1 NOW when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.
2 And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the Lord.
3 He appointed also the king’s portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the Lord.
4 Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord.
5 And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.
6 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps.
7 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month.
8 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord, and his people Israel.
9 Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.
10 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the Lord hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.
11 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord; and they prepared them,
12 And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.
13 And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.
14 And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the oblations of the Lord, and the most holy things.
15 And next him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their set office, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as to the small:
16 Beside their genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even unto every one that entereth into the house of the Lord, his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses;
17 Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses;
18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they sanctified themselves in holiness:
19 Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites.
20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God.
21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

1Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present, went out to the cities of Iudah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut downe the groues, and threw downe the high places and the altars out of all Iudah and Beniamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, vntill they had vtterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned euery man to his possession into their owne cities.

2 And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the Priests and the Leuites after their courses, euery man according to his seruice, the Priests and Leuites for burnt offerings, and for peace offerings, to minister and to giue thankes, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the Lord.

3He appointed also the kings portion of his substance, for the burnt offrings, to wit, for the morning and euening burnt offrings; and the burnt offrings for the Sabbaths, and for the Newmoones, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the Law of the Lord.

4Moreouer, he commaunded the people that dwelt in Ierusalem, to giue the portion of the Priests, and the Leuites, that they might be incouraged in the Law of the Lord.

5 And assoone as the commaundement came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the first fruits of corne, wine and oile, & hony, and of all the increase of the field, and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.

6And concerning the children of Israel and Iudah, that dwelt in the cities of Iudah, they also brought in the tithes of oxen and sheepe, and the tithe of holy things, which were consecrated vnto the Lord their God, and layd them by heapes.

7In the third moneth they began to lay the foundation of the heapes, and finished them in the seuenth moneth.

8And when Hezekiah and the princes came, and saw the heapes, they blessed the Lord, and his people Israel.

9Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Leuites concerning the heapes.

10And Azariah the chiefe priest of the house of Zadok, answered him & said: Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, wee haue had enough to eate, and haue left plentie: for the Lord hath blessed his people; and that which is left, is this great store.

11 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them,

12And brought in the offerings and the tithes, and the dedicate things, faithfully: ouer which Cononiah the Leuite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.

13And Iehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Ierimoth, and Iozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah were ouerseers vnder the hande of Cononiah, and Shimei his brother, at the commandement of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.

14And Kore the sonne of Immah the Leuite the porter toward the East, was ouer the free will offerings of God, to distribute the oblations of the Lord, and the most holy things.

15And next him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Ieshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shechaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their set office, to giue to their brethren by courses, as wel to the great as to the small:

16Beside their genealogie of males, from three yeeres old and vpward, euen vnto euery one that entreth into the house of the Lord, his dayly portion for their seruice in their charges, according to their courses:

17Both to the genealogie of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Leuites from twenty yeeres olde and vpward, in their charges by their courses:

18And to the genealogie of all their litle ones, their wiues, and their sonnes, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they sanctified themselues in holinesse.

19Also of the sonnes of Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in euery seuerall citie, the men that were expressed by name, to giue portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies, among the Leuites.

20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout al Iudah, and wrought that which was good and right, and trueth before the Lord his God.

21And in euery worke that he began in the seruice of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandements to seeke his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

I == 2nd Kings 13:4 ; 2nd Chr 30:14

 

 

 

 

 

 

II == 1st Chr 23:6 , 30-31 ; 24:1

 

 

 

III == Num 28-29

 

 

 

 

IV == Num 18:8 ; Neh 13:10 ; Mal 2:7

 

V == Ex 22:29 ; Neh 13:12

 

 

 

VI == Lev 27:30 ; Deut 14:28

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

X == Mal 3:10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XII == Neh 13:13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XV == Josh 21:9 ; 1st Chr 9:22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XVII == 1st Chr 23:24 , 27

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIX == Lev 25:34 ;Num 35:2 ; 2nd Chr 31:12-15

 

 

 

XX == 2nd Kings 20:3

 

1. After all this was over, those Israelites who had been present went forth to the cities of Judah and smashed the sacred pillars, cut down the sacred poles, and tore down the high places and altars throughout Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh, until all were destroyed. Then the Israelites returned to their various cities, each to his own possession.

2 Hezekiah reestablished the classes of the priests and the Levites according to their former classification, assigning to each priest and Levite his proper service, whether in regard to holocausts or peace offerings, thanksgiving or praise, or ministering in the gates of the encampment of the LORD.

3 From his own wealth the king allotted a portion for holocausts, those of morning and evening and those on sabbaths, new moons and festivals, as prescribed in the law of the LORD.

4 He also commanded the people living in Jerusalem to provide the support of the priests and Levites, that they might devote themselves entirely to the law of the LORD.

5 As soon as the order was promulgated, the Israelites brought, in great quantities, the best of their grain, wine, oil and honey, and all the produce of the fields; they gave a generous tithe of everything.

