5 As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruitsh of their grain, new wine,i olive oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything. 6 The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithej of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the Lord their God, and they piled them in heaps.k 7 They began doing this in the third month and finished in the seventh month.l 8 When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and blessedm his people Israel.

9 Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps; 10 and Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok,n answered, “Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the Lord has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over.”o

11 Hezekiah gave orders to prepare storerooms in the temple of the Lord, and this was done. 12 Then they faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts. Konaniah,p a Levite, was the overseer in charge of these things, and his brother Shimei was next in rank.