2 Chronicles 30

1 Hezekiah sent messengers to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem, to celebrate the Passover to Yahweh, the 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 Jehovah at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to Jehovah, the God of Israel.

2 For the king, his leaders, and all the assembly in Jerusalem had consulted together, deciding to celebrate the Passover in the second month.

For the king had taken counsel, and his rulers, and all the assembly in Jerusalem, to keep the Passover in the second month.

3 They could not celebrate at the regular time, because not enough priests had consecrated themselves for the celebration and the people had not gathered together in Jerusalem.

For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

4 This proposal seemed right in the eyes of the king and of all the assembly.

And the thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the assembly.

5 So they agreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come to celebrate the Passover to Yahweh, the God of Israel, in Jerusalem. For they had not observed it with large numbers of people according to what was written.

So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to Jehovah, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem. For they had not kept it in great numbers in such sort as it is written.

6 So couriers went with the letters from the king and his leaders throughout all Israel and Judah, by the command of the king. They said, “You people of Israel, turn back to Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that he may turn back to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.

So the posts went with the letters from the king and his rulers throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye sons of Israel, turn again to Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return to the remnant of you who escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

7 Do not be like your ancestors or your brothers, who trespassed against Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see.

And be ye not like your fathers, and like your brothers, who trespassed against Jehovah, the God of their fathers, so that he gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

8 Now do not be stubborn, as your ancestors were; instead, give yourselves to Yahweh and come into his holy place, which he has consecrated forever, and worship Yahweh your God, so that his fierce anger may turn away from you.

Now be ye not stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to Jehovah, and enter into his sanctuary, which he has sanctified forever, and serve Jehovah your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you.

9 For if you turn back to Yahweh, your brothers and children will find compassion before those who led them away as prisoners, and they will come back into this land. For Yahweh your God, is gracious and merciful, and will not turn his face away from you, if you return to him.”

For if ye turn again to Jehovah, your brothers and your sons shall find compassion before those who led them captive, and shall come again into this land. For Jehovah your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return to him.

10 So the couriers passed from city to city throughout the regions of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the way to Zebulun, but the people laughed at them and mocked them.

So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun. But they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

11 However, certain men of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.

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

12 The hand of God also came on Judah, to give them one heart, to carry out the command of the king and leaders by the word of Yahweh.

Also the hand of God came upon Judah to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the rulers by the word of Jehovah.

13 Many people, a very great assembly, gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month.

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

14 They rose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense; they threw them into the brook Kidron.

And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense they took away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.

15 Then they killed the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, so they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into 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 burnt offerings into the house of Jehovah.

16 They stood in their place by their divisions, following the directions given in the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests sprinkled the blood that they received from the hand of the Levites.

And they stood in their place after their order, according to the law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites.

17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves. Therefore the Levites slaughtered the Passover lambs for everyone who was not purified and could not consecrate their sacrifice to Yahweh.

For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves. Therefore the Levites had charge of killing the Passovers for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to Jehovah.

18 For a great many of the people, many of them from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover meal, against the written instructions. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Yahweh pardon everyone

For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, The good Jehovah pardon everyone

19 who sets his heart to seek God, Yahweh, the God of his ancestors, even though he is not purified by the purification standards of the holy place.”

who sets his heart to seek God, Jehovah, the God of his fathers, though he be not according to the purification of the sanctuary.

20 So Yahweh listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.

And Jehovah hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

21 The people of Israel who were present in Jerusalem kept the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. The Levites and the priests praised Yahweh day after day, singing with loud instruments to Yahweh.

And the sons of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness. And the Levites and the priests praised Jehovah day by day, with loud instruments to Jehovah.

22 Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who understood the service of Yahweh. So they ate throughout the festival for the seven days, offering sacrifices of fellowship offerings, and making confession to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.

And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who had good understanding in the service of Jehovah. So they ate throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings, and making confession to Jehovah, the God of their fathers.

23 The whole assembly then decided to celebrate for another seven days, and they did so with joy.

And the whole assembly took counsel to keep another seven days. And they kept those seven days with gladness.

24 For Hezekiah king of Judah gave the assembly one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep as an offering; and the leaders gave to the assembly one thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep and goats. A large number of priests consecrated themselves.

For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly for offerings a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep. And the rulers gave to the assembly a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep. And a great number of priests sanctified themselves.

25 All the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the people who came together from Israel, as well as the foreigners who came from the land of Israel and those who lived in Judah—they all rejoiced.

And all the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners who came out of the land of Israel, and who dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.

26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon son of David, king of Israel, there had not been anything like it 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 the priests, the Levites, rose and blessed the people. Their voice was heard, and their prayer went up to heaven, the holy place where God lives.

Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people. And their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, even to heaven.