30 Hezekiah sent a message to all the people of Israel and Judah. He also wrote letters to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. He told them to come to the Lord 's temple in Jerusalem. They must come to worship the Lord , Israel's God, at the Passover festival. 2 The king, his officers and all the people who lived in Jerusalem decided to have the Passover festival in the second month. [ a ] 3 Not enough priests had made themselves clean to serve the Lord . So they could not have the feast at the usual time. Also, all the people had not yet come to Jerusalem. 4 This idea seemed right to the king and to all the people. 5 So they sent a message with the king's command to all the people. They sent the message everywhere in Israel, from Beersheba to Dan. The message told the people to come to Jerusalem for the Passover festival to worship the Lord , Israel's God. Before that, they had not brought all the people together for the festival, as God's law taught them to do.
6 So men took the letters from the king and his officers to all the people in Israel and Judah. The king's command said this:
‘A message to the people of Israel who have escaped from the power of the kings of Assyria. Turn back now to the Lord , the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. Then he will turn back to you. 7 Do not be like your parents and your relatives. They turned away from the Lord , the God of their ancestors. That made him so angry that he punished them, as you can see. 8 Do not refuse to obey him, as your parents did. Instead, agree to serve him. Come to his temple. He has made it a holy place for ever. Serve the Lord your God so that he will stop being so angry with you. 9 If you turn back to serve the Lord again, your enemies will be kind to your relatives and to your children. They will let them return here to their homes. The Lord your God is kind and he is ready to forgive you. So if you turn back to him, he will not send you away.’
10 The men took this message to every town among the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as the tribe of Zebulun. But in all those places, people insulted them and they laughed at them. 11 But some people from Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun were not too proud to accept the king's message. They agreed to come to Jerusalem. 12 As for the people of Judah, God caused them to accept the command that the king and his officers had given. They all agreed together to do what the Lord wanted them to do. [ b ]
13 In the second month of the year, a very large crowd of people came together in Jerusalem. They came there for the Festival of Flat Bread. [ c ] 14 They removed the altars for false gods that were in Jerusalem. They also removed all the altars where people burned incense. They threw them into the Kidron Valley.
15 On the 14th day of the second month, they killed the lamb for the Passover feast. The priests and the Levites who were not yet clean became ashamed. So they made themselves clean to serve the Lord . Then they could bring burnt offerings to the Lord 's temple. 16 They stood in their proper places. God's servant Moses had written in God's law where they should stand. The Levites gave the blood from the sacrifices to the priests. The priests then splashed the blood on the altar. 17 Many of the people had not made themselves properly clean. So they could not kill their lambs for the Passover and offer them to the Lord . The Levites had to kill the lambs for those people instead. 18 Most of the people who came from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not made themselves properly clean. They should not have eaten the Passover meal, because God's law said that was wrong. But they still ate the meal. So Hezekiah prayed for them. He said, ‘ Lord you are good. Please forgive everyone 19 who really wants to obey you, the God of their ancestors. If they have not made themselves properly clean to eat this meal, please forgive them.’ 20 The Lord accepted Hezekiah's prayer. He did not punish those people.
21 The Israelites who were in Jerusalem enjoyed the Festival of Flat Bread for seven days. They were very happy. Every day, the Levites and the priests made loud music to praise the Lord .
22 All the Levites understood how they should serve the Lord . So King Hezekiah thanked them. The festival continued for seven days. They offered friendship offerings to the Lord . They thanked the Lord , the God of their ancestors.
23 Then all the people who were there agreed to continue the feast for another seven days. So they did that happily for seven more days. 24 King Hezekiah of Judah gave 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep to the people. The leaders also gave them 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. Many more priests also made themselves clean to serve the Lord .
25 Everyone at the festival was very happy. They included all Judah's people, the priests, the Levites and the whole group of people who had come from Israel. There were also foreign people who were living in Israel and in Judah. 26 Everyone enjoyed the festival in Jerusalem. Nothing like this had happened in Jerusalem since the time when David's son Solomon was king of Israel. 27 The priests and the Levites stood up and they asked God to bless the people. Their prayers reached the Lord 's home in heaven, and he did what they asked for.
