2 Chronicles 30

1 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.

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.

2 Yea, the king and his rulers and all the convocation in Jerusalem, had taken counsel, —to keep the passover in the second month.

For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.

3 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.

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.

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

And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

5 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.

So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba 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.

6 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.

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.

7 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.

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.

8 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.

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.

9 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.

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.

10 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.

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.

11 Howbeit, some, out of Asher and Manasseh and out of Zebulun, humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

12 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.

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.

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

And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

14 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.

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.

15 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.

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.

16 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.

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.

17 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.

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.

18 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

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

19 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!

[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.

20 And Yahweh hearkened unto Hezekiah, and healed the people.

And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

21 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.

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.

22 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.

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.

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

And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept [other] seven days with gladness.

24 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.

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.

25 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.

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.

26 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.

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.

27 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.

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.