6 Israelites and Judahites living in other cities of Judah also brought in tithes of oxen, sheep, and things that had been consecrated to the LORD, their God; these they brought in and set out in heaps.

7 It was in the third month that they began to establish these heaps, and they completed them in the seventh month.

8 When Hezekiah and the princes had come and seen the heaps, they blessed the LORD and his people Israel.

9 Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps,

10 and the priest Azariah, head of the house of Zadoc, answered him, "Since they began to bring the offerings to the house of the LORD, we have eaten to the full and have had much left over, for the LORD has blessed his people. This great supply is what was left over."

11 Hezekiah then gave orders that chambers be constructed in the house of the LORD. When this had been done,

12 the offerings, tithes and consecrated things were deposited there in safekeeping. The overseer of these things was Conaniah the Levite, and his brother Shimei was second in charge.

13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath and Benaiah were supervisors subject to Conaniah and his brother Shimei by appointment of King Hezekiah and of Azariah, the prefect of the house of God.

14 Kore, the son of Imnah, a Levite and the keeper of the eastern gate, was in charge of the free-will gifts made to God; he distributed the offerings made to the LORD and the most holy of the consecrated things.

15 Under him in the priestly cities were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah, who faithfully made the distribution to their brethren, great and small alike, according to their classes.

16 There was also a register by ancestral houses of males thirty years of age and over, for all priests who were eligible to enter the house of the LORD according to the daily rule to fulfill their service in the order of their classes.

17 The priests were inscribed in their family records according to their ancestral houses, and the Levites of twenty years and over according to their various offices and classes.

18 A distribution was also made to all who were inscribed in the family records, for their little ones, wives, sons and daughters - thus for the entire assembly, since they were to sanctify themselves by sharing faithfully in the consecrated things.

19 The sons of Aaron, the priests who lived on the lands attached to their cities, had in every city men designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to every Levite listed in the family records.

20 This Hezekiah did in all Judah. He did what was good, upright and faithful before the LORD, his God.

21 Everything that he undertook, for the service of the house of God or for the law and the commandments, was to do the will of his God. He did this wholeheartedly, and he prospered.

V 1. In a fitting follow up to this great revival, all the men at least who had been there went throughout Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh destroying every altar and item of idol worship they could find,  before returning to their homes. One wonders what kind of reaction they got from the people in Ephraim and Manasseh who had laughed them to scorn, 30:10.

v 2-4. Hezekiah restored the priests and Levites to the 24 divisions that had been set up by David, in 1 Chr. 27, and made everyone aware of their responsibilities. The people were to supply the prescribed offerings of Num. 28,29, but he generously supplied  them, since this had become a new thing to them. However, he commanded the people to bring in their tithes and offerings to support of the priests and Levites.

 

 

 

 

v 5-10. The people responded with enthusiasm in bringing in first fruits and tithes of all kinds of produce and livestock. From a couple weeks after the revival, when everyone had returned to their homes, till into the seventh month, they brought them and put them in piles. Hezekiah and the princes blessed the Lord and the people for their response. The people had neglected supporting the Levites as early as Jud. 17, when a young Levite was traveling because of no support. Since the people brought in their tithes and offerings, there was plenty to support the priests and Levites and there was a substantial amount left over.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 11-13. Hezekiah commanded that chambers be made in the courts of the house of the Lord, and these piles of tithes, offerings and dedicated things were brought in and stored there. Along with Azariah, the priest, who was ruler of the temple, Hezekiah appointed Levites Conaniah and his brother and assistant, Shimei, along with ten supervisors under them, over the treasures.

 

 

 

 

 

v 14-18. The Levite Kore and six assistants were responsible for the distribution of these things to the priests in their 13 cities outside of Jerusalem, Josh. 21:13-19. They were entitled no matter what their rank, and even priest’s sons three years and older received an allowance because they would some day be priests. However, the Levites received a portion only if they were 20 years old or older. There were more Levites than priests, but the families of both were to be supported in this manner. The Law of Moses forbade them from working secular jobs to support themselves, Num. 18:21-24, but lack of support brought about the problem earlier mentioned, Jud.17.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 19. They were also to provide for any priests or Levites who did not live in Jerusalem or the appointed cities.

 

v 20,21. All Hezekiah’s reforms he did in total compliance with the commandment of the Lord. Neither did he do it grudgingly, but with his whole heart. While he was being prospered by the Lord, the sinful northern kingdom was declining: [1] Hoshea’s sin and defeat, 2 Ki. 17:3-6; 18:9-12.  [2] Sins which led to Israel’s captivity in Assyria, 2 Ki. 17:7-23.  [3] Assyria repopulating Samaria with people from the north countries, the plague of lions and return of some Israelite priests to teach the new people about the true God, 2 Ki. 17:24-41.