30 King Hezekiah sent messages to all the people of Israel and Judah. He wrote letters to the people of Ephraim and Manasseh [ a ] also. He invited all these people to come to the Lord ’s Temple in Jerusalem so that they all could celebrate the Passover for the Lord , the God of Israel. 2 King Hezekiah agreed with all his officials and all the assembly in Jerusalem to have the Passover in the second month. 3 They could not celebrate the Passover Festival at the regular time, because not enough priests had made themselves ready for holy service and the people had not gathered in Jerusalem. 4 The agreement satisfied King Hezekiah and all the assembly. 5 So they sent the announcement throughout Israel, from the town of Beersheba all the way to the town of Dan. They told the people to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover for the Lord , the God of Israel. Not many people had been celebrating it as it was described in the law. 6 So the messengers took the king’s letters all through Israel and Judah. This is what the letters said:
“Children of Israel, turn back to the Lord , the God who Abraham, Isaac, and Israel obeyed. Then God will come back to you who are still alive and have escaped from the kings of Assyria. 7 Don’t be like your fathers or your brothers. The Lord was their God, but they turned against him. So he made people hate them and speak evil about them. You can see with your own eyes that this is true. 8 Don’t be stubborn as your ancestors were. But obey the Lord with a willing heart. Come to the Temple that he has made to be holy forever. Serve the Lord your God. Then his fearful anger will turn away from you. 9 If you come back and obey the Lord , your relatives and your children will find mercy from the people who captured them. And your relatives and your children will come back to this land. The Lord your God is kind and merciful. He will not turn away from you if you come back to him.”
10 The messengers went to every town in the area of Ephraim and Manasseh. They went all the way to the area of Zebulun, but the people laughed at the messengers and made fun of them. 11 But, some men from the areas of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem. 12 Also, in Judah God’s power united the people so that they would obey the king and his officials concerning the word of the Lord .
13 Many people came together in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. It was a very large crowd. 14 The people took away the altars in Jerusalem that were for false gods and all the incense altars that were for false gods. They threw them into the Kidron Valley. 15 Then they killed the Passover lamb on the 14th day of the second month. The priests and the Levites felt ashamed. They made themselves ready for holy service. The priests and the Levites brought burnt offerings into the Lord ’s Temple. 16 They took their regular places in the Temple as described in the Law of Moses, the man of God. The Levites gave the blood to the priests. Then the priests sprinkled the blood on the altar. 17 There were many people in the group who had not made themselves ready for holy service, so they were not permitted to kill the Passover lambs. That is why the Levites were responsible for killing the Passover lambs for everyone who was not clean. The Levites made each lamb holy for the Lord .
18-19 Many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not prepared themselves in the right way for the Passover Festival. They did not celebrate the Passover the right way, as the Law of Moses says. But Hezekiah prayed for the people. So he said this prayer, “ Lord God, you are good. These people sincerely wanted to worship you in the right way, but they did not make themselves clean as the law says. Please forgive these people. You are the Lord , the God our ancestors worshiped. Forgive them, even if some did not make themselves clean as the rules of the Most Holy Place say.” 20 The Lord listened to King Hezekiah’s prayer and forgave the people. 21 The people of Israel in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread with great joy for seven days. And the Levites and priests praised the Lord every day with all their strength. [ b ] 22 King Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who understood very well how to do the service of the Lord . The people celebrated the festival for seven days and offered fellowship offerings. They gave thanks and praise to the Lord , the God of their ancestors.
23 All the people agreed to stay seven more days. They were joyful as they celebrated the Passover for seven more days. 24 King Hezekiah of Judah gave 1000 bulls and 7000 sheep to the assembly to kill and eat. The leaders gave 1000 bulls and 10,000 sheep to the assembly. Many priests prepared themselves for holy service. 25 All the assembly of Judah, the priests, the Levites, all the assembly who came from Israel, and the travelers who came from Israel and moved to Judah—all these people were very happy. 26 So there was much joy in Jerusalem. There had not been a celebration like this since the time of Solomon son of King David of Israel. 27 The priests and the Levites stood up and asked God to bless the people, and he heard them. Their prayer came up to heaven, the holy place where he lives.
30 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel.
2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.
3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.
6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
7 And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.
8 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord , and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.
9 For if ye turn again unto the Lord , your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.
10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
11 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
12 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord .
13 And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
14 And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.
15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord .
16 And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.
17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the Lord .
18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one
19 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
20 And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the Lord .
22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord : and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers.
23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.
24 For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.
25 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.
26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.
27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.
30 Now Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem to [ a ] celebrate the Passover to the Lord God of Israel. 2 For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had decided ( A ) to celebrate the Passover in the second month, 3 since they could not celebrate it ( B ) at that time, because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers, nor had the people been gathered to Jerusalem. 4 So the [ b ] decision was right in the sight of the king and all the assembly. 5 So they established a decree to circulate a [ c ] proclamation throughout Israel ( C ) from Beersheba to Dan, that they are to come to celebrate the Passover to the Lord God of Israel in Jerusalem. For they had not celebrated it in great numbers as was written. 6 ( D ) The [ d ] couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes, even according to the command of the king, saying, “Sons of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that He may return to those of you who escaped and are left from ( E ) the [ e ] hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 ( F ) Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were untrue to the Lord God of their fathers, so that ( G ) He made them an object of horror, just as you see. 8 Now do not ( H ) stiffen your neck like your fathers, but [ f ] yield to the Lord and enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, ( I ) that His burning anger may turn away from you. 9 For ( J ) if you return to the Lord , your brothers and your sons will find compassion in the presence of those who led them captive, and will return to this land. ( K ) For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”
10 So the [ g ] couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but ( L ) they laughed at them with scorn and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless, ( M ) some men of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 The ( N ) hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord .
13 Now many people were gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread ( O ) in the second month, a very large assembly. 14 They got up and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem; they also ( P ) removed all the incense altars and ( Q ) threw them into the brook Kidron. 15 Then ( R ) they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth of the second month. And ( S ) the priests and Levites were ashamed of themselves, and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the Lord . 16 ( T ) They stood at their stations following their custom, according to the Law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves; therefore, ( U ) the Levites were in charge of the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was unclean, in order to consecrate them to the Lord . 18 For a multitude of the people, ( V ) many from Ephraim and Manasseh, and Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, ( W ) yet they ate the Passover ( X ) contrary to what was written. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord pardon 19 ( Y ) everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” 20 So the Lord heard Hezekiah and ( Z ) healed the people. 21 The sons of Israel present in Jerusalem ( AA ) celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and the priests were praising the Lord day after day with loud instruments to the Lord . 22 Then Hezekiah ( AB ) spoke [ h ] encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good insight in the things of the Lord . So they ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and ( AC ) giving thanks to the Lord God of their fathers.
23 Then the whole assembly ( AD ) decided to celebrate the feast another seven days, so they celebrated the seven days with joy. 24 For ( AE ) Hezekiah king of Judah had contributed to the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep, and the princes had contributed to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and ( AF ) a large number of priests consecrated themselves. 25 All the assembly of Judah rejoiced, with the priests and the Levites and ( AG ) all the assembly that came from Israel, both the strangers who came from the land of Israel and those living in Judah. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, because there was nothing like this in Jerusalem ( AH ) since the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. 27 Then ( AI ) the Levitical priests stood and ( AJ ) blessed the people; and their voice was heard and their prayer came to ( AK ) His holy dwelling place, to heaven.
30 Hezekiah sent word to all Israel ( A ) and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, ( B ) inviting them to come to the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover ( C ) to the Lord , the God of Israel. 2 The king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate ( D ) the Passover in the second month. 3 They had not been able to celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated ( E ) themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem. 4 The plan seemed right both to the king and to the whole assembly. 5 They decided to send a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, ( F ) calling the people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the Lord , the God of Israel. It had not been celebrated in large numbers according to what was written.
6 At the king’s command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read:
“People of Israel, return to the Lord , the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 Do not be like your parents ( G ) and your fellow Israelites, who were unfaithful ( H ) to the Lord , the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror, ( I ) as you see. 8 Do not be stiff-necked, ( J ) as your ancestors were; submit to the Lord . Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord your God, so that his fierce anger ( K ) will turn away from you. 9 If you return ( L ) to the Lord , then your fellow Israelites and your children will be shown compassion ( M ) by their captors and will return to this land, for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. ( N ) He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”
10 The couriers went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, but people scorned and ridiculed ( O ) them. 11 Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled ( P ) themselves and went to Jerusalem. ( Q ) 12 Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity ( R ) of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the Lord .
13 A very large crowd of people assembled in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread ( S ) in the second month. 14 They removed the altars ( T ) in Jerusalem and cleared away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley. ( U )
15 They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed and consecrated ( V ) themselves and brought burnt offerings to the temple of the Lord . 16 Then they took up their regular positions ( W ) as prescribed in the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests splashed against the altar the blood handed to them by the Levites. 17 Since many in the crowd had not consecrated themselves, the Levites had to kill ( X ) the Passover lambs for all those who were not ceremonially clean and could not consecrate their lambs [ a ] to the Lord . 18 Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, ( Y ) yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the Lord , who is good, pardon everyone 19 who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord , the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” 20 And the Lord heard ( Z ) Hezekiah and healed ( AA ) the people. ( AB )
21 The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread ( AC ) for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests praised the Lord every day with resounding instruments dedicated to the Lord . [ b ]
22 Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the Lord . For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised [ c ] the Lord , the God of their ancestors.
23 The whole assembly then agreed to celebrate ( AD ) the festival seven more days; so for another seven days they celebrated joyfully. 24 Hezekiah king of Judah provided ( AE ) a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep and goats for the assembly, and the officials provided them with a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep and goats. A great number of priests consecrated themselves. 25 The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, along with the priests and Levites and all who had assembled from Israel ( AF ) , including the foreigners who had come from Israel and also those who resided in Judah. 26 There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon ( AG ) son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. 27 The priests and the Levites stood to bless ( AH ) the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.
