2 Ihe E Mere 30
1 Hezekaya zigaara ndị Izrel na Juda niile ozi, degakwara ndị Ifrem na Manase akwụkwọ ịkpọ oku ka ha bịa nʼụlọnsọ ukwu Onyenwe anyị dị na Jerusalem maka ime Mmemme Ngabiga nye Onyenwe anyị, bụ Chineke Izrel.
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 Eze na ndịisi ya, na ndị nkpọkọta niile na Jerusalem kpebiri na Mmemme Ngabiga a ga-adị nʼọnwa nke abụọ.
3 Ha enweghị ike ime ya nʼoge e kwesiri ime ya nʼihi na ọtụtụ ndị nchụaja enwebeghị ike doo onwe ha nsọ nʼọnwa ahụ. Otu a kwa, ndị Izrel enwebeghịkwa ike zukọtaa na Jerusalem.
4 Eze na Izrel niile nwere otu mkpebi ime ya otu a.
The king and all the other people who had gathered thought that was a good plan.
5 Ha kpebiri ka e kwusaa nʼala Izrel niile site na Dan ruo na Bịasheba ka onye ọbụla bịa na Jerusalem maka ime Mmemme Ngabiga nye Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel. Ọtụtụ mmadụ nʼIzrel esobeghị mee mmemme a dịka e nyere ya nʼiwu.
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 Ndị ọgba ọsọ weere akwụkwọ ozi sitere nʼaka eze na ndị ozi ya jegharịa nʼIzrel na Juda niile dịka ihe eze nyere nʼiwu si: “Unu ndị Izrel, lọghachikwutenụ Onyenwe anyị Chineke Ebraham, na Aịzik, na Jekọb, ka ọ laghachikwute unu bụ ndị eze Asịrịa na-emeribeghị.
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 Unu adịkwala ka nna unu ha, na ụmụnne unu ndị Izrel, ndị na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi nye Onyenwe anyị, bụ Chineke nna nna ha, nke a mere o jiri were ha mee ihe iju anya, dịka unu hụrụ ya.
Do not act like they did, because what they did caused other people to become disgusted with them.
8 Unu abụla ndị isiike dịka ha, kama werenụ onwe unu nye Onyenwe anyị. Bịakwanụ nʼụlọnsọ ya nke o doro nsọ ruo ebighị ebi. Fee Onyenwe anyị Chineke unu ofufe, ime ka iwe ya jụrụ nʼebe unu nọ.
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 Ọ bụrụ na unu alọghachikwute Onyenwe anyị, ọ ga-eme ka e gosi ụmụnna unu na ụmụ unu a dọtara nʼagha obi ebere, meekwa ka ha site nʼebe e bugara ha lọghachikwa. Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị Chineke unu bụ onye obi ebere, na onye obiọma; ọ gakwaghị agbakụta unu azụ, ma ọ bụrụ na unu echegharịa, lọghachikwute ya.”
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 Ya mere, ndị ọgbọ ọsọ ozi ahụ sitere otu obodo gaa obodo ọzọ nʼIfrem, na Manase, ọ bụladị ruo Zebụlọn. Ma ndị mmadụ chịrị ha ọchị, kwaakwa ha emo.
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 Ma otu ọ dị, ụfọdụ ndị si nʼebo Asha na Manase, na Zebụlọn wedatara onwe ha ala, bịa Jerusalem.
But some of the people of [the tribes of] Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem.
12 Ma aka Chineke dịnyere ndị Juda inye ha otu obi, ime ihe eze na ndịisi ya nyere nʼiwu, site nʼokwu Onyenwe anyị.
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 Ya mere, ọtụtụ mmadụ bịara Jerusalem nʼọnwa nke abụọ nke afọ ahụ, maka mmemme achịcha ekoghị eko.
So a huge crowd of people gathered in Jerusalem in May, to celebrate the Festival of Eating Unleavened Bread.
14 Ha niile jiri otu obi bibie ụlọ arụsị Baal niile dị na Jerusalem, kụtuokwa ebe ịchụ aja na-esi isi ụtọ niile, buru ha niile bufuo ha na Ndagwurugwu Kidrọn.
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 Nʼabalị nke iri na anọ nke ọnwa abụọ ahụ, ndị mmadụ ahụ niile gburu atụrụ Mmemme Ngabiga ha. Nke a mere ka ihere mee ndị nchụaja na ndị Livayị. Ha mekwara ngwangwa doo onwe ha nsọ were aja nsure ọkụ bịa nʼụlọnsọ ukwu Onyenwe anyị.
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 Ha niile guzokwara nʼọnọdụ ha dịka e dere ya nʼiwu Mosis, onye nke Chineke. Ndị nchụaja fesara ọbara nke ndị Livayị bunyere ha nʼaka, nʼelu ebe ịchụ aja.
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 Ebe ọ bụ na ọtụtụ ndị so nʼigwe mmadụ ahụ edobeghị onwe ha nsọ, ndị Livayị gbuuru ha atụrụ Mmemme Ngabiga nʼihi na ha adịghị ọcha, ha apụghịkwa ido atụrụ ha nsọ nye Onyenwe anyị.
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 Ọ bụ ezie na ọtụtụ ndị sitere nʼIfrem, na Manase, na Isaka, na Zebụlọn edoghị onwe ha ọcha, ma ha sokwa rie oriri ngabiga ahụ, si otu a mebie ihe e dere nʼiwu. Ma Hezekaya kpeere ha ekpere sị, “Ka Onyenwe anyị onye dị mma gbaghara onye ọbụla
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 bụ ndị ji obi ha na-achọ Onyenwe anyị Chineke nke nna nna ha, ọ bụladị ma ọ bụrụ na ha adịghị ọcha dịka iwu nke ebe nsọ si dị.”
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 Onyenwe anyị nụrụ ekpere Hezekaya gwọọkwa ha.
And Yahweh heard what Hezekiah prayed; he forgave the people, [and did not punish them].
21 Ya mere, ndị Izrel ahụ niile ji ọṅụ mee mmemme achịcha ekoghị eko ahụ na Jerusalem ụbọchị asaa. Ma ndị nchụaja na ndị Livayị ji abụ na ngwa egwu Onyenwe anyị too ya otuto ụbọchị ahụ niile.
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 Hezekaya ji okwu dị mma gbaa ndị Livayị ume nʼihi ezi nghọta ha nwere nʼijere Onyenwe anyị ozi. Nʼime ụbọchị asaa ahụ niile, ha chụrụ aja udo, riekwa ihe ha ketara site nʼaja niile a chụrụ. Ha tokwara Onyenwe anyị Chineke nna nna ha otuto.
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 Nʼihi oke ọṅụ ha niile nwere, ha kpebiri ime mmemme ahụ gaa nʼihu ụbọchị asaa ọzọ.
Then the whole group decided to celebrate for seven more days, so they did: They celebrated joyfully for seven more days.
24 Hezekaya eze Juda, nyere nzukọ ahụ otu puku oke ehi, na puku atụrụ asaa. Ndị ozi eze niile nyekwara ha, otu puku oke ehi na puku atụrụ iri. Ọtụtụ ndị nchụaja dooro onwe ha nsọ.
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 Nʼoge ahụ kwa, oke ọṅụ jupụtara nʼobi ndị Juda niile, na nʼobi ndị nchụaja na ndị Livayị, na nʼobi ndị ọbịa, na ndị sitere ala Izrel bịa.
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 Oke ọṅụ jupụtara na Jerusalem nʼihi na site nʼoge Solomọn nwa Devid, eze Izrel ruo nʼoge a, e mebeghị mmemme dị otu a na 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 Mgbe ahụ, ndị nchụaja na ndị Livayị guzoro gọzie ọha mmadụ ahụ niile. Chineke nụkwara ekpere ha site nʼebe obibi ya dị nsọ nke eluigwe.
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.
