2Chronicles 31

Hezekiah’s Religious Reforms

31When the festival ended, the Israelites who attended went to all the towns of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, and they smashed all the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and removed the pagan shrines and altars. After this, the Israelites returned to their own towns and homes.H3615H3478H4672H3318H5892H3063H7665H4676H7665H1438H842H5422H1116H4196H3063H1144H669H4519H3615H1121H3478H7725H376H272H58922Hezekiah 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.H3169H5975H4256H3548H3881H4256H376H6310H5656H3548H3881H5930H8002H8334H3034H1984H8179H4264H30683The 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.H4428H4521H7399H5930H1242H6153H5930H5930H7676H2320H4150H3789H8451H30684In 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.H559H5971H3427H3389H5414H4521H3548H3881H2388H8451H30685When 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.H1697H6555H1121H3478H935H7235H7225H1715H8492H3323H1706H8393H7704H4643H935H72306The 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.H1121H3478H3063H3427H5892H3063H935H4643H1241H6629H4643H6944H6942H3068H430H5414H6194H61947They began piling them up in late spring, and the heaps continued to grow until early autumn

.H7992H2320H2490H3245H6194H3615H7637H23208When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw these huge piles, they thanked the LORD and his people Israel!H3169H8269H935H7200H6194H1288H3068H5971H34789"Where did all this come from?" Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites.H3169H1875H3548H3881H619410And 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."H5838H7218H3548H1004H6659H559H559H2490H935H8641H1004H3068H7646H398H3498H7230H3068H1288H5971H3498H199511Hezekiah ordered that storerooms be prepared in the Temple of the LORD. When this was done,H3169H559H3559H3957H1004H3068H355912the people faithfully brought all the tithes and gifts to the Temple. Conaniah the Levite was put in charge, assisted by his brother Shimei.H935H8641H4643H6944H530H3562H3881H5057H8096H251H493213The 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.H3171H5812H5184H6214H3406H3107H447H3253H4287H1141H6496H3027H3562H8096H251H4662H3169H4428H5838H5057H1004H43014Kore 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.H6981H1121H3232H3881H7778H4217H5071H430H5414H8641H3068H6944H694415His 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.H5731H4509H3442H8098H568H7935H5892H3548H530H5414H251H3027H4256H1419H699616They 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.H3187H2145H7969H8141H1121H4605H935H1004H3068H3117H3117H1697H5656H4931H425617They 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.H3187H3548H1004H1H3881H6242H8141H1121H4605H4931H425618Food 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.H3187H2945H802H1121H1323H6951H530H6942H694419As 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.H1121H175H3548H7704H4054H5892H5892H582H5344H8034H5414H4490H2145H3548H3187H388120In this way, King Hezekiah handled the distribution throughout all Judah, doing what was pleasing and good in the sight of the LORD his God.H6213H3169H3063H6213H2896H3477H571H6440H3068H43021In all that he did in the service of the Temple of God and in his efforts to follow God's laws and commands, Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful.H4639H2490H5656H1004H430H8451H4687H1875H430H6213H3824H6743