Hezekiah ·appointed [organized; assigned] ·groups [divisions] of priests and Levites for their special duties. They were to ·offer [sacrifice] burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] and ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offerings [Lev. 3:1], to ·worship [serve], and to give thanks and praise at the gates of the Lord’s ·house [^Lcamp]. ³ Hezekiah gave some of his own animals for the burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17], which were given every morning and evening, on Sabbath days, during New Moons, and at other feasts ·commanded [prescribed] in the Lord’s ·Teachings [instructions; laws].

⁴ Hezekiah commanded the people living in Jerusalem to give the priests and Levites the portion ·that belonged to [prescribed for] them. Then the priests and Levites could ·give all their time [devote themselves] to the Lord’s ·Teachings [instructions; laws]. ⁵ As soon as the king’s command went out to the Israelites, they gave ·freely of the [generously/abundantly from the] first ·portion [fruits; harvest] of their grain, new wine, oil, honey, and ·everything they grew [all the produce] in their fields. They brought a large amount, ·one-tenth [a tithe] of everything. ⁶ The people of Israel and Judah who lived in Judah also brought ·one-tenth [a tithe] of their cattle and sheep and ·one-tenth [a tithe] of the ·holy things [sacred/consecrated/dedicated things] that were given to the Lord their God, and they put all of them in ·piles [heaps]. ⁷ The people began the ·piles [heaps] in the third month [^Clate spring] and finished in the seventh month [^Cearly autumn]. ⁸ When Hezekiah and his ·officers [officials] came and saw the ·piles [heaps], they ·praised [blessed; thanked] the Lord and his people Israel. ⁹ Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the ·piles [heaps]. ¹⁰ Azariah, the leading priest from Zadok’s ·family [clan; ^Lhouse], answered Hezekiah, “Since the people began to bring their ·offerings [contributions; gifts] to the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord, we have had plenty to eat and plenty left over, because the Lord has blessed his people. So we have all this left over.”

¹¹ Then Hezekiah commanded the priests to prepare the storerooms in the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord. So this was done. ¹² Then the priests brought in the ·offerings [contributions] and the ·things given to the Lord [consecrated/purified/sanctified things] and ·one-tenth of everything the people had given [the tithes]. Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge of these things, and his brother Shimei was ·second to him [his assistant]. ¹³ Conaniah and his brother Shimei were over these supervisors: Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath, and Benaiah. King Hezekiah and Azariah the officer in charge of the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of God had ·chosen [appointed] them.

¹⁴ Kore son of Imnah the Levite was in charge of the ·special gifts the people wanted to give [voluntary/free will offerings] to God. He was responsible for ·giving out [distributing] the contributions made to the Lord and the ·holy [consecrated; dedicated] gifts. Kore was the guard at the East Gate. ¹⁵ Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah helped Kore in the towns where the priests lived. They gave from what was collected to ·the other groups of priests [their brothers by divisions], both ·old [great] and ·young [small].

¹⁶ They also gave to the males three years old and older who had their names in the ·Levite family [genealogical] ·histories [records]. ·They were to enter […all who entered] the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord for their daily ·service [duties], ·each group having its own responsibilities [according to their divisions]. ¹⁷ The priests were given their part of the collection, by ·families [ancestral houses], as listed in the ·family [genealogical] ·histories [records]. The Levites twenty years old and older were given their part of the collection, based on their ·responsibilities [duties] and their ·groups [divisions]. ¹⁸ The Levites’ babies, wives, sons, and daughters also got part of the collection. This was done for all the Levites who were ·listed [enrolled] in the ·family histories [genealogical records], because they ·always kept themselves ready to serve the Lord [faithfully consecrated/purified themselves].

¹⁹ Some of Aaron’s descendants, the priests, lived on the farmlands near the towns or in the towns. Men were ·chosen [appointed; designated] by name to ·give [distribute] part of the collection to these priests. All the males and those ·named [listed] in the ·family histories [genealogical records] of the Levites received part of the collection.

²⁰ This is what King Hezekiah did ·in [throughout] Judah. He did what was good and right and ·obedient [faithful; true; pleasing] before the Lord his God. ²¹ Hezekiah tried to ·obey [seek] God in his service of the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of God, and in following his ·teachings [instructions; laws] and commands. He ·gave himself fully to his work for God [did so wholeheartedly] and therefore ·had success [prospered].