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 Ezekias sent to all Israel and Juda, and wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasse, that they should come into the house of the Lord to Jerusalem, to keep the passover to 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, and the princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, designed 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 a sufficient number of priest had not purified themselves, and the people was not gathered to Jerusalem.

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

And the proposal pleased the king and 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.

And they established a decree that a proclamation should go through all Israel, from Bersabee to Dan, that they should come and keep the passover to the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem: for the multitude had not done it lately according to the scripture.

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.

And the posts went with the letters from the king and the princes to all Israel and Juda, according to the command of the king, saying, Children of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraam, and Isaac, and Israel, and bring back them that have escaped [even] those that were left of the hand of the king 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 as your fathers, and your brethren, who revolted from the Lord God of their fathers, and he gave them up to desolation, as you 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.

And now harden not your hearts, as your fathers [did]: give glory to the Lord God, and enter into his sanctuary, which he has sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, and he shall turn away [his] fierce anger 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 when you turn to the Lord, your brethren and your children shall be pitied before all that have carried them captives, and he will restore [you] to this land: for the Lord our God is merciful and pitiful, and will not turn away his face from you, if we return to 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 went through from city to city in mount Ephraim, and Manasse, and as far as Zabulon: and they as it were 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.

But the men of Aser, and [some] of Manasses and of Zabulon, were ashamed, and came to Jerusalem and Juda.

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.

And the hand of the Lord was [present] to give them one heart to come, to do according to the commands 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 a great multitude were gathered to Jerusalem 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 on which they burnt incense to false [gods] they tore down and cast into the brook Kedron.

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 repented, and purified [themselves], and brought whole 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 at their post, according to their ordinance, according to the commandment of Moses the man of God: and the priests received the blood from 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 a great part of the congregation was not sanctified; and the Levites were [ready] to kill the passover for every one who could not sanctify himself to 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 the greatest part of the people of Ephraim, and Manasse, and Issachar, and Zabulon, had not purified [themselves], but ate the passover contrary to the scripture. On this account also Ezekias prayed concerning them, saying,

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!

The good Lord be merciful with regard to every heart that sincerely seeks the Lord God of their fathers, and [is] not [purified] according to the purification of the sanctuary.

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

And the Lord listened to Ezekias, 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 who were present in Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great joy; and they continued to sing hymns to the Lord daily, and the priests and the Levites [played] on instruments to 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 Ezekias encouraged all the Levites, and those that had good understanding of the Lord: and they completely kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days, offering peace-offerings, and confessing 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 congregation purposed together to keep other seven days: and they kept 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 Ezekias set apart for Juda, [even] for the congregation, a thousand calves and seven thousand sheep; and the princes set apart for the people a thousand calves and ten thousand sheep: and the holy things of the priests abundantly.

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, the priests and the Levites, rejoiced, and all the congregation of Juda, and they that were present of Jerusalem, and the strangers that came from the land of Israel, and the dwellers in Juda.

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.

And there was great joy in Jerusalem: from the days of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not such a feast 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 rose up and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came into his holy dwelling-place, [even] into heaven.