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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.

<html><b>each man according to his service</b> the priests to minister, and the Levites to be singers and gate sentries, and every man at his proper service.</html>

<html><b>And the king’s portion from his possessions for the burnt-offerings, etc.</b> which he (willingly) gave to perform them.</html>

<html><b>And he commanded the inhabitants of Jerusalem, etc. in order that they be strengthened in the Law of the Lord</b> with greater enthusiasm. Moreover, as long as their sustenance will be provided, they will be able to perform and occupy themselves with the Law of the Lord, because the Law was given only to those who ate manna, and secondly, to those who eat the heave-offering (<i>Mechilta, Beshallach</i> 17, <i>Tanh. Beshallach 20).</i></html>

<html><b>And when the word burst forth</b> from the king’s mouth to give a portion to the priests and the Levites, <b>the Children of Israel increased the first of corn, wine, oil, honey</b> date honey. <b>and all the increase of the field</b> But all these [aforementioned] are not of the grain of the field, but so it is explained in Tractate <i>Nedarim</i>, in the chapter, “Whoever vows [to abstain] from herbs, is permitted to partake of pumpkins,” (55a): Rav Josef questioned: “And when the word burst forth, the Children of Israel increased, etc.” Now if you say that all these [i.e., all plants that are stacked up] are included in the term דָּגָן, what is the meaning of “when the word burst forth”? Replied Abbaye: This is to include fruit of trees and vegetables….Replied Rava: תְּבוּאָה (grain) is one thing, and תְּבוּאַת שָׂדֶה (increase of the field) is another.</html>

<html><b>and the tithes of sacred things consecrated to the Lord</b> the tithe of the tithe, which the Levites give the priests (Num. 18:25f.). <b>and they gave many stacks</b> עֲרֵמוֹת עֲרֵמוֹת (<i>houffen</i>, Middle High German, heaps), an example is (Song 7:3): “a stack of (עֲרֵמַת) wheat.”</html>

<html><b>they commenced to lay the foundations of the stacks</b> The beginning of anything is called a foundation, like the foundation of a house, which is the beginning of the structure, and like the verse in Ezra (7:9) “that is the commencement of (יְסֻד) the ascent, etc.”</html>

<html><b>and they blessed the Lord</b> Who inspired Israel to separate their heave-offerings and their tithes.</html>

<html><b>And Hezekiah demanded</b> Since Hezekiah saw that the stacks were large, he said to himself, “Perhaps the priests and the Levites have not taken [their share] from them and have not touched them, for had they touched them, how could they be so large? Since he was puzzled, he questioned them concerning the stacks, “What is the reason for this?”</html>

<html><b>And Azariah…said to him</b> He lived in the days of Uzziah. <b>“From the beginning of bringing the heave-offering</b> We have surely eaten, and not an incidental meal but we ate, were satisfied, and left over. Now what you are surprised about, that we ate four months, and nevertheless, their stacks are so large - this is because the Lord blessed His people and gave them abundant grains; therefore, they increased our heave-offerings and tithes. <b>and what is left over</b> from this eating of ours. <b>is this abundance</b> that you see: many stacks.</html>

<html><b>to prepare the chambers in the House of the Lord</b> in which to deposit the heave-offerings.</html>

<html><b>And the priests who traced their genealogy to the house of their fathers, and the Levites</b> with the genealogy of their infants, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. They would supply their sustenance from the heave-offerings and the tithes for that entire congregation. All these whom we mentioned [would supply food] to those who stood in the forecourt, and also to the sons of Aaron, the priests whose watch had not yet come about in which to minister, and who were in the field of the open land of their cities, in every city.</html>

<html><b>were men who were mentioned by names</b> Above (verses 12ff.) Conaniah and his brethren were appointed over them to receive the portions: the heave-offerings and the tithes from the Israelites to distribute the portions to every male among the priests and the Levites <b>to every male among the priests</b> and also to their wives, their sons, and their daughters. The Chronicler says “to every male” here to teach something remarkable, i.e., they would provide even to the young male children, as above (verse 16): “of the males from three years old and over,” and they would surely provide for their wives, sons and daughters.</html>