2 Beresosɛm 30

1 Ɔhene Hesekia de nkra kɔɔ Israel ne Yuda nyinaa, na ɔkyerɛw krataa too nsa de frɛɛ Efraim ne Manase. Ɔka kyerɛɛ obiara se ɔmmra Awurade Asɔredan no mu wɔ Yerusalem, na wonni Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, Twam Afahyɛ no.

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 Ɔhene no, ne mpanyimfo ne ɔmanfo a wɔwɔ Yerusalem nyinaa yɛɛ adwene sɛ wobedi Twam no ɔsram a ɛto so abien no mu.

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

3 Na anka wodi Twam no ɔsram ansa na ɔsram a ɛto so abien no afi ase, nanso na asɔfo no bebree ntumi nnwiraa wɔn ho, na ɔmanfo no nso mmoaa wɔn ho ano wɔ Yerusalem ɛ.

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 Adwene a wɔyɛɛ sɛ wobedi Twam no, na eye ma ɔhene no ne ɔmanfo no nyinaa.

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

5 Enti wɔbɔɔ no dawuru wɔ Israel nyinaa fi Beer-Seba a ɛwɔ anafo fam kosi Dan a ɛwɔ atifi fam sɛ, obiara mmra Yerusalem mmedi Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn Twam no bi. Na nnipa dodow nni Twam no sɛnea mmara no kyerɛ.

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 Ɔhene no hyɛ ma wɔsomaa abɔfo kɔɔ Israel ne Yuda mmaa nyinaa. Wɔmaa wɔn nkrataa a na emu nsɛm ka se: “Israel manfo, monsan mmra Awurade, Abraham, Isak ne Israel Nyankopɔn nkyɛn, sɛnea ɔbɛsan aba mo, nnipa kakra a moaka, mo a moatumi aguan afi Asiria ahemfo nsam no nkyɛn.

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 Monnyɛ sɛ mo agyanom ne mo abusuafo a wogyaw Awurade, wɔn agyanom Nyankopɔn, a wɔyɛɛ aserewde sɛnea mo ankasa muhu yi.

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 Monnyɛ asoɔden sɛnea na wɔte no, na mmom, mommrɛ mo ho ase mma Awurade. Mommra nʼAsɔredan a wɔayi asi hɔ sɛ ade kronkron no mu daa nyinaa. Monsom Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, sɛnea nʼabufuwhyew no befi mo so.

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 Na sɛ mosan ba Awurade nkyɛn a, mo abusuafo ne mo mma benya ahummɔbɔ wɔ wɔn a wɔfaa wɔn nnommum no nsam, na wobetumi asan aba asase yi so. Efisɛ Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn yɛ ɔdɔ ne ahummɔbɔ. Sɛ mosan ba ne nkyɛn a, ɔrenyi nʼani mfi mo so.”

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 Abɔfo no kyinii nkurow a ɛwɔ Efraim ne Manase kosi Sebulon so. Nanso nnipa no mu bebree serew abɔfo no, dii wɔn ho fɛw.

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 Nanso wɔn a wofi Aser, Manase ne Sebulon mu bