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 unto all Israel and Judah, moreover also, letters, wrote he unto Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come unto the house of Yahweh, in Jerusalem, —to keep a passover unto Yahweh, 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,

Yea, the king and his rulers and all the convocation in Jerusalem, had taken counsel, —to keep the passover 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 unable to keep it at that time, —because, the priests, had not hallowed themselves in sufficient numbers, and, the people, had not gathered themselves unto Jerusalem.

4 This proposal pleased the king and the whole assembly.

And the thing was right, in the eyes of the king, —and in the eyes of all the convocation.

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 make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even unto Dan, that they should come in to keep a passover unto Yahweh the God of Israel, in Jerusalem, —for, not for a long time, had they kept it as 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.

The runners, therefore, went with letters from the hand of the king and his rulers, throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, —Ye sons of Israel, return ye unto Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, and he will return unto the remnant, that which is left to you, out of the hand 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 not ye like your fathers, or like your brethren, who acted unfaithfully with Yahweh, God of your fathers, —who therefore delivered them up for an astonishment, as, ye yourselves, can 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 not stiffen your neck, like your fathers, —stretch forth the hand unto Yahweh, and enter into his sanctuary which he hath hallowed unto times age-abiding, and serve Yahweh your God, that he may turn from you the glow of his anger.

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, by your returning unto Yahweh, your brethren and your children, shall find compassion before their captors, so as to return unto this land. For, gracious and compassionate, is Yahweh your God, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye will 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.

So the runners were passing from city to city throughout the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, even unto Zebulun, —but they were laughing them to scorn, and mocking them.

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

Howbeit, some, out of Asher and Manasseh and out 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, upon Judah, came the hand of God, to give them one heart, —to keep the commandment of the king and the rulers, as the word of Yahweh.

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

And there gathered themselves unto Jerusalem much people, to keep the festival of unleavened cakes, in the second month, —an exceeding large convocation.

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

Then rose they up, and removed the altars, which were in Jerusalem, -and, all the censers, removed they, and cast them into the Kidron ravine.

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.

Then slaughtered they the passover, on the fourteenth of the second month, —and, the priests and the Levites, were put to shame, and hallowed themselves, and brought in the ascending-sacrifices of the house of Yahweh.

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 in their place, according to their regulation, according to the law of Moses the man of God, —the priests, dashing the blood, [which they received] at 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 convocation, who had not hallowed themselves, —but, the Levites, were over the slaughtering of the passover-lambs, for every one who was, not pure, to hallow him unto Yahweh.

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, the multitude of the people, many out of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, for they did eat the passover, otherwise than as was written, —for Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, May Yahweh the Good, put a propitiatory-covering about

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.”

every one who hath prepared, his heart, to seek God, even Yahweh, God of his fathers, —though not according to the purification of the sanctuary!

20 And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

And Yahweh hearkened unto Hezekiah, and 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 so the sons of Israel who were found in Jerusalem kept the festival of unleavened cakes seven days, with great rejoicing, —and the Levites and the priests, were offering praise unto Yahweh day by day, with loud instruments, unto Yahweh.

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 spake unto the heart of all the Levites who were giving good instruction respecting Yahweh, —and they did eat the appointed feast seven days, sacrificing the peace-offerings, and offering praise unto Yahweh, God of their fathers.

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

Then all the convocation took counsel, to keep seven days more, —and they kept seven days, with rejoicing.

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, presented to the convocation, a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep, and, the rulers, presented to the convocation, a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep, -and, priests in great numbers, hallowed themselves.

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.

So all the convocation of Judah, and the priests and the Levites, and all the convocation that came in out of Israel, rejoiced, —also the sojourners who were coming in out of the land of Israel, and the dwellers 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.

Thus was there great rejoicing, in Jerusalem, —for, since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel, there had not been the like of this, 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 rose up the priests the Levites, and blessed the people, and there was a hearkening unto their voice, —and their prayer entered into his holy dwelling-place, even into the heavens.