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.

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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

Hezekiah then organized the priests and Levites into divisions to offer the burnt offerings and peace offerings, and to worship and give thanks and praise to the Lord at the gates of the Temple. The king also made a personal contribution of animals for the daily morning and evening burnt offerings, the weekly Sabbath festivals, the monthly new moon festivals, and the annual festivals as prescribed in the Law of the Lord. In addition, he required the people in Jerusalem to bring a portion of their goods to the priests and Levites, so they could devote themselves fully to the Law of the Lord.

When the people of Israel heard these requirements, they responded generously by bringing the first share of their grain, new wine, olive oil, honey, and all the produce of their fields. They brought a large quantity—a tithe of all they produced. The people who had moved to Judah from Israel, and the people of Judah themselves, brought in the tithes of their cattle, sheep, and goats and a tithe of the things that had been dedicated to the Lord their God, and they piled them up in great heaps. They began piling them up in late spring, and the heaps continued to grow until early autumn.[a] When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw these huge piles, they thanked the Lord and his people Israel!

“Where did all this come from?” Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites.

10 And Azariah the high priest, from the family of Zadok, replied, “Since the people began bringing their gifts to the Lord’s Temple, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare. The Lord has blessed his people, and all this is left over.”

11 Hezekiah ordered that storerooms be prepared in the Temple of the Lord. When this was done, 12 the people faithfully brought all the gifts, tithes, and other items dedicated for use in the Temple. Conaniah the Levite was put in charge, assisted by his brother Shimei. 13 The supervisors under them were Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath, and Benaiah. These appointments were made by King Hezekiah and Azariah, the chief official in the Temple of God.

14 Kore son of Imnah the Levite, who was the gatekeeper at the East Gate, was put in charge of distributing the voluntary offerings given to God, the gifts, and the things that had been dedicated to the Lord. 15 His faithful assistants were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah. They distributed the gifts among the families of priests in their towns by their divisions, dividing the gifts fairly among old and young alike. 16 They distributed the gifts to all males three years old or older, regardless of their place in the genealogical records. The distribution went to all who would come to the Lord’s Temple to perform their daily duties according to their divisions. 17 They distributed gifts to the priests who were listed by their families in the genealogical records, and to the Levites twenty years old or older who were listed according to their jobs and their divisions. 18 Food allotments were also given to the families of all those listed in the genealogical records, including their little babies, wives, sons, and daughters. For they had all been faithful in purifying themselves.

19 As for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who were living in the open villages around the towns, men were appointed by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to all the Levites listed in the genealogical records.

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Footnotes

  1. 31:7 Hebrew in the third month . . . until the seventh month. The third month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar usually occurs within the months of May and June; the seventh month usually occurs within September and October.