Chapter 31

Now when all this was finished,¹⁵ all Israel that were present¹² went out¹ to the cities of Judah, and brake¹⁷ the images in pieces, and cut down¹⁷ the groves, and threw down¹⁷ the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed¹⁵ them all. Then all the children of Israel returned,⁴ every man to his possession, into their own cities.

And Hezekiah appointed⁵⁵ 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,¹⁵ and to give thanks,⁵³ and to praise¹⁵ in the gates of the tents of the LORD.

[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] written⁷ in the law of the LORD.

Moreover he commanded⁴ the people that dwelt⁶ in Jerusalem to give² the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged⁴ in the law of the LORD.

And as soon as the commandment came abroad,² the children of Israel brought in abundance⁵² the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all [things] brought⁵² they in abundantly.

And [concerning] the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt⁶ in the cities of Judah, they also brought in⁵² the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated³⁰ unto the LORD their God, and laid⁴ [them] by heaps. ⁶¹⁹⁴

In the third month they began⁵² to lay the foundation² of the heaps, and finished¹⁴ [them] in the seventh month.

And when Hezekiah and the princes came⁴ and saw⁴ the heaps, they blessed¹⁷ the LORD, and his people Israel.

Then Hezekiah questioned⁴ with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.

And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered⁴ him, and said,⁴ Since [the people] began⁵³ to bring⁵³ the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough² to eat,² and have left⁵³ plenty: for the LORD hath blessed¹⁴ his people; and that which is left¹² [is] this great store.

Then Hezekiah commanded⁴ to prepare⁵³ chambers in the house of the LORD; and they prepared⁵⁵ [them],

And brought in⁵⁵ the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated [things] faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite [was] ruler, and Shimei his brother [was] the next.

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.

And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the east, [was] over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute² the oblations of the LORD, and the most holy things.

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 give² to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as to the small:

Beside their genealogy⁹⁹ of males, from three years old and upward, [even] unto every one that entereth⁶ into the house of the LORD, his daily ³¹¹⁷ portion for their service in their charges according to their courses;

Both to the genealogy⁹⁹ of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses;

And to the genealogy⁹⁹ of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they sanctified¹⁰¹ themselves in holiness:

Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, [which were] in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, ⁵⁸⁹² the men that were expressed⁸ by name, to give² portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were reckoned by genealogies⁹⁹ among the Levites.

And thus did⁴ Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought⁴ [that which was] good and right and truth before the LORD his God.

And in every work that he began⁵² in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek² his God, he did¹ [it] with all his heart, and prospered.⁵²