And Hezekiah appointed (A)the divisions of the priests and the Levites by their divisions, each according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, (B)for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to serve and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the camp of the Lord.

Reforms Continued

He also appointed (C)the king’s portion of his property for the burnt offerings, namely, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths and for the new moons and for the appointed festivals, (D)as it is written in the Law of the Lord. Also he told the people who lived in Jerusalem to give (E)the portion due to the priests and the Levites, so that they might devote themselves to (F)the Law of the Lord. As soon as the [a]order spread, the sons of Israel abundantly provided the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly (G)the tithe of everything. The sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and (H)the tithe of [b]sacred gifts which were consecrated to the Lord their God, and placed them in heaps. In the third month they began to [c]make the heaps, and they finished them by the seventh month. When Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and (I)His people Israel. Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 Azariah, the chief priest (J)of the house of Zadok, said to [d]him, “(K)Since the contributions started coming into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat with plenty left over, for the Lord has blessed His people, and this great quantity is left over.”

11 Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare (L)rooms in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. 12 They faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the consecrated things; and Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge (M)of them, and his brother Shimei was second. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers [e]under the authority of Conaniah and his brother Shimei by the appointment of King Hezekiah, and (N)Azariah was the chief officer of the house of God. 14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the eastern gate, was in charge of the [f]voluntary offerings for God, to distribute the contributions for the Lord and the most holy things. 15 [g]Under his authority were (O)Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in (P)the cities of the priests, to distribute their portions faithfully to their brothers by divisions, whether great or small, 16 without regard to their genealogical enrollment, to the males from [h](Q)thirty years old and upward—everyone who entered the house of the Lord (R)for his daily obligations—for their work in their duties according to their divisions; 17 as well as the priests who were enrolled genealogically according to their fathers’ households, and the Levites (S)from twenty years old and upward, by their duties and their divisions. 18 The genealogical enrollment included [i]all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, for the whole assembly, for they consecrated themselves [j]faithfully in holiness. 19 Also for the sons of Aaron, the priests, who were in (T)the pasture lands of their cities, or in each and every city, (U)there were men who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone genealogically enrolled among the Levites.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 31:5 Lit word
  2. 2 Chronicles 31:6 Lit consecrated things
  3. 2 Chronicles 31:7 Lit lay
  4. 2 Chronicles 31:10 Lit him, and he said
  5. 2 Chronicles 31:13 Lit from the hand of
  6. 2 Chronicles 31:14 Or freewill offerings
  7. 2 Chronicles 31:15 Lit On his hand
  8. 2 Chronicles 31:16 Heb three
  9. 2 Chronicles 31:18 Lit with all
  10. 2 Chronicles 31:18 Lit in their faithfulness

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.”