The Reforms of Hezekiah
1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and 2 Kin. 18:4broke the sacred pillars in pieces, cut down the wooden images, and threw down the high places and the altars—from all Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh—until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned to their own cities, every man to his possession.
2 And Hezekiah appointed 1 Chr. 23:6; 24:1the divisions of the priests and the Levites according to their divisions, each man according to his service, the priests and Levites 1 Chr. 23:30, 31for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to serve, to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of the Lord. 3 The king also appointed a portion of his 2 Chr. 35:7possessions for the burnt offerings: for the morning and evening burnt offerings, the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths and the New Moons and the set feasts, as itis written in the Num. 28:1—29:40Law of the Lord.
4 Moreover he commanded the people who dwelt in Jerusalem to contribute Num. 18:8; 2 Kin. 12:16; Neh. 13:10; Ezek. 44:29support for the priests and the Levites, that they might devote themselves to Mal. 2:7the Law of the Lord.
5 As soon as the commandment was circulated, the children of Israel brought in abundance Ex. 22:29; Neh. 13:12the firstfruits of grain and wine, oil and honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the (Lev. 27:30); Deut. 14:28; 26:12, 13tithe of everything. 6 And the children of Israel and Judah, who dwelt in the cities of Judah, brought the tithe of oxen and sheep; also the (Lev. 27:30); Deut. 14:28tithe of holy things which were consecrated to the Lord their God they laid in heaps.
7 In the third month they began laying them in heaps, and they finished in the seventh month. 8 And when Hezekiah and the leaders came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and His people Israel. 9 Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 And Azariah the chief priest, from the 1 Chr. 6:8, 9house of Zadok, answered him and said, (Mal. 3:10)"Since thepeople began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and have plenty left, for the Lord has blessed His people; and what is left is this great Ex. 36:5abundance."
11 Now Hezekiah commanded them to 1 Kin. 6:5–8prepare rooms in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. 12 Then they faithfully brought in the offerings, the tithes, and the dedicated things; 2 Chr. 35:9; Neh. 13:13Cononiah the Levite had charge of them, and Shimei his brother was the next. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king and Azariah the 1 Chr. 9:11; Jer. 20:1ruler of the house of God. 14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the East Gate, was over the Deut. 23:23; 2 Chr. 35:8freewill offerings to God, to distribute the offerings of the Lord and the most holy things. 15 And under him were2 Chr. 29:12Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, his faithful assistants in Josh. 21:1–3, 9the cities of the priests, to distribute 1 Chr. 9:26allotments to their brethren by divisions, to the great as well as the small.
16 Besides those males from three years old and up who were written in the genealogy, they distributed to everyone who entered the house of the Lord his daily portion for the work of his service, by his division, 17 and to the priests who were written in the genealogy according to their father’s house, and to the Levites 1 Chr. 23:24, 27from twenty years old and up according to their work, by their divisions, 18 and to all who were written in the genealogy—their little ones and their wives, their sons and daughters, the whole company of them—for in their faithfulness they sanctified themselves in holiness.
19 Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, whowere in Lev. 25:34; Num. 35:1–4the fields of the common-lands of their cities, in every single city, therewere men who were 2 Chr. 31:12–15designated by name to distribute portions to all the males among the priests and to all who were listed by genealogies among the Levites.
20 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he 2 Kin. 20:3; 22:2did what was good and right and true before the Lord his God. 21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he 2 Chr. 26:5; 32:30; Ps. 1:3prospered.