2 Chronicles 31

14–21 In these verses, the writer describes Hezekiah’s plans for distributing all the offerings to the priests and Levites. The people not only presented the required offerings at festival times, but they also gave freewill offerings and other contributions such as consecrated gifts (verse 14)—gifts of property or other valuable assets which people could consecrate or dedicate to the Lord. All these various contributions were then distributed to the priests and Levites for their support.²³

In verse21, the writer concludes the chapter by saying that Hezekiah sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. Yes, prosperity usually does result from wholehearted devotion to the Lord; but it is not an automatic rule. In the first verse of the next chapter, the writer says: After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. Even when we are faithful to the Lord, He still may want to test us further in order to strengthen our faith and prepare us for new and greater service.²⁴ Through Sennacherib’s invasion, Hezekiah reached new heights of faith and leadership, and God was glorified because of it (see 2 Kings 18:17–37; 2 Chronicles 32:2–8,20–23).