31:1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were
present went out to the cities of Judah, and a 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 b children of
Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their
own cities.
(a) According to the commandment of the Lord,
(De 7:25, Jos 7:12).
(b) That is, all they who came to the passover.
31:2 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 c tents of the LORD.
(c) That is, in the temple where they assembled as in a
tent.
31:4 Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to
give the d portion of the priests and the Levites, that
they might be e encouraged in the law of the LORD.
(d) The tithes and firstfruits for the maintenance of the
priests and Levites.
(e) That their minds might not be entangled with provision
of worldly things, but that they might wholly and
cheerfully serve the Lord.
31:6 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 f
which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid
[them] by g heaps.
(f) Which they had dedicated to the Lord by a vow.
(g) For the relief of the priests, Levites, widows, pupils,
fatherless, strangers, and such as were in need.
31:8 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps,
they h blessed the LORD, and his people Israel.
(h) They praised the Lord and prayed for all prosperity to
his people.
31:10 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 i had
enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath
blessed his people; and that which is left [is] this great
store.
(i) He shows that this plenteous liberality is expedient
for the maintenance of the ministers and that God
therefore prospers his people and increases by his
blessing that which is given.
31:16 Beside their genealogy of males, k 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;
(k) Who had also a portion and allowance in this
distribution.
31:18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their
wives, and their sons, and their daughters, through all
the congregation: for in their l set office they
sanctified themselves in holiness:
(l) Meaning, that either by the faithful distribution of
the officers, everyone had their part in the things
that were offered, or else that their wives and
children were relieved, because the Levites were
faithful in their office, and so depended on them.
