The Destruction of Idols

1And when all these thinges were finished, all Israel that were found in the cities of Iudah, went out and brake the images, and cut downe the groues, and brake downe the hie places, and the altars thorowout all Iudah and Beniamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, vntil they had made an ende: afterwarde all the children of Israel returned euery man to his possession, into their owne cities.

2And Hezekiah appoynted the courses of the Priests and Leuites by their turnes, euery man according to his office, both Priestes and Leuites, for the burnt offring and peace offrings, to minister and to giue thankes, & to prayse in the gates of the tentes of the Lord.

Contributions for Worship

3(And the Kings portion was of his owne substance for the burnt offrings, euen for ye burnt offrings of the morning and of the euening, and the burnt offrings for the Sabbaths, and for the new moones, and for the solemne feastes, as it is written in the Law of the Lord) 4He commanded also the people that dwelt in Ierusalem, to giue a part to the Priestes, and Leuites, that they might be encouraged in the Law of the Lord. 5And when the commaundement was spread, the children of Israel brought abundance of first fruites, of corne, wine, and oyle, and honie, and of all the increase of the fielde, and the tithes of all things brought they abundantly. 6And the children of Israel and Iudah that dwelt in ye cities of Iudah, they also brought the tithes of bullockes and sheepe, and the holy tithes which were consecrate vnto the Lorde their God, and laide them on many heapes. 7In the thirde moneth they beganne to lay the foundation of the heapes, and finished them in the seuenth moneth. 8And when Hezekiah and the princes came, and saw the heapes, they blessed the Lord and his people Israel. 9And Hezekiah questioned with the Priests and the Leuites concerning the heapes. 10And Azariah the chiefe Priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and sayde, Since the people beganne to bring the offrings into the house of the Lorde, we haue eaten and haue bene satisfied, and there is left in abundance: for the Lorde hath blessed his people, and this abundance that is left.

Hezekiah Organizes the Priests

11And Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lorde: and they prepared them, 12And caryed in the first fruites, and the tithes, and the dedicate things faithfully: and ouer them was Conaniah the Leuite, the chiefe, and Shimei his brother the seconde. 13And Iehiel, and Azariah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Ierimoth, and Iozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah were ouerseers by the appointment of Conaniah, & Shimei his brother, and by the commandement of Hezekiah the King, and of Azariah the chiefe of the house of God. 14And Kore the sonne of Imnah the Leuite porter towarde the East, was ouer the things that were willingly offred vnto God, to distribute the oblations of the Lorde, and the holy things that were consecrate. 15And at his hande were Eden, and Miniamin, and Ieshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, & Shechaniah, in the cities of the Priestes, to distribute with fidelitie to their brethren by courses, both to the great and small, 16Their daily portion: beside their generation being males from three yeere olde and aboue, euen to all that entred into the house of the Lorde to their office in their charge, according to their courses: 17Both to the generation of the Priestes after the house of their fathers, and to the Leuites from twentie yeere olde and aboue, according to their charge in their courses: 18And to the generation of all their children, their wiues, and their sonnes & their daughters throughout all ye Congregation: for by their fidelitie are they partakers of the holy things. 19Also to the sonnes of Aaron, the Priestes, which were in the fieldes & suburbes of their cities, in euery citie the men that were appointed by names, shoulde giue portions to all the males of the Priestes, and to all the generation of the Leuites.

20And thus did Hezekiah throughout al Iudah, and did well, and vprightly, and truely before the Lorde his God. 21And in all the workes that he began for the seruice of the house of God, both in the Law and in the commandements, to seeke his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.