2 Chronicles 30

1 Then Hezekiah sent word throughout all Israel and Judah, and he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh inviting them to come to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem to keep the Passover of the LORD, the God of Israel.

Then sent Hezekiah to all Israel and Judah, and he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to prepare the passover-sacrifice unto the Lord the God of Israel.

2 For the king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem had decided to keep the Passover in the second month,

And the king held a consultation, as also his princes, and all the assembly in Jerusalem, to prepare the passover-sacrifice in the second month.

3 since they had been unable to observe it at the regular time, because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not been gathered in Jerusalem.

For they were not able to prepare it at that time; because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, nor had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

4 This proposal pleased the king and the whole assembly.

And the thing seemed right in the eyes of the king and in the eyes of all the assembly.

5 So they established a decree to circulate a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come to keep the Passover of the LORD, the God of Israel, in Jerusalem. For they had not observed it as a nation as prescribed.

So they established a decree to cause a proclamation to be made throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba' even as far as Dan, that they should come to prepare the passover-sacrifice unto thy Lord the God of Israel at Jerusalem; because for a long time past they had not prepared it as it was written,

6 So the couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his officials, which read: “Children of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that He may return to those of you who remain, who have escaped the grasp of the kings of Assyria.

So the runners went with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the command of the king, saying, O children of Israel, return unto the Lord the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the power of the kings of Assyria.

7 Do not be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that He made them an object of horror, as you can see.

And be net like your fathers, and like your brethren, who acted faithlessly against the Lord the God of their fathers, wherefore he gave them up to become an [object of] astonishment, as ye see.

8 Now do not stiffen your necks as your fathers did. Submit to the LORD and come to His sanctuary, which He has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that His fierce anger will turn away from you.

Now do ye not harden your necks, like your fathers: hold out your hand unto the Lord, and come unto his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever, and serve the Lord your God, and so will he turn away from you the fierceness of his wrath.

9 For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and sons will receive mercy in the presence of their captors and will return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful; He will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”

For If ye return unto the Lord, your brethren and your children will find mercy in the presence of their captors, so that they may return to this land; for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his countenance from you, if ye return unto him.

10 And the couriers traveled from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun; but the people scorned and mocked them.

And as the runners were passing from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Menasseh and as far as Zebulun, they were laughing them to scorn, and mocking at them.

11 Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.

Nevertheless some men of Asher and Menasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

12 Moreover, the power of God was on the people in Judah to give them one heart to obey the command of the king and his officials according to the word of the LORD.

Also over Judah came the hand of God to give unto them one heart to do the command of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord.

13 In the second month, a very great assembly gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

And there was gathered together at Jerusalem a numerous people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great assembly.

14 They proceeded to remove the altars in Jerusalem and to take away the incense altars and throw them into the Kidron Valley.

And they arose and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem, and all the vessels for burning incense did they take away, and they threw them into the brook Kidron.

15 And on the fourteenth day of the second month they slaughtered the Passover lamb. The priests and Levites were ashamed, and they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the LORD.

And they slaughtered the passover-sacrifice on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought burnt-offerings unto the house of the Lord.

16 They stood at their prescribed posts, according to the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests sprinkled the blood, which they received from the hand of the Levites.

And they stood on their station after their prescribed manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God, the priest sprinkling the blood, [which they received] out of the hand of the Levites.

17 Since there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves, the Levites were in charge of slaughtering the Passover lambs for every unclean person to consecrate the lambs to the LORD.

For there were many in the assembly that had not sanctified themselves: therefore the Levites had the charge of the slaughtering of the passover sacrifices for every one that was not clean, to sanctify [the same] unto the Lord.

18 A large number of the people—many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun—had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah interceded for them, saying, “May the LORD, who is good, provide atonement for everyone

For a large portion of the people, even many out of Ephraim, and Menasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, but ate the passover not as it is written. However Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The Lord who is good will grant pardon for this.

19 who sets his heart on seeking God—the LORD, the God of his fathers—even if he is not cleansed according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.”

To every one that hath directed his heart to seek God, the Lord the God of his fathers; though he be not [cleansed] according to the purification of the sanctuary.

20 And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and he healed the people.

21 The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and priests praised the LORD day after day, accompanied by loud instruments of praise to the LORD.

And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem celebrated the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great joy; and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, with loud instruments before the Lord.

22 And Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who performed skillfully before the LORD. For seven days they ate their assigned portion, sacrificing fellowship offerings and giving thanks to the LORD, the God of their fathers.

And Hezekiah spoke comfortingly unto all the Levites that had good intelligence of the Lord: and they ate the festive-offerings during seven days, offering peace-offerings, and making confession to the Lord the God of their fathers.

23 The whole assembly agreed to observe seven more days, so they observed seven days with joy.

And the whole assembly took counsel to celebrate other seven days: and they celebrated [these] seven days with joy.

24 For Hezekiah king of Judah contributed a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep for the assembly, and the officials contributed a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep for the assembly, and a great number of priests consecrated themselves.

For Hezekiah king of Judah had provided for the assembly one thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes had provided for the assembly one thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and the priests sanctified themselves in great numbers.

25 Then the whole assembly of Judah rejoiced along with the priests and Levites and the whole assembly that had come from Israel, including the foreigners who had come from Israel and those who lived in Judah.

And thus rejoiced all the assembly of Judah, and the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly that was come out of Israel, and the strangers that were come out of the land of Israel, and those that dwelt in Judah.

26 So there was great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for nothing like this had happened there since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel.

And there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David the king of Israel had the like not been in Jerusalem.

27 Then the priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard their voice, and their prayer came into His holy dwelling place in heaven.

Then arose the priests the Levites and blessed the people: and their voice was listened to, and their prayer came to His holy dwelling-place, even unto heaven.