2 Chronicles 30

1 And Ezechie sente to al Israel and to Juda, and he wroot pistlis to Effraym and to Manasses, that thei schulden come in to the hous of the Lord in Jerusalem, and make paske to the Lord God of Israel.

Then Hezekiah sent an announcement to everyone in Israel and Judah, and also sent letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of the Lord, the God of Israel.

2 Therfor whanne counseil was takun of the kyng, and of princes, and of al the cumpeny of Jerusalem, thei demyden to make paske in the secounde moneth.

The king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem had decided to observe the Passover in the second month,

3 For thei demyden not to do in his tyme; for the preestis that myyten suffice weren not halewid, and the puple was not yit gaderid in to Jerusalem.

because they hadn't been able to observe it at the usual time since not enough priests had purified themselves and the people hadn't had time to get to Jerusalem.

4 And the word pleside the king, and al the multitude.

The plan seemed right to both the king and the whole assembly.

5 And thei demyden to sende messangeris in to al Israel, fro Bersabee `til to Dan, that thei schulden come, and make pask to the Lord God of Israel in Jerusalem; for many men hadden not do, as it is bifor writun in the lawe.

So they decided to send an announcement to everyone in Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, inviting people to come and keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel, in Jerusalem, for many had not done as the Law required.

6 And corouris yeden forth with pistlis, bi comaundement of the kyng and of hise princis, in to al Israel and Juda, and prechiden bi that, that the kyng hadde comaundid, Sones of Israel, turne ye ayen to the Lord God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Israel; and he schal turne ayen to the residue men, that ascapiden the hondis of the kyng of Assiriens.

So messengers went to all of Israel and Judah carrying letters from the king and his officials and with the king's authorization. They said, “Children of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped the oppression of the kings of Assyria.

7 Nyle ye be maad as youre fadris and britheren, that yeden awei fro the Lord God of her fadris; and he yaue hem in to perischyng, as ye seen.

Don't be like your fathers and those of you who sinned against the Lord, the God of your forefathers He made them into something horrifying, as you can see.

8 Nyle ye make hard youre nollis, as youre fadris diden; yyue ye hondis to the Lord, and come ye to his seyntuarie, which he halewide withouten ende; serue ye the Lord God of youre fadris, and the ire of his strong veniaunce schal `be turned awey fro you.

So don't be proud and obstinate like your fathers, but give yourselves to the Lord and come to his sanctuary, which he has made holy forever, and serve the Lord your God, that his fierce anger may no longer fall on you.

9 For if ye turnen ayen to the Lord, youre britheren and youre sones schulen haue mercy, bifor her lordis that ledden hem prisoneris; and thei schulen turne ayen in to this lond. For `oure Lord God is pitouse, `ethir benygne, and merciful; and he schal not turne awey his face fro you, if ye turne ayen to hym.

If you come back to the Lord, your relatives and children will receive mercy from their captors and will return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful. He will not reject you if you come back to him.”

10 Therfor the corours yeden swiftli fro cytee in to citee thorou the lond of Effraym and of Manasses `til to Zabulon, while thei scorniden and bimowiden hem.

The messengers went from town to town all over the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun; but the people laughed at them and mocked them.

11 Netheles sum men of Aser, and of Manasses, and of Zabulon, assentiden to the counsel, and camen in to Jerusalem.

Only some men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun weren't too proud to go to Jerusalem.

12 Forsothe the hond of the Lord was maad in Juda, that he yaf to hem oon herte, and that thei diden the word of the Lord, bi the comaundement of the kyng and of the princes.

At this time the power of God was helping the people in Judah to all have the same desire to follow the orders of the king and his officials, as indicated by the word of the Lord.

13 And many puplis weren gaderid in to Jerusalem, for to make the solempnyte of therf looues in the secounde monethe.

Many people gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month—a really large crowd.

14 And thei risiden, and destrieden the auteris, that weren in Jerusalem; and `thei destriynge alle thingis in whiche encense was brent to idols, castiden forth in to the stronde of Cedron.

