2 Chronicles 31:1-21
1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were presenta 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.b
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 chambersc 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.
HEZEKIAH'S WORK OF REFORMATION
(vv.1-21)
When Hezekiah had taken positive action to give God His true place of authority in the Passover feast, he rightly followed this up with the negative work of destroying the idolatrous pillars, images, high places and altars that had been introduced by earlier kings. The many people who had been present for the Passover carded out this destruction in the Cities of Judah, but also in Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh (v.1) before returning to their own property.
Then Hezekiah restored the priests and Levites to their proper places and their proper work according to the divisions appointed for them by the law of Moses, to cake care of the sacrifices of burnt offerings and peace offerings, to serve and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the house of the Lord (v.2). He also appointed a part of his possessions to be provided as burnt offerings, whether for the morning and evening or for the sabbaths, new moons and set feasts, as was prescribed in the law (v.3).
Notice the emphasis placed on the burnt offering. This was totally for God, all going up in fire to Him, indicating the value of the sacrifice of Christ to God Himself, for God has been perfectly glorified in that sacrifice, apart from all the blessing we may have received.
The people had apparently not been taught that the Levites depended on their support for the service they performed in the temple. Hezekiah therefore took notice of this and commanded the people of Jerusalem to contribute to the support of the Levites, so that they could devote themselves to their proper service. When this order was circulated the people were quick to respond, for Hezekiah's personal devotion to the Lord had very real influence on them. They brought in grain, wine, oil and honey and other produce in abundance (v, 5). When people's hearts were affected by the truth of God, tithes were not considered a hardship. Under grace there is no commandment given to tithe, but since we are infinitely blessed by the sacrifice of Christ for us, our giving is to be voluntary and spontaneous. "Let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7).
Others of the children of Israel (outside of Jerusalem) brought tithes of oxen and sheep and of other holy things that were consecrated to the Lord (v.6). These holy things they had laid in heaps, so that at the end of four summer months of gathering, there was a great over-abundance. When Hezekiah and other leaders of Judah came to view the heaps, they were so impressed as to gladly bless the Lord and the people also (vv.7-8).
Azariah the chief priest told Hezekiah of the abundance remaining after the Levites had been sufficed, so that Hezekiah ordered them to prepare rooms in the house of the Lord in which to store the offerings (v.11). How good it is to read that "they faithfully brought in the offerings, the tithes and the dedicated things" (v.12). The Lord delights in recording the names of the twelve faithful men who did this.
One official, Kore, was appointed to take charge of the freewill offerings and their distribution, and under him six assistants who are called "faithful" (vv.14-15). Even males as young as three years were included in the distribution of these offerings, though of course the priests who served were required to be 20 years or older (vv.16-17). But the families of the Levites were all entitled to the support of the freewill offerings (v.18).
Also, there were men designated to distribute portions to the sons of Aaron the priests in the fields and common lands surrounding the cities (v.19). Thus Hezekiah was diligent to see that nothing was neglected in the work of the Lord to provide for the people what was right and good. It is a precious commendation that he did every good work in the service of the house of God with all his heart. Therefore he prospered greatly (v.21).