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Genesis 14:20
And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

Judges 5:9
My heartis toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD.

1 Kings 8:14,15
And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;) …

and his people

2 Chronicles 6:3
And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood.

Genesis 14:19
And he blessed him, and said, Blessedbe Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

2 Samuel 6:18
And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.

they blessed the LORD
To "bless the LORD" means to praise and thank God for His provision and faithfulness. This act of blessing is a response to the visible evidence of God's favor and the people's obedience. It acknowledges God's sovereignty and goodness, recognizing that the abundance of offerings is a result of His blessing upon the nation. This phrase connects to other instances in Scripture where leaders and people bless God for His mighty works, such as in Psalms and the dedication of the temple by Solomon.

and His people Israel
The term "Israel" here refers to the people of Judah, as the northern kingdom of Israel had already fallen to Assyria. By blessing "His people Israel," Hezekiah and his officials are acknowledging the covenant relationship between God and His chosen people. This phrase highlights the unity and identity of the people as belonging to God, despite the political division between Judah and the former northern kingdom. It also underscores the communal aspect of worship and blessing, as the entire nation is involved in this act of devotion.

• Hezekiah had just reinstituted temple worship and commanded the people to bring “the portion due to the priests and Levites” (2 Chronicles 31:4).

• Israel responded so enthusiastically that “heaps” of offerings accumulated from “the third month to the seventh month” (2 Chronicles 31:6-7).

• The king’s personal visit shows responsible leadership, much like Moses inspecting the finished tabernacle (Exodus 39:42-43) and Nehemiah surveying Jerusalem’s walls (Nehemiah 2:13-15).

• Leaders who draw near to examine God’s work set an example of accountability and encouragement (Philippians 1:3-5).

• The piles were tangible proof that God’s people had taken His Word literally and obeyed. “Honor the LORD with your wealth… then your barns will be filled” (Proverbs 3:9-10).

• Such abundance echoes earlier moments when voluntary gifts overflowed—so much was brought for the tabernacle that Moses had to restrain the people (Exodus 36:5-7), and Jehoiada’s chest filled up under Joash (2 Kings 12:9-10).

• The heaps themselves testify that obedience invites visible blessing (Malachi 3:10;Luke 6:38).

• Hezekiah and the officials immediately turned praise upward: “Blessed are You, LORD, God of Israel our father, from everlasting to everlasting” (1 Chronicles 29:10-13).

• This echoes Jehoshaphat’s army stopping in “the Valley of Berakah” to bless the LORD after victory (2 Chronicles 20:26) and aligns with the psalmist’s call, “Bless the LORD, O my soul” (Psalm 103:1-2).

• Genuine worship recognizes that every good and perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17).

• The leaders also pronounced blessing on the givers themselves, acknowledging their obedience and generosity (Proverbs 11:25).

• Boaz modeled this when he greeted his workers, “The LORD be with you,” and they replied, “The LORD bless you” (Ruth 2:4).

• Paul later affirmed that generous giving not only supplies needs but results in “many expressions of thanks to God” and in others “glorifying God for your obedience” (2 Corinthians 9:12-13).

• Blessing the people affirms that God uses willing hearts to accomplish His purposes (Philippians 4:17-19).

Hezekiah’s inspection of the heaps reveals a chain reaction: obedient giving produced visible abundance, which moved leaders to praise God and speak blessing over His people.2 Chronicles 31:8 therefore highlights the faithfulness of both God and His covenant community—obedience yields provision, provision sparks worship, and worship spreads blessing.

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