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.
