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Idols Are Destroyed

Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, abroke the memorial stones in pieces, cut down the 1Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until 2they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession.

And Hezekiah appointed athe divisions of the priests and the Levites by their divisions, each according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, bfor burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to serve and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the camp of the LORD.

Reforms Continued

He also appointed athe king’s portion of his property for the burnt offerings, namely, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths and for the new moons and for the appointed festivals, bas it is written in the Law of the LORD. Also he told the people who lived in Jerusalem to give athe portion due to the priests and the Levites, so that they might devote themselves to bthe Law of the LORD. As soon as the 1order spread, the sons of Israel abundantly provided the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly athe tithe of everything. The sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and athe tithe of 1sacred gifts which were consecrated to the LORD their God, and placed them in heaps. In the third month they began to 1make the heaps, and they finished them by the seventh month. When Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD and aHis people Israel. Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 Azariah, the chief priest aof the house of Zadok, said to 1him, “bSince the contributions started coming into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat with plenty left over, for the LORD has blessed His people, and this great quantity is left over.”

11 Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare arooms in the house of the LORD, and they prepared them. 12 They faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the consecrated things; and Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge aof them, and his brother Shimei was second. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers 1under the authority of Conaniah and his brother Shimei by the appointment of King Hezekiah, and aAzariah was the chief officer of the house of God. 14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the eastern gate, was in charge of the 1voluntary offerings for God, to distribute the contributions for the LORD and the most holy things. 15 1Under his authority were aEden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, in bthe cities of the priests, to distribute their portions faithfully to their brothers by divisions, whether great or small, 16 without regard to their genealogical enrollment, to the males from 1athirty years old and upwardeveryone who entered the house of the LORD bfor his daily obligations—for their work in their duties according to their divisions; 17 as well as the priests who were enrolled genealogically according to their fathers’ households, and the Levites afrom twenty years old and upward, by their duties and their divisions. 18 The genealogical enrollment included 1all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, for the whole assembly, for they consecrated themselves 2faithfully in holiness. 19 Also for the sons of Aaron, the priests, who were in athe pasture lands of their cities, or in each and every city, bthere were men who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone genealogically enrolled among the Levites.

20 Hezekiah did this throughout Judah; and ahe did what was good, right, and true before the LORD his God. 21 Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in the Law and in the commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and aprospered.

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