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.

The king and his officials and all the other people who had gathered in Jerusalem wanted to celebrate the Passover Festival. But they were not able to celebrate it at the usual time, because many of the priests had still not performed the rituals to purify themselves; therefore they were not allowed to do serve in the festival. Also, everyone had still not come to Jerusalem [to celebrate the Passover]. So they decided to celebrate it one month later than usual.

2 Yea, the king and his rulers and all the convocation in Jerusalem, had taken counsel, —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.

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

The king and all the other people who had gathered thought that was a good plan.

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 decided to send messages to all the towns in Judah and in Israel, from Beersheba [in the far south] to Dan [in the far north], including towns in the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, to invite people to come to the temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover [Festival] to [honor] Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli people [worshiped/belonged to]. Many of the people had not previously celebrated that festival, even though it had been written [in the laws of Moses that they should do that].

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.

Obeying what the king commanded, messengers went throughout Judah and Israel, taking messages that had been written by the king and his officials. This is what they wrote: “You Israeli people, you who survived after being slaves of the kings of Assyria, return to Yahweh, the God whom [our great ancestors] Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob [worshiped/belonged to], in order that he may return to you. Your fathers and brothers did not faithfully obey Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped].

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.

Do not act like they did, because what they did caused other people to become disgusted with them.

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.

Do not be stubborn as our ancestors were. Do what Yahweh desires. Come [to Jerusalem] to the temple, which he has set apart forever. Do what pleases Yahweh our God, in order that he will no longer be angry with 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.

If you return to Yahweh, the people who have captured our brothers [and sisters] and our children will be kind to them, and allow them to return to this land. Do not forget that Yahweh our God is kind and merciful. If you return to him, he will no longer reject you.”

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.

The messengers went to all the towns in the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far [north] as the tribe of Zebulun, [and gave them this message, ] but most of the people there scorned them and ridiculed them.

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

But some of the people of [the tribes of] Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and went 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 God motivated the people to be united in wanting to do what Yahweh wanted them to do, which is what the king and his officials had told them to do in the message that they sent.

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

So a huge crowd of people gathered in Jerusalem in May, to celebrate the Festival of Eating Unleavened Bread.

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.

They removed the altars [of Baal] in Jerusalem and took away the altars for burning incense [to honor other gods, and burned them] in Kidron Valley.

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.

They slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of that month. Some of the priests and the other descendants of Levi were ashamed [because they had not performed the rituals to cause them to be acceptable to work for Yahweh]. So they performed those rituals, and brought to the temple animals to be completely burned [on the altar].

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.

Then they stood at the places where Moses had written in his laws that they should stand. Then the descendants of Levi gave to the priests [bowls containing blood of the animals that were being sacrificed], and the priests sprinkled [the altar] with some of the blood.

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.

Many people in the crowd had not purified themselves, and therefore they were not able to kill the lambs [and dedicate them] to Yahweh. So it was necessary for the descendants of Levi to kill the lambs for them.

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

Although most of the people who had come from [the tribes of] Ephraim, Manasseh, and Issachar had not purified themselves, they ate the food of the Passover Festival anyway, ignoring the rules written [by Moses]. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying “Yahweh, you always do what is good; I pray that you will forgive everyone

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!

who sincerely wants to honor you, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped], even if they have not purified themselves by obeying the sacred laws that you gave to us.”

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

And Yahweh heard what Hezekiah prayed; he forgave the people, [and did not punish them].

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.

The Israeli people who were there in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Eating Unleavened Bread for seven days. They rejoiced greatly as they celebrated, while the priests and other descendants of Levi sang to Yahweh every day, and played musical instruments to [praise] God.

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.

Hezekiah thanked all the descendants of Levi for doing this work for Yahweh, and for very skillfully leading the people who were worshiping. For those seven days the people ate the Passover food and brought offerings to maintain fellowship with Yahweh and praised Yahweh, the God whom their ancestors [belonged to/had worshiped].

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

Then the whole group decided to celebrate for seven more days, so they did: They celebrated joyfully for seven more days.

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.

King Hezekiah provided 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep to be slaughtered for the people [to eat during the festival], and the officials also gave them 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep and goats. Many priests consecrated 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.

All the people of Judah rejoiced, including the priests and other descendants of Levi and all the people from Israel who had come, and including some from other countries who were living in Israel and some from other countries who were living in Judah.

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.

Everyone in Jerusalem was very joyful, because nothing like this had happened in Jerusalem since the time when David’s son Solomon was the king of Israel.

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.

The priests and the other descendants of Levi stood up to bless the people, and God heard them in heaven, the holy place where he lives.