“King Hezekiah commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, so that they might devote themselves to the law of Yahweh. As soon as the command was spread abroad, the people of Israel gave in abundance the first fruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field. They brought in abundantly the tithe of everything. The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep. They brought in the tithe of the dedicated things which had been consecrated to Yahweh their God, and laid them in heaps. In the third month they began to pile up the heaps. They finished them in the seventh month. When King Hezekiah and the officials came and saw the heaps, they blessed Yahweh and his people Israel. King Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites about the heaps. The chief priest Azariah, who was of the house of Zadok, answered him. ‘Since they began to bring the contributions into the house of Yahweh we have had enough to eat and have plenty to spare. Yahweh has blessed his people, so that we have this great supply left over.’”
However, King Hezekiah wanted the people in Jerusalem and Judah to tithe to the Temple Levites, so that they could devote themselves to Yahweh. The response of the people was very positive as they brought in the first fruits of the field and the livestock. 10% was given to the Levites and priests. The Levites and priests had so much they had a surplus of goods. They had piles of food and plenty to eat with leftovers.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 