< 歷代志下 30 >
1 [宣告舉行逾越節]希則克雅派人到全以色列和猶大,且也寫了封公函給厄弗辣因和默納協,叫他們來耶路撒冷上主的殿內,向上主以色列的天主舉行逾越節,
And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, to hold the passover to Jehovah the God of Israel.
2 因為君王與首領和耶路撒冷會眾已商妥,在二月舉行逾越節。
And the king took counsel, and his princes, and the whole congregation in Jerusalem, to hold the passover in the second month.
3 他們不能如期舉行的原因,是因為自潔的司祭尚不敷用,百姓又尚未齊集在耶路撒冷。
For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not hallowed themselves in sufficient number, neither had the people been gathered together to Jerusalem.
And the thing pleased the king and the whole congregation.
5 遂下令通告全以色列,從貝爾舍巴直到丹,都來耶路撒冷,向上主以色列的天主舉行逾越節,因為人很久沒有照章舉行這節了。
So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout Israel from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to hold the passover to Jehovah the God of Israel, at Jerusalem; because they had not held it for a long time as it was written.
6 使者遂帶君王和首領的公函,走遍全以色列和猶大,照君王的吩咐,宣佈說:「以色列的子民,你們應當轉向上主,亞巴郎、依撒格和以色列的天主,好使他轉向你們,這些擺脫亞述王權下的遺民。
And the couriers went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, return to Jehovah the 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 你們不可像你們的祖先和弟兄一樣,因為他們背叛了上主,他們祖先的天主,上主遂叫他們成了驚駭的對象,有如你們親眼所見的。
And be not like your fathers and like your brethren, who transgressed against Jehovah the God of their fathers, so that he gave them up to desolation, as ye see.
8 現在,你們再別頸硬,如同你們祖先一樣,反應投奔上主,進入他永遠祝聖的居所,奉事上主你們的天主,使他的震怒轉離你們。
Now, harden not your necks, as your fathers; yield yourselves to Jehovah, and come to his sanctuary, which he has sanctified for ever; and serve Jehovah your God, that the fierceness of his anger may turn away from you.
9 如果你們轉向上主你們的天主,你們的弟兄子女,在擄掠他們的人面前必會蒙受憐憫,會再回到這地;因為上主你們的天主是慈悲的,是仁愛的;如果你們轉向他,他決不會轉面不顧你們。」
For if ye return to Jehovah, your brethren and your children shall find compassion with those that have carried them captive, so that they shall come again unto this land; for Jehovah your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return to him.
10 使者由這城到那城,奏遍了厄弗辣因和默納協各地,直到則步隆;但是,那裏的人卻嘲笑侮辱他們。
And the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun; but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them.
11 可是,有些阿協爾、默納協和則步隆人自謙自卑,來到耶路撒冷。
Nevertheless certain of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.
12 天主的手也在猶大行事,使民眾一心遵從君王和首領,照上主的話所出的命令。[舉行逾越節]
The hand of God was also upon Judah to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of Jehovah.
13 二月,有很多人民聚集在耶路撒冷,舉行無酵節,實行是一個大盛會。
And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to hold the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
14 民眾起來,將耶路撒冷所有的丘壇拆毀,將所有焚香的器具拿去,丟在克德龍溪裏。
And they rose up and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem; and they took away all the incense-altars, and cast them into the torrent Kidron.
15 二月十四日宰殺了逾越節羔羊;司祭和肋未人自覺慚愧,便聖潔自己,好能在上主殿內奉獻全燔祭。
And they slaughtered the passover on the fourteenth of the second month; and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and hallowed themselves; and they brought the burnt-offerings into the house of Jehovah.
16 他們都按天主僕人梅瑟的法律,各自立在自己的地方,司祭由肋未人手中取過血來,灑在祭壇上。
And they stood in their place after their custom, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood [receiving it] from the hand of the Levites.
17 因為會眾中有許多人尚未自潔,肋未人便為所有不潔的人,宰殺逾越節的羔羊,好奉獻給上主。
For there were many in the congregation that were not hallowed; therefore the Levites had the charge of the slaughtering of the passover-lambs for every one not clean, to hallow them unto Jehovah.
18 實在,有許多人,有許多來自厄弗辣因,默納協、依撒加爾和則布隆的人,沒有自潔,就吃了逾越節的羔羊,竟沒有遵守明文的規定;為此,希則克雅為他們祈禱說:「
For a multitude of the people, many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, and they ate the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them saying, Jehovah, who is good, forgive every one
19 凡誠心尋求天主,上主,他們祖先的天主的人,雖然沒有依照聖所的潔禮自潔,願良善的上主予以寬恕! 」
that has directed his heart to seek God, Jehovah the God of his fathers, although not according to the purification of the sanctuary.
And Jehovah hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
21 在耶路撒冷的以色列子民,極其歡樂,七天舉行了無酵節;肋未人和司祭們,天天讚頌上主,極力讚頌上主。
And the children of Israel, that were present at Jerusalem, held the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised Jehovah day by day, with the instruments of praise to Jehovah.
22 由於所有的肋未人慇勤服事上主,希則克雅便慰勞他們。七天之久,眾人吃了節宴,獻了和平祭,稱謝了上主,他們祖先的天主。
And Hezekiah spoke consolingly to all the Levites that had understanding in the good knowledge of Jehovah; and they ate the feast-offerings the seven days, sacrificing peace-offerings, and extolling Jehovah the God of their fathers.
23 以後,全會眾議定,再舉行七天,於是歡樂地又舉行了七天,
And the whole congregation took counsel to observe other seven days; and they observed the seven days with gladness.
24 因為猶大王希則克雅送給了會眾一千頭牛犢,七千隻綿羊;首領們也送給了會眾一千頭牛犢,一萬隻綿羊;且有許多司祭已行了自潔禮。
For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the congregation as heave-offering: 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 hallowed themselves.
25 猶大全會眾、司祭和肋未人,來自以色列的全會眾,以及由以色列地來的,或是僑居在猶大的人,都非常高興。
And the whole 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 歡樂瀰漫了耶路撒冷,自以色列王達味的兒子撒羅滿以來,耶路撒冷從未有過這樣大的喜慶。
And there was great joy in Jerusalem; for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had not been the like in Jerusalem.
27 肋未人司祭起來為民眾祝福,他們的聲音承蒙垂聽,他們的祈禱達於他天上的神聖居所。
And the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people; and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, to the heavens.