2 Chronicles 31:21

. They bring to also the freewill-offerings, and regulate the priests and Levites and their families, according to their genealogies, 2Chr 31:14-19. Hezekiah does every thing in sincerity and truth, and is prosperous, 2Chr 31:20, 2Chr 31:21. Verse 1 Brake the images in pieces - This species of reformation was not only carried on through Judah, but they carried it into Israel; whether through a transport of religious zeal, or whether with the consent of Hoshea the Israelitish king, we cannot tell. Verse 2 In the gates of the tents of the Lord - That is, in the temple; for this was the house, tabernacle, tent, and camp, of the Most High. Verse 3 The king's portion of his substance for the burnt-offerings - It is conjectured that the Jewish kings, at least from the time of David, furnished the morning and evening sacrifice daily at their own expense, and several others also. Verse 5 Brought - the first-fruits - These were principally for the maintenance of the priests and Levites; they brought tithes of all the produce of the field, whether commanded or not, as we see in the instance of honey, which was not to be offered to the Lord, Lev 2:11, yet it appears it might be offered to the priests as first-fruits, or in the way of tithes. Verse 7 In the third month - "The month Sivan; the seventh, Tisri." - Targum. The heaps - The vast collections of grain which they had from the tithes over and above their own consumption; see 2Chr 31:10. Verse 11 To prepare chambers - To make granaries to lay up this superabundance. Verse 12 Shimei - was the next - He was assistant to Cononiah. Verse 15 And Miniamin - Instead of מנימן, Miniamin, בנימן, Benjamin, is the reading of three of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS.; and this is the reading of the Vulgate, Syriac, Septuagint, and Arabic. Verse 17 From twenty years old - Moses had ordered that the Levites should not begin their labor till they were thirty years of age; but David changed this order, and obliged them to begin at twenty. Verse 20 Wrought - good and right and truth - Here is the proper character of a worthy king: he is Good, and he does good; he is Upright, and he acts justly and maintains justice; he is truly Religious, and he lives according to that truth which he receives as a revelation from God. Verse 21 He did it with all his heart - In every respect he was a thoroughly excellent man, saw his duty to God and to his people, and performed it with becoming zeal and diligence. May God ever send such kings to the nations of the world; and may the people who are blessed with such be duly obedient to them, and thankful to the God who sends them! Introduction Sennacherib invades Judea, 2Chr 32:1. Hezekiah takes proper measures for the defense of his kingdom, 2Chr 32:2-6. His exhortation, 2Chr 32:7

The Maintenance of the Priests. ( b. c. 720.) 11 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers 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. Here we have, I. Two particular instances of the care of Hezekiah concerning church matters, having put them into good order, to keep them so. The tithes and other holy things being brought in, he provided, 1. That they should be carefully laid up, and not left exposed in loose heaps, liable to be wasted and embezzled. He ordered chambers to be made ready in some of the courts of the temple for store-chambers ( v. 11 ), and into them the offerings were brought and there kept under lock and key, v. 12, 13 . Treasures or store-keepers were appointed, who had the oversight of them, to see that moth and rust did not corrupt them nor thieves break through to steal. This wisdom of laying up the surplus in days of plenty we may learn from the ant, who provideth meat in summer. The laying up in store what was brought in was an encouragement to people to pay in their contributions. That will be given cheerfully by the public which appears to be well husbanded. 2. That they should be faithfully laid out, according to the uses they were intended for. Church treasures are not to be hoarded any longer than till there is occasion for them, lest even the rust should be a witness against those who hoard them. Officers were appointed, men (no doubt) of approved wisdom and faithfulness, to distribute the oblations of the Lord and the most holy things among the priests ( v. 14 ), and to see that they all had a competent maintenance for themselves and their families. The law provided sufficient for them all, and therefore, if some had too little, it must be because others had too much; to prevent such inequality these officers were to go by some certain rule of proportion in the disposal of the incomes of the temple. It is said of the priests here ( v. 18 ) that in their set office they sanctified themselves; in faith they sanctified themselves (so the word is), that is, as bishop Patrick explains it, they attended their ministry at the house of God, not doubting but they should be provided with all things necessary. Now, because they served God in that confidence, care was taken that they should not be made ashamed of their hope. Note, Those that sanctify themselves to God and his service in faith, believing that he will see them want for nothing that is good for them, shall certainly be fed. Out of the offerings of the Lord distribution was made, (1.) To the priests in the cities ( v. 15 ), who staid at home while their brethren went to Jerusalem, and did good there in teaching the good knowledge of the Lord. The preaching priests were maintained as well as the sacrificing priests, and those that abode by the stuff as well as those that warred the warfare. (2.) To those that entered into the house of the Lord, all the males from three years old and upwards; for the male children even at that tender age, it seems, were allowed to come into the temple with their parents, and shared with them in this distribution, v. 16 . (3.) Even the Levites from twenty years old and upwards had their share, v. 17 . (4.) The wives and children of the priests and Levites had a comfortable maintenance out of those offerings, v. 18 . In maintaining ministers, regard must be had to their families, that not they only, but theirs, may have food convenient. In some countries where ministers have their salary paid them by the state an addition is made to it upon the birth of a child. (5.) The priests in the country, that lived in the fields of the suburbs, were not overlooked in this ministration, v. 19 . Those also had their share who were inhabitants of the villages, though they might be supposed to live at a less expense. II. A general character of Hezekiah's services for the support of religion, v. 20, 21 . 1. His pious zeal reached to all the parts of his kingdom: Thus he did throughout all Judah; every part of the country, and not those only that lay next him, shared in the good fruits of his government. 2. He sincerely designed to please God, and approved himself to him in all he did: He wrought that which was good before the Lord his God; all his care was to do that which should be accepted of God, which was right (that is, agreeable to natural equity), and truth (that is, agreeable to divine revelation and his covenant with God), before the Lord; to do according to that law which is holy, just, and good. 3. What he began he went through with, prosecuted it with vigour, and did it with all his heart. 4. All his good intentions were brought to a good issue; whatever he did in the service of the house of God, and in the government of his kingdom, he prospered in it. Note, What is undertaken with a sincere regard to the glory of God will succeed to our own honour and comfort at last.