2Ch 30:1 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.
2Ch 30:2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the
congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.
2Ch 30:3 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.
2Ch 30:4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
2Ch 30:5 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.
2Ch 30:6 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.
2Ch 30:7 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.
2Ch 30:8 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.
2Ch 30:9 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.
2Ch 30:10 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.
2Ch 30:11 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled
themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
2Ch 30:12 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.
2Ch 30:13 And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of
unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
2Ch 30:14 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.
2Ch 30:15 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.
2Ch 30:16 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.
2Ch 30:17 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.
2Ch 30:18 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
2Ch 30:19 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.
2Ch 30:20 And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
2Ch 30:21 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.
2Ch 30:22 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.
2Ch 30:23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they
kept other seven days with gladness.
2Ch 30:24 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.
2Ch 30:25 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.
2Ch 30:26 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.
2Ch 30:27 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.