2 Chronicles 30
1 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.
Entonces Ezequías envió un anuncio a todos en Israel y Judá, y también envió cartas a Efraín y Manasés, invitándolos a venir al Templo del Señor en Jerusalén para celebrar la Pascua del Señor, el Dios de Israel.
El rey y sus funcionarios y toda la asamblea de Jerusalén habían decidido celebrar la Pascua en el segundo mes,
porque no habían podido celebrarlo a la hora habitual, ya que no se habían purificado suficientes sacerdotes y el pueblo no había tenido tiempo de llegar a Jerusalén.
4 The king and all the other people who had gathered thought that was a good plan.
El plan les pareció bien al rey y a toda la asamblea.
5 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].
Así que decidieron enviar un anuncio a todo Israel, desde Beerseba hasta Dan, invitando a la gente a venir a celebrar la Pascua al Señor, el Dios de Israel, en Jerusalén, pues muchos no habían hecho lo que exigía la Ley.
6 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].
Así que los mensajeros fueron a todo Israel y Judá llevando cartas del rey y de sus funcionarios y con la autorización del rey. Decían: “Hijos de Israel, vuelvan al Señor, el Dios de Abraham, de Isaac y de Israel, para que él los devuelva a ustedes, que han escapado de la opresión de los reyes de Asiria.
7 Do not act like they did, because what they did caused other people to become disgusted with them.
No sean como sus padres y los que pecaron contra el Señor, el Dios de sus antepasados, que los convirtió en algo espantoso, como pueden ver.
8 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.
No sean, pues, orgullosos y obstinados como sus padres, sino entréguense al Señor y vengan a su santuario, que él ha santificado para siempre, y sirvan al Señor, su Dios, para que no caiga más sobre ustedes su feroz ira.
9 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.”
“Si vuelven al Señor, sus parientes e hijos recibirán la misericordia de sus captores y volverán a esta tierra. Porque el Señor, tu Dios, es clemente y misericordioso. No los rechazará si vuelven a él”.
10 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.
Los mensajeros fueron de pueblo en pueblo por toda la tierra de Efraín y Manasés hasta Zabulón; pero la gente se reía de ellos y se burlaba.
11 But some of the people of [the tribes of] Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem.
Sólo algunos hombres de Aser, Manasés y Zabulón no fueron demasiado orgullosos para ir a Jerusalén.
12 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.
En ese momento el poder de Dios ayudaba a que el pueblo de Judá tuviera todos el mismo deseo de seguir las órdenes del rey y de sus funcionarios, tal como lo indicaba la palabra del Señor.
13 So a huge crowd of people gathered in Jerusalem in May, to celebrate the Festival of Eating Unleavened Bread.
Mucha gente se reunió en Jerusalén para celebrar la Fiesta de los Panes sin Levadura en el segundo mes, una multitud realmente grande.
14 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.
Fueron y quitaron los altares paganos de Jerusalén, así como los altares de incienso, y los arrojaron al valle del Cedrón.
15 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].
El día catorce del segundo mes mataron el cordero de la Pascua. Los sacerdotes y los levitas se avergonzaron, y se purificaron y trajeron holocaustos al Templo del Señor.
16 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.
Se colocaron en sus puestos asignados, según la ley de Moisés, el hombre de Dios. Los sacerdotes rociaban la sangre de los sacrificios, que los levitas les entregaban.
17 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.
Como mucha gente de la asamblea no se había purificado, los levitas tenían que matar los corderos de la Pascua en nombre de todos los impuros para dedicar los corderos al Señor.
18 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
La mayoría del pueblo, muchos de los de Efraín, Manasés, Isacar y Zabulón, no se habían purificado. Sin embargo, comieron la cena de la Pascua a pesar de que no era lo que exigía la Ley, pues Ezequías había orado por ellos, diciendo: “Que el buen Señor perdone a todos los
19 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.”
que sinceramente quieren seguir al Señor Dios, el Dios de sus antepasados, aunque no estén limpios según los requisitos del santuario”.
20 And Yahweh heard what Hezekiah prayed; he forgave the people, [and did not punish them].
El Señor aceptó la oración de Ezequías y les permitió esta violación.
21 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.
El pueblo de Israel que estaba allí, en Jerusalén, celebró con gran entusiasmo la Fiesta de los Panes sin Levadura durante siete días, y cada día los levitas y los sacerdotes alababan al Señor, acompañados de fuertes instrumentos.
22 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].
Ezequías hablaba positivamente a todos los levitas que mostraban un buen entendimiento con el Señor. Durante siete días comieron la comida que se les había asignado, presentaron ofrendas de amistad y dieron gracias al Señor, el Dios de sus antepasados.
23 Then the whole group decided to celebrate for seven more days, so they did: They celebrated joyfully for seven more days.
Entonces todos acordaron seguir celebrando la fiesta durante siete días más. Así que durante otros siete días celebraron, llenos de alegría.
24 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.
Ezequías, rey de Judá, dio mil toros y siete mil ovejas como ofrendas en nombre de la asamblea. Los funcionarios, a su vez, dieron mil toros y diez mil ovejas como ofrendas en nombre de la asamblea. Un gran número de sacerdotes se purificó.
25 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.
Toda la asamblea de Judá celebró, junto con los sacerdotes y los levitas, y también con toda la asamblea que había venido de Israel, incluidos los extranjeros de Israel y los que vivían en Judá.
26 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.
Había una tremenda alegría en Jerusalén, pues desde los tiempos de Salomón, hijo de David, rey de Israel, no había ocurrido nada parecido en la ciudad.
27 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.
Los sacerdotes y los levitas se levantaron para bendecir al pueblo, y Dios los escuchó: su oración ascendió hasta donde él vivía en el cielo.
