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

Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, division by division, everyone according to his service, the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and offerings of well-being, to minister in the gates of the camp of the Lord and to give thanks and praise.(A) The contribution of the king from his own possessions was for the burnt offerings: the burnt offerings of morning and evening, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the appointed festivals, as it is written in the law of the Lord.(B) He commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, so that they might devote themselves to the law of the Lord.(C) As soon as the word spread, the people of Israel gave in abundance the first fruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field, and they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything.(D) The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep and the tithe of the dedicated things that had been consecrated to the Lord their God and laid them in heaps.(E) In the third month they began to pile up the heaps and finished them in the seventh month. When Hezekiah and the officials came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and his people Israel. Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites about the heaps. 10 The chief priest Azariah, who was of the house of Zadok, answered him, “Since they began to bring the contributions into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and have plenty to spare, for the Lord has blessed his people, so that we have this great supply left over.”(F)

Reorganization of Priests and Levites

11 Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare store chambers in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. 12 Faithfully they brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the dedicated things. The chief officer in charge of them was Conaniah the Levite, with his brother Shimei as second; 13 while Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers assisting Conaniah and his brother Shimei, by the appointment of King Hezekiah and of Azariah the chief officer of the house of God.(G) 14 Kore son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the east gate, was in charge of the freewill offerings to God, to apportion the contribution reserved for the Lord and the most holy offerings. 15 Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah were faithfully assisting him in the cities of the priests, to distribute the portions to their kindred, old and young alike, by divisions,(H) 16 except those enrolled by genealogy, males from three years old and up, all who entered the house of the Lord as the duty of each day required, for their service according to their offices, by their divisions.(I) 17 The enrollment of the priests was according to their ancestral houses; that of the Levites from twenty years old and up was according to their offices, by their divisions.(J) 18 They were enrolled with all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, the whole multitude, for they were faithful in keeping themselves holy. 19 And for the descendants of Aaron, the priests, who were in the fields of pastureland belonging to their towns, town by town, the people designated by name were to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone among the Levites who was enrolled.(K)

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