Commento su II Cronache 31:22

each man according to his service the priests to minister, and the Levites to be singers and gate sentries, and every man at his proper service.

And the king’s portion from his possessions for the burnt-offerings, etc. which he (willingly) gave to perform them.

And he commanded the inhabitants of Jerusalem, etc. in order that they be strengthened in the Law of the Lord with greater enthusiasm. Moreover, as long as their sustenance will be provided, they will be able to perform and occupy themselves with the Law of the Lord, because the Law was given only to those who ate manna, and secondly, to those who eat the heave-offering (Mechilta, Beshallach 17, Tanh. Beshallach 20).

And when the word burst forth from the king’s mouth to give a portion to the priests and the Levites, the Children of Israel increased the first of corn, wine, oil, honey date honey.

and all the increase of the field But all these [aforementioned] are not of the grain of the field, but so it is explained in Tractate Nedarim, in the chapter, “Whoever vows [to abstain] from herbs, is permitted to partake of pumpkins,” (55a): Rav Josef questioned: “And when the word burst forth, the Children of Israel increased, etc.” Now if you say that all these [i.e., all plants that are stacked up] are included in the term דָּגָן, what is the meaning of “when the word burst forth”? Replied Abbaye: This is to include fruit of trees and vegetables....Replied Rava: תְּבוּאָה (grain) is one thing, and תְּבוּאַת שָׂדֶה (increase of the field) is another.

and the tithes of sacred things consecrated to the Lord the tithe of the tithe, which the Levites give the priests (Num. 18:25f.).

and they gave many stacks עֲרֵמוֹת עֲרֵמוֹת (houffen, Middle High German, heaps), an example is (Song 7:3): “a stack of (עֲרֵמַת) wheat.”

they commenced to lay the foundations of the stacks The beginning of anything is called a foundation, like the foundation of a house, which is the beginning of the structure, and like the verse in Ezra (7:9) “that is the commencement of (יְסֻד) the ascent, etc.”

and they blessed the Lord Who inspired Israel to separate their heave-offerings and their tithes.

And Hezekiah demanded Since Hezekiah saw that the stacks were large, he said to himself, “Perhaps the priests and the Levites have not taken [their share] from them and have not touched them, for had they touched them, how could they be so large? Since he was puzzled, he questioned them concerning the stacks, “What is the reason for this?”

And Azariah...said to him He lived in the days of Uzziah.

“From the beginning of bringing the heave-offering We have surely eaten, and not an incidental meal but we ate, were satisfied, and left over. Now what you are surprised about, that we ate four months, and nevertheless, their stacks are so large - this is because the Lord blessed His people and gave them abundant grains; therefore, they increased our heave-offerings and tithes.

and what is left over from this eating of ours.

is this abundance that you see: many stacks.

to prepare the chambers in the House of the Lord in which to deposit the heave-offerings.

And the priests who traced their genealogy to the house of their fathers, and the Levites with the genealogy of their infants, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. They would supply their sustenance from the heave-offerings and the tithes for that entire congregation. All these whom we mentioned [would supply food] to those who stood in the forecourt, and also to the sons of Aaron, the priests whose watch had not yet come about in which to minister, and who were in the field of the open land of their cities, in every city.

were men who were mentioned by names Above (verses 12ff.) Conaniah and his brethren were appointed over them to receive the portions: the heave-offerings and the tithes from the Israelites to distribute the portions to every male among the priests and the Levites

to every male among the priests and also to their wives, their sons, and their daughters. The Chronicler says “to every male” here to teach something remarkable, i.e., they would provide even to the young male children, as above (verse 16): “of the males from three years old and over,” and they would surely provide for their wives, sons and daughters.