They went and removed the pagan altars in Jerusalem as well as the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.

15 Forsothe thei offriden pask in the fourtenthe dai of the secounde monethe; also the preestis and the dekenes weren halewid at the laste, and offriden brent sacrifices in the hows of the Lord.

On the fourteenth day of the second month they killed the Passover lamb. The priests and Levites were ashamed, and they purified themselves and brought burnt offerings to the Lord's Temple.

16 And thei stoden in her ordre, bi the ordynaunce and lawe of Moises, the man of God. Sothely the preestis token of the hondis of dekenes the blood to be sched out,

They stood at their assigned positions, according to the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests sprinkled the blood of the sacrifices, which the Levites gave to them.

17 for myche cumpeny was not halewid; and therfor the dekenes offriden pask for hem, that myyten not be halewid to the Lord.

Since many people in the assembly had not purified themselves, the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs on behalf of every unclean person to dedicate the lambs to the Lord.

18 Also a greet part of the puple of Effraym, and Manasses, and of Ysachar, and of Zabulon, that was not halewid, eet pask not bi that that is writun. And Ezechie preyde for hem, and seide, The good Lord schal do mercy to alle men,

Most of the people, many of those from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not purified themselves. Yet they ate the Passover meal even though this was not what the Law required, for Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord forgive everyone

19 that seken in al the herte the Lord God of her fadris; and it schal not be arettid to hem, that thei ben not halewid.

who sincerely wants to follow the Lord God, the God of their forefathers, even though they're not clean according to the sanctuary requirements.”

20 And the Lord herde hym, and was plesid to the puple.

The Lord accepted Hezekiah's prayer and permitted them this violation.

21 And the sones of Israel, that weren founden in Jerusalem, maden solempnyte of therf looues seuene daies in greet gladnesse, and herieden the Lord bi ech dai; and dekenes and preestis `preisiden the Lord bi orguns, that acordiden to her offices.

The people of Israel who were there in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great enthusiasm, and every day the Levites and priests praised the Lord, accompanied by loud instruments.

22 And Ezechie spak to the herte of alle the dekenes, that hadden good vndurstondyng of the Lord; and thei eeten bi seuene daies of the solempnyte, offrynge sacrifices of pesible thingis, and heriynge the Lord God of her fadris.

Hezekiah spoke positively to all the Levites who showed a good understanding of the Lord. For seven days they ate the food that was assigned to them, presented friendship offerings, and gave thanks to the Lord, the God of their forefathers.

23 And it pleside al the multitude to halewe also othere seuene daies; which thing also thei diden with greet ioye.

Everyone then agreed to continue to celebrate the festival for seven more days. So for another seven days they celebrated, full of joy.

24 Forsothe Ezechie, kyng of Juda, yaf to the multitude a thousynde bolis, and seuene thousynde of scheep; sotheli the princes yauen to the puple a thousynde bolis, and ten thousynde scheep. Therfor ful greet multitude of preestis was halewid;

Hezekiah, king of Judah, gave a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep as offerings on behalf of the assembly. The officials in turn gave a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep on as offerings on behalf of the assembly. A large number of priests purified themselves.

25 and al the cumpany of Juda was fillid with gladnesse, as wel of preestis and dekenes, as of al the multitude, that camen fro Israel, and `of conuersis of the lond of Israel, and of dwelleris in Juda.

The whole assembly of Judah celebrated, together with the priests and Levites, and also with the whole assembly that had come from Israel, including the foreigners from Israel and those living in Judah.

26 And greet solempnytee was maad in Jerusalem, which maner solempnyte was not in that citee fro the daies of Salomon, sone of Dauid, kyng of Israel.

There was such tremendous happiness in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel, nothing like this had happened in the city.

27 Sotheli preestis and dekenes rysyden, and blessiden the puple; and the vois of hem was herd, and the preier cam in to the hooli dwelling place of heuene.

The priests and the Levites stood up to bless the people, and God heard them—their prayer ascended to where he lived in heaven.