2 Chronicles 31

Hezekiah Organizes the Priests

1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and a broke the sacred pillars in pieces, cut down the wooden images, and threw down the 1 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 b the divisions of the priests and the Levites according to their divisions, each man according to his service, the priests and Levites c for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to serve, to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the 2 camp 3 of the LORD. 3 The king also appointed a 4 portion of his d possessions 5 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 it is written in the e Law of the LORD. 4 Moreover he commanded the people who dwelt in Jerusalem to contribute f support 6 for the priests and the Levites, that they might devote themselves to g the Law of the LORD. 5 As soon as the commandment was circulated, the children of Israel brought in abundance h the firstfruits of grain and wine, oil and honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the i tithe 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 j tithe 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 k house of Zadok, answered him and said, l "Since the people 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 m abundance."

11 Now Hezekiah commanded them to prepare n rooms 7 in the house of the LORD, and they prepared them. 12 Then they faithfully brought in the offerings, the tithes, and the dedicated things; o Cononiah 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 p ruler of the house of God. 14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the East Gate, was over the q freewill offerings to God, to distribute the offerings of the LORD and the most holy things. 15 And under him were r Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, his faithful assistants in s the cities of the priests, to distribute t allotments 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 u from 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 8 sanctified themselves in holiness. 19 Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, who were in v the fields of the common-lands of their cities, in every single city, there were men who were w designated 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 x did 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 y prospered.

  1. Cross References
    2 Kings 18:4
    He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan.
  2. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 23:6
    Also David separated them into divisions among the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
    1 Chronicles 24:1
    Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
  3. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 23:30
    To stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at evening.
    1 Chronicles 23:31
    And at every presentation of a burnt offering to the LORD on the Sabbaths and on the New Moons and on the set feasts, by number according to the ordinance governing them, regularly before the LORD.
  4. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 35:7
    Then Josiah gave the lay people lambs and young goats from the flock, all for Passover offerings for all who were present, to the number of thirty thousand, as well as three thousand cattle; these were from the king's possessions.
  5. Cross References
    Numbers 28:1
    Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying.
    Numbers 29:40
    So Moses told the children of Israel everything, just as the LORD commanded Moses.
  6. Cross References
    Numbers 18:8
    And the LORD spoke to Aaron: "Here, I Myself have also given you charge of My heave offerings, all the holy gifts of the children of Israel; I have given them as a portion to you and your sons, as an ordinance forever.
    2 Kings 12:16
    The money from the trespass offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the LORD. It belonged to the priests.
    Nehemiah 13:10
    I also realized that the portions for the Levites had not been given them; for each of the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to his field.
    Ezekiel 44:29
    They shall eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering; every dedicated thing in Israel shall be theirs.
  7. Cross References
    Malachi 2:7
    For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
  8. Cross References
    Exodus 22:29
    You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe produce and your juices. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.
    Nehemiah 13:12
    Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse.
  9. Cross References
    Leviticus 27:30
    And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's. It is holy to the LORD.
    Deuteronomy 14:28
    At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates.
    Deuteronomy 26:12
    When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year - the year of tithing - and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled.
    Deuteronomy 26:13
    Then you shall say before the LORD your God: 'I have removed the holy tithe from my house, and also have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten them.
  10. Cross References
    Leviticus 27:30
    And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's. It is holy to the LORD.
    Deuteronomy 14:28
    At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates.
  11. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 6:8
    Ahitub begot Zadok, and Zadok begot Ahimaaz.
    1 Chronicles 6:9
    Ahimaaz begot Azariah, and Azariah begot Johanan.
  12. Cross References
    Malachi 3:10
    Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
  13. Cross References
    Exodus 36:5
    And they spoke to Moses, saying, "The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the LORD commanded us to do.
  14. Cross References
    1 Kings 6:5 - 8
    Against the wall of the temple he built chambers all around, against the walls of the temple, all around the sanctuary and the inner sanctuary. Thus he made side chambers all around it.
  15. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 35:9
    Also Conaniah, his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave to the Levites for Passover offerings five thousand from the flock and five hundred cattle.
    Nehemiah 13:13
    And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouse Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah; and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered faithful, and their task was to distribute to their brethren.
  16. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 9:11
    Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the officer over the house of God.
    Jeremiah 20:1
    Now Pashhur the son of Immer, the priest who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things.
  17. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 23:23
    That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God what you have promised with your mouth.
    2 Chronicles 35:8
    And his leaders gave willingly to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings two thousand six hundred from the flock, and three hundred cattle.
  18. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 29:12
    Then these Levites arose: Mahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah.
  19. Cross References
    Joshua 21:1 - 3
    Then the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites came near to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the children of Israel.
    Joshua 21:9
    So they gave from the tribe of the children of Judah and from the tribe of the children of Simeon these cities which are designated by name.
  20. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 9:26
    For in this trusted office were four chief gatekeepers; they were Levites. And they had charge over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God.
  21. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 23:24
    These were the sons of Levi by their fathers' houses - the heads of the fathers' houses as they were counted individually by the number of their names, who did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and above.
    1 Chronicles 23:27
    For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above.
  22. Cross References
    Leviticus 25:34
    But the field of the common-land of their cities may not be sold, for it is their perpetual possession.
    Numbers 35:1 - 4
    And the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, saying:
  23. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 31:12 - 15
    Then they faithfully brought in the offerings, the tithes, and the dedicated things; Cononiah the Levite had charge of them, and Shimei his brother was the next.
  24. Cross References
    2 Kings 20:3
    Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
    2 Kings 22:2
    And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
  25. Cross References
    2 Chronicles 26:5
    He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.
    2 Chronicles 32:30
    This same Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
    Psalms 1:3
    He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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