Contributions for Worship(A)

Hezekiah(B) assigned the priests and Levites to divisions(C)—each of them according to their duties as priests or Levites—to offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, to minister,(D) to give thanks and to sing praises(E) at the gates of the Lord’s dwelling.(F) The king contributed(G) from his own possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moons and at the appointed festivals as written in the Law of the Lord.(H) He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion(I) due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord. As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits(J) of their grain, new wine,(K) olive oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything. The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe(L) of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the Lord their God, and they piled them in heaps.(M) They began doing this in the third month and finished in the seventh month.(N) When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and blessed(O) his people Israel.

Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps; 10 and Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok,(P) answered, “Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the Lord has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over.”(Q)

11 Hezekiah gave orders to prepare storerooms in the temple of the Lord, and this was done. 12 Then they faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts. Konaniah,(R) a Levite, was the overseer in charge of these things, and his brother Shimei was next in rank. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad,(S) Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath and Benaiah were assistants of Konaniah and Shimei his brother. All these served by appointment of King Hezekiah and Azariah the official in charge of the temple of God.

14 Kore son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the East Gate, was in charge of the freewill offerings given to God, distributing the contributions made to the Lord and also the consecrated gifts. 15 Eden,(T) Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shekaniah assisted him faithfully in the towns(U) of the priests, distributing to their fellow priests according to their divisions, old and young alike.

16 In addition, they distributed to the males three years old or more whose names were in the genealogical records(V)—all who would enter the temple of the Lord to perform the daily duties of their various tasks, according to their responsibilities and their divisions. 17 And they distributed to the priests enrolled by their families in the genealogical records and likewise to the Levites twenty years old or more, according to their responsibilities and their divisions. 18 They included all the little ones, the wives, and the sons and daughters of the whole community listed in these genealogical records. For they were faithful in consecrating themselves.

19 As for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who lived on the farmlands around their towns or in any other towns,(W) men were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among them and to all who were recorded in the genealogies of the Levites.

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The People Contribute to the Temple

Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and Levites to do their assigned tasks[a]—to offer burnt sacrifices and present offerings and to serve, give thanks, and offer praise in the gates of the Lord’s sanctuary.[b]

The king contributed[c] some of what he owned for burnt sacrifices, including the morning and evening burnt sacrifices and the burnt sacrifices made on Sabbaths, new moon festivals, and at other appointed times prescribed[d] in the law of the Lord. He ordered[e] the people living in Jerusalem to contribute the portion prescribed for the priests and Levites so they might be obedient[f] to the law of the Lord. When the edict was issued,[g] the Israelites freely contributed[h] the initial portion of their grain, wine, olive oil, honey, and all the produce of their fields. They brought a tenth of everything, which added up to a huge amount. The Israelites and people of Judah[i] who lived in the cities of Judah also contributed a tenth of their cattle and sheep, as well as a tenth of the holy items consecrated to the Lord their God. They brought them and placed them in many heaps.[j] In the third month they began piling their contributions in heaps[k] and finished in the seventh month. When Hezekiah and the officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and pronounced blessings on his people Israel.[l]

When Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps, 10 Azariah, the head priest from the family of Zadok, said to him, “Since the contributions began arriving in the Lord’s temple, we have had plenty to eat and have a large quantity left over. For the Lord has blessed his people, and this large amount remains.” 11 Hezekiah ordered that storerooms be prepared in the Lord’s temple. When this was done,[m] 12 they brought in the contributions, tithes,[n] and consecrated items that had been offered.[o] Konaniah, a Levite, was in charge of all this, assisted by his brother Shimei. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath, and Benaiah worked under the supervision of Konaniah and his brother Shimei, as directed by King Hezekiah and Azariah, the supervisor of God’s temple.

14 Kore son of Imnah, a Levite and the guard on the east side, was in charge of the voluntary offerings made to God and disbursed the contributions made to the Lord and the consecrated items. 15 In the cities of the priests, Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah faithfully assisted him in making disbursements to their fellow priests[p] according to their divisions, regardless of age.[q] 16 They made disbursements to all the males three years old and up who were listed in the genealogical records—to all who would enter the Lord’s temple to serve on a daily basis and fulfill their duties as assigned to their divisions.[r] 17 They made disbursements to the priests listed in the genealogical records by their families, and to the Levites twenty years old and up, according to their duties as assigned to their divisions, 18 and to all the infants, wives, sons, and daughters of the entire assembly listed in the genealogical records, for they faithfully consecrated themselves. 19 As for the descendants of Aaron, the priests who lived in the outskirts of all their cities,[s] men were assigned[t] to disburse portions to every male among the priests and to every Levite listed in the genealogical records.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 31:2 tn Heb “and Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites according to their divisions, each in accordance with his service for the priests and for the Levites.”
  2. 2 Chronicles 31:2 tn Heb “in the gates of the encampments of the Lord.”
  3. 2 Chronicles 31:3 tn Heb “the portion of the king [was].”
  4. 2 Chronicles 31:3 tn Heb “festivals, as written.”
  5. 2 Chronicles 31:4 tn Heb “said to.”
  6. 2 Chronicles 31:4 tn Heb “might hold firmly.”
  7. 2 Chronicles 31:5 tn Heb “and when the word spread out.”
  8. 2 Chronicles 31:5 tn Heb “the sons of Israel multiplied.”
  9. 2 Chronicles 31:6 tn Heb “and the sons of Israel and Judah.”
  10. 2 Chronicles 31:6 tn Heb “heaps, heaps.” Repetition of the noun draws attention to the large number of heaps.
  11. 2 Chronicles 31:7 tn Heb “they began the heaps to establish.”
  12. 2 Chronicles 31:8 tn Heb “they blessed the Lord and his people Israel.”
  13. 2 Chronicles 31:11 tn Heb “and they prepared.”
  14. 2 Chronicles 31:12 tn Heb “tenth.”
  15. 2 Chronicles 31:12 tn Heb “and holy things in faithfulness.”
  16. 2 Chronicles 31:15 tn Heb “to their brothers.”
  17. 2 Chronicles 31:15 tn Heb “like great, like small” (i.e., old and young alike).
  18. 2 Chronicles 31:16 tn Heb “in addition enrolling them by males from a son of three years and upwards, to everyone who enters the house of the Lord for a matter of a day in its day, for their service by their duties according to their divisions.”
  19. 2 Chronicles 31:19 tn Heb “the priests in the fields of the pastureland of their cities in every city and city.”
  20. 2 Chronicles 31:19 tn Heb “designated by names.”

And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the Lord.

He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the Lord.

Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord.

And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.

And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps.

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

And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord, and his people Israel.

Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.

10 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the Lord hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.

11 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord; and they prepared them,

12 And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.

13 And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.

14 And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the oblations of the Lord, and the most holy things.

15 And next him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their set office, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as to the small:

16 Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even unto every one that entereth into the house of the Lord, his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses;

17 Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses;

18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness:

19 Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites.

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