The Collection for the Priests(A)
31 When the Passover celebration was finished, all the Israelites in Jerusalem went out to the towns of Judah. There they smashed the ·stone [sacred] pillars [C used in pagan worship]. They cut down the Asherah ·idols [poles; 14:3] and destroyed the altars and ·places for worshiping gods [L high places; 11:15] in all of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. After they had destroyed all of them, the Israelites returned to their own towns and ·homes [properties].
2 King Hezekiah ·appointed [organized; assigned] ·groups [divisions] of priests and Levites for their special duties. They were to ·offer [sacrifice] burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] and ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offerings [Lev. 3:1], to ·worship [serve], and to give thanks and praise at the gates of the Lord’s ·house [L camp]. 3 Hezekiah gave some of his own animals for the burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17], which were given every morning and evening, on Sabbath days, during New Moons, and at other feasts ·commanded [prescribed] in the Lord’s ·Teachings [instructions; laws].
4 Hezekiah commanded the people living in Jerusalem to give the priests and Levites the portion ·that belonged to [prescribed for] them. Then the priests and Levites could ·give all their time [devote themselves] to the Lord’s ·Teachings [instructions; laws]. 5 As soon as the king’s command went out to the Israelites, they gave ·freely of the [generously/abundantly from the] first ·portion [fruits; harvest] of their grain, new wine, oil, honey, and ·everything they grew [all the produce] in their fields. They brought a large amount, ·one-tenth [a tithe] of everything. 6 The people of Israel and Judah who lived in Judah also brought ·one-tenth [a tithe] of their cattle and sheep and ·one-tenth [a tithe] of the ·holy things [sacred/consecrated/dedicated things] that were given to the Lord their God, and they put all of them in ·piles [heaps]. 7 The people began the ·piles [heaps] in the third month [C late spring] and finished in the seventh month [C early autumn]. 8 When Hezekiah and his ·officers [officials] came and saw the ·piles [heaps], they ·praised [blessed; thanked] the Lord and his people Israel. 9 Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the ·piles [heaps]. 10 Azariah, the leading priest from Zadok’s ·family [clan; L house], answered Hezekiah, “Since the people began to bring their ·offerings [contributions; gifts] to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, we have had plenty to eat and plenty left over, because the Lord has blessed his people. So we have all this left over.”
11 Then Hezekiah commanded the priests to prepare the storerooms in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. So this was done. 12 Then the priests brought in the ·offerings [contributions] and the ·things given to the Lord [consecrated/purified/sanctified things] and ·one-tenth of everything the people had given [the tithes]. Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge of these things, and his brother Shimei was ·second to him [his assistant]. 13 Conaniah and his brother Shimei were over these supervisors: Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath, and Benaiah. King Hezekiah and Azariah the officer in charge of the ·Temple [L house] of God had ·chosen [appointed] them.
14 Kore son of Imnah the Levite was in charge of the ·special gifts the people wanted to give [voluntary/free will offerings] to God. He was responsible for ·giving out [distributing] the contributions made to the Lord and the ·holy [consecrated; dedicated] gifts. Kore was the guard at the East Gate. 15 Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah helped Kore in the towns where the priests lived. They gave from what was collected to ·the other groups of priests [their brothers by divisions], both ·old [great] and ·young [small].
16 They also gave to the males three years old and older who had their names in the ·Levite family [genealogical] ·histories [records]. ·They were to enter […all who entered] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord for their daily ·service [duties], ·each group having its own responsibilities [according to their divisions]. 17 The priests were given their part of the collection, by ·families [ancestral houses], as listed in the ·family [genealogical] ·histories [records]. The Levites twenty years old and older were given their part of the collection, based on their ·responsibilities [duties] and their ·groups [divisions]. 18 The Levites’ babies, wives, sons, and daughters also got part of the collection. This was done for all the Levites who were ·listed [enrolled] in the ·family histories [genealogical records], because they ·always kept themselves ready to serve the Lord [faithfully consecrated/purified themselves].
19 Some of Aaron’s descendants, the priests, lived on the farmlands near the towns or in the towns. Men were ·chosen [appointed; designated] by name to ·give [distribute] part of the collection to these priests. All the males and those ·named [listed] in the ·family histories [genealogical records] of the Levites received part of the collection.
20 This is what King Hezekiah did ·in [throughout] Judah. He did what was good and right and ·obedient [faithful; true; pleasing] before the Lord his God. 21 Hezekiah tried to ·obey [seek] God in his service of the ·Temple [L house] of God, and in following his ·teachings [instructions; laws] and commands. He ·gave himself fully to his work for God [did so wholeheartedly] and therefore ·had success [prospered].