Israel Tears Down Every Idol
The festival ends with people going out to smash the pillars and high places. Then the tithes come in so abundantly they stand in heaps, storerooms must be built, and distribution is organised by name so priests and Levites can give themselves to their Father's law.
31 1When this ended, all Israel present went out to the towns of Judah, smashed the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and altars throughout Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, destroying them completely. Then all Israel returned to their towns, each to his own property.
2Hezekiah assigned the priests and Levites to their divisions, each by his service, priests and Levites alike, for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to serve, give thanks, and praise in the gates of our Father's camps.
3The king gave from his own wealth for the burnt offerings—morning and evening burnt offerings, and those for Sabbaths, new moons, and appointed feasts—as written in our Father's law. 4He told Jerusalem's residents to give the priests' and Levites' portion, so they could devote themselves to our Father's law. 5As soon as the order spread, Israelites abundantly gave firstfruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey, and all the field's produce, and brought in the tenth of everything abundantly. 6The Israelites and Judahites living in Judah's towns also brought the tenth of cattle and sheep, and the tenth of what was dedicated to our Father, piling them in heaps.
7They began piling the heaps in the third month, finishing in the seventh. a a v7 The third month falls in late May–June; the seventh month in September–October — about four months of giving. 8Hezekiah and the officials came, saw the heaps, and blessed our Father and his people Israel. 9Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps. 10Azariah the chief priest, of Zadok's house, answered him, "Since people began bringing contributions into our Father's house, we've eaten well with plenty remaining, for our Father blessed his people, leaving this large surplus."
11Then Hezekiah ordered them to prepare storerooms in the house of our Father, and they prepared them. 12They faithfully brought in the contributions, the tenth, and dedicated gifts. Conaniah the Levite led them; Shimei his brother was second. 13Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah oversaw, under Conaniah and his brother Shimei, appointed by King Hezekiah and Azariah, chief officer of our Father's house. 14Kore son of Imnah, the Levite gatekeeper toward the east, oversaw the voluntary offerings to our Father, distributing our Father's contributions and the most holy gifts. 15Under him, Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah served faithfully in the priestly towns, distributing to fellow priests by divisions, great and small alike, 16besides giving to those registered by genealogy, males three and up—all entering the house of our Father for daily duty—for their service by office and division. 17Priests were registered by clans; Levites twenty and up, by duty and division. 18They were registered with all their little ones, wives, sons, and daughters—the whole community—for they faithfully dedicated themselves in holiness. 19For Aaron's priestly descendants living in the pasture-fields around their towns, men were named in each and every town to give shares to every male priest and all Levites listed by genealogy.
20Hezekiah did this throughout all Judah. He did what was good, right, and faithful before our Father. 21In all he undertook—serving the house of our Father, keeping the law and command, seeking our Father—he gave his whole heart, and thrived.
