Rescue the Weak and Needy

A Psalm of ^(A)Asaph.

Hezekiah Organizes the Priests

31 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and ^(A)broke in pieces the ^(B)pillars and cut down ^(C)the Asherim and broke down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the people of Israel returned to their cities, every man to his possession.

² And Hezekiah appointed ^(D)the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, division by division, each according to his service, the priests and the Levites, ^(E)for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to minister in the gates of the camp of the Lord and to give thanks and praise. ^3 (F)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 feasts, ^(G)as it is written in the Law of the Lord. ⁴ And he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give ^(H)the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the Lord. ⁵ As soon as the command was spread abroad, the people of Israel gave in abundance the firstfruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field. And they brought in abundantly ^(I)the tithe of everything. ⁶ And the people of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and ^(J)the tithe of the dedicated things that had been dedicated to the Lord their God, and laid them in heaps. ⁷ In the third month they began to pile up the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. ⁸ When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and his people Israel. ⁹ And Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites about the heaps. ¹⁰ Azariah the chief priest, who was ^(K)of the house of Zadok, answered him, “Since they began to bring the contributions into the house of the Lord, we have eaten and had enough and have plenty left, ^(L)for the Lord has blessed his people, so that we have this large amount left.”

¹¹ Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare ^(M)chambers in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. ¹² And they faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the dedicated things. The chief officer ^(N)in charge of them was Conaniah the Levite, with ^(O)Shimei his brother as second, ^13 (P)while Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, ^(Q)Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers assisting Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king and ^(R)Azariah the chief officer of the house of God. ¹⁴ And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the east gate, was over the freewill offerings to God, to apportion the contribution reserved for the Lord and the most holy offerings. ^15 (S)Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah were faithfully assisting him in ^(T)the cities of the priests, to distribute the portions to their brothers, old and young alike, by divisions, ¹⁶ except those enrolled by genealogy, males from three years old and upward—all who entered the house of the Lord ^(U)as the duty of each day required—for their service according to their offices, by their divisions. ¹⁷ The enrollment of the priests was according to their fathers' houses; that of the Levites ^(V)from twenty years old and upward was according to their offices, by their divisions. ¹⁸ They were enrolled with all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, the whole assembly, for they were faithful in keeping themselves holy. ¹⁹ And for the sons of Aaron, the priests, who were in the fields of common land belonging to their cities, there were men in the several cities who were ^(W)designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone among the Levites who was enrolled.

²⁰ Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, ^(X)and he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. ²¹ And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.

Sacrifices Pleasing to God

13 Let ^(A)brotherly love continue. ^2 (B)Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby ^(C)some have entertained angels unawares. ^3 (D)Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. ^4 (E)Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge ^(F)the sexually immoral and adulterous. ⁵ Keep your life ^(G)free from love of money, and ^(H)be content with what you have, for he has said, ^(I)“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ⁶ So we can confidently say,

⁷ Remember ^(L)your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and ^(M)imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is ^(N)the same yesterday and today and forever. ⁹ Do not be ^(O)led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, ^(P)not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. ¹⁰ We have an altar ^(Q)from which those who serve the tent^[a] have no right to eat. ¹¹ For ^(R)the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned ^(S)outside the camp. ¹² So Jesus also ^(T)suffered ^(U)outside the gate in order to sanctify the people ^(V)through his own blood. ¹³ Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear ^(W)the reproach he endured. ¹⁴ For ^(X)here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. ^15 (Y)Through him then let us continually offer up ^(Z)a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, ^(AA)the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. ¹⁶ Do not neglect to do good and ^(AB)to share what you have, for such ^(AC)sacrifices are pleasing to God.

¹⁷ Obey ^(AD)your leaders and submit to them, ^(AE)for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to ^(AF)give an account. ^(AG)Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

^18 (AH)Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. ¹⁹ I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order ^(AI)that I may be restored to you the sooner.

Benediction

²⁰ Now ^(AJ)may the God of peace ^(AK)who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, ^(AL)the great shepherd of the sheep, by ^(AM)the blood of the eternal covenant, ^21 (AN)equip you with everything good that you may do his will, ^(AO)working in us^[b] that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, ^(AP)to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

²² I appeal to you, brothers,^[c] bear with my word of exhortation, for ^(AQ)I have written to you briefly. ²³ You should know that ^(AR)our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. ²⁴ Greet all ^(AS)your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings. ^25 (AT)Grace be with all of you.