When all this was finished, all the Israelites who were present went out to the towns of Judah and smashed the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the Israelites returned to their own towns, each to his own property.
Hezekiah assigned the priests and Levites to their divisions, each according to his duty, whether priest or Levite, for burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, to minister, to give thanks, and to sing praises at the gates of the LORD's camps.
From his own possessions the king set aside a portion for the burnt offerings: the morning and evening burnt offerings and those for the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the appointed feasts, as it is written in the Law of the LORD.
He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites, so that they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD.
As soon as the order went out, the Israelites brought a generous supply of the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, olive oil, and honey, and all the produce of the fields; and they brought in tithes of everything in abundance.
The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks, and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the LORD their God, and they piled them up in heap after heap.
and Azariah the chief priest, from the house of Zadok, answered him: "Since the people began bringing their contributions to the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, for the LORD has blessed his people, and this great amount is what is left over."
They faithfully brought in the contributions, the tithes, and the dedicated gifts. Conaniah the Levite was in charge of them, and his brother Shimei was second in command.
Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah served as supervisors under Conaniah and his brother Shimei, by appointment of King Hezekiah and of Azariah the official in charge of the house of God.
Kore son of Imnah the Levite, the gatekeeper at the East Gate, was in charge of the freewill offerings given to God, distributing the contributions made to the LORD and also the consecrated gifts.
Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah assisted him faithfully in the towns of the priests, distributing to their fellow Levites and priests according to their divisions, to old and young alike.
In addition, they distributed to the males three years old and upward who were listed in the genealogical records—all who entered the house of the LORD to perform the daily duties of their service, according to their responsibilities and their divisions.
They were enrolled along with all their little ones, their wives, their sons, and their daughters—the whole company—for they had faithfully consecrated themselves.
As for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who lived on the farmlands around their towns, men were designated by name in each of those towns to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to all the Levites listed in the genealogies.
In everything he undertook—in the service of the house of God and in obedience to the law and the commandments—he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly, and so he prospered.