2 Chronicles 30

Hezekiah Proclaims a Passover

1Then HezekiahH2396 sentH7971 word throughoutH5921 allH3605 IsraelH3478 and JudahH3063, and he alsoH1571 wroteH3789 lettersH107 toH5921 EphraimH669 and ManassehH4519 inviting them to comeH935 to the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068 in JerusalemH3389 to keepH6213 the PassoverH6453 of the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478. 2For the kingH4428 and his officialsH8269 and the wholeH3605 assemblyH6951 in JerusalemH3389 had decidedH3289 to keepH6213 the PassoverH6453 in the secondH8145 monthH2320,1 3sinceH3588 they had been unableH3808H3201 to keep itH6213 at the regularH1931H3588 timeH6256, because notH3808 enoughH4100 priestsH3548 had consecrated themselvesH6942 and the peopleH5971 had notH3808 been gatheredH622 in JerusalemH3389.

4This planH1697 pleasedH3474H5869 the kingH4428 andH5869 the wholeH3605 assemblyH6951. 5So they establishedH5975 a decreeH1697 to circulateH5674 a proclamationH6963 throughoutH3605 IsraelH3478, from BeershebaH884 toH5704 DanH1835, that the people should comeH935 to keepH6213 the PassoverH6453 of the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, in JerusalemH3389. ForH3588 they had notH3808 observed itH6213 in great numbersH7230 as prescribedH3789.

6At the commandH4687 of the kingH4428, the couriersH7323 wentH1980 throughoutH3605 IsraelH3478 and JudahH3063 with lettersH107 fromH3027 the kingH4428 and his officialsH8269, which readH559:

“ChildrenH1121 of IsraelH3478, returnH7725 toH413 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of AbrahamH85, IsaacH3327, and IsraelH3478, so that He may returnH7725 toH413 those of you who remainH7604, who have escapedH6413 the graspH3709 of the kingsH4428 of AssyriaH804. 7Do notH408 beH1961 like your fathersH1 and brothersH251 whoH834 were unfaithfulH4603 to the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of their fathersH1, so that He made themH5414 an object of horrorH8047, asH834 youH859 can seeH7200.

8NowH6258 do notH408 stiffenH7185 your necksH6203 as your fathersH1 did. SubmitH5414H3027 to the LORDH3068 and comeH935 to His sanctuaryH4720, whichH834 He has consecratedH6942 foreverH5769. ServeH5647 the LORDH3068 your GodH430, so that His fierce angerH2740H639 will turn awayH7725 from you. 9ForH3588 if you returnH7725 toH5921 the LORDH3068, your brothersH251 and sonsH1121 will receive mercyH7356 in the presenceH6440 of their captorsH7617 and will returnH7725 to thisH2063 landH776. ForH3588 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 is graciousH2587 and mercifulH7349; He will notH3808 turn His faceH6440 awayH5493 from you ifH518 you returnH7725 to HimH413.”

10AndH1961 the couriersH7323 traveledH5674 from cityH5892 to cityH5892 through the landH776 of EphraimH669 and ManassehH4519 asH5704 far as ZebulunH2074H1961, but the people scornedH7832H5921 and mockedH3932 them. 11NeverthelessH389, someH582 from AsherH836, ManassehH4519, and ZebulunH2074 humbledH3665 themselves and cameH935 to JerusalemH3389. 12MoreoverH1571, the powerH3027 of GodH430 wasH1961 on the people in JudahH3063 to give themH5414 oneH259 heartH3820 to obeyH6213 the commandH4687 of the kingH4428 and his officialsH8269 according to the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068.

Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover

13In the secondH8145 monthH2320, a veryH3966 greatH7230 assemblyH6951H5971H7227 gatheredH622 in JerusalemH3389 to celebrateH6213 the FeastH2282 of Unleavened BreadH4682.2 14They proceededH6965 to removeH5493 the altarsH4196 in JerusalemH3389 and to take awayH5493 the incense altarsH6999 and throw themH7993 into the KidronH6939 ValleyH5158. 15And on the fourteenthH702H6240 day of the secondH8145 monthH2320 they slaughteredH7819 the Passover lambH6453. The priestsH3548 and LevitesH3881 were ashamedH3637, and they consecrated themselvesH6942 and broughtH935 burnt offeringsH5930 to the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068.

16They stoodH5975 atH5921 their prescribedH4941 postsH5977, according to the LawH8451 of MosesH4872 the manH376 of GodH430. The priestsH3548 splatteredH2236 the bloodH1818, which they received from the handH3027 of the LevitesH3881. 17SinceH3588 there were manyH7227 in the assemblyH6951 whoH834 had notH3808 consecrated themselvesH6942, the LevitesH3881 were in charge ofH5921 slaughteringH7821 the PassoverH6453 lambs for everyH3605 unclean personH3808H2889 to consecrateH6942 the lambs to the LORDH3068.

18

A large numberH4768 of the peopleH5971—manyH7227 from EphraimH669, ManassehH4519, IssacharH3485, and ZebulunH2074—had notH3808 purified themselvesH2891, yetH3588 they ateH398 the PassoverH6453, contraryH3808 to what was writtenH3789. ButH3588 HezekiahH2396 intercededH6419 for themH5921, sayingH559, “May the LORDH3068, who is goodH2896, provide atonement forH3722 everyoneH1157 19whoH3605 setsH3559 his heartH3824 on seekingH1875 GodH430—the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of his fathersH1—even if he is notH3808 cleansed according to the purificationH2893 rules of the sanctuaryH6944.”

20And the LORDH3068H413 heardH8085 HezekiahH2396 and healedH7495 the peopleH5971. 21The IsraelitesH1121H3478 who were presentH4672 in JerusalemH3389 celebratedH6213 the FeastH2282 of Unleavened BreadH4682 for sevenH7651 daysH3117 with greatH1419 joyH8057, and the LevitesH3881 and priestsH3548 praisedH1984 the LORDH3068 dayH3117 after dayH3117, accompanied by loudH5797 instrumentsH3627 of praise to the LORDH3068.3 22And HezekiahH2396 encouragedH1696H5921H3820 allH3605 the LevitesH3881H7919 who performed skillfullyH7922H2896 before the LORDH3068. For sevenH7651 daysH3117 they ateH398 their assigned portionH4150, sacrificingH2076 peaceH8002 offeringsH2077 and giving thanksH3034 to the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of their fathersH1.

23The wholeH3605 assemblyH6951 agreedH3289 to observeH6213 sevenH7651 moreH312 daysH3117, so they observedH6213 sevenH7651 daysH3117 with joyH8057. 24ForH3588 HezekiahH2396 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 contributedH7311 a thousandH505 bullsH6499 and sevenH7651 thousandH505 sheepH6629 for the assemblyH6951, and the officialsH8269 contributedH7311 a thousandH505 bullsH6499 and tenH6235 thousandH505 sheepH6629 for the assemblyH6951, and a great numberH7230 of priestsH3548 consecrated themselvesH6942.

25Then the wholeH3605 assemblyH6951 of JudahH3063 rejoicedH8055 along with the priestsH3548 and LevitesH3881 and the wholeH3605 assemblyH6951 that had comeH935 from IsraelH3478, including the foreignersH1616 who had comeH935 from IsraelH776H3478 and those who livedH3427 in JudahH3063. 26So there wasH1961 greatH1419 rejoicingH8057 in JerusalemH3389, forH3588 nothingH3808 like thisH2063 had happened there since the daysH3117 of SolomonH8010 sonH1121 of DavidH1732 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478.

27Then the priestsH3548 and the LevitesH3881 stoodH6965 to blessH1288 the peopleH5971, and God heardH8085 their voiceH6963, and their prayerH8605 cameH935 into His holy dwellingH4583 placeH6944 in heavenH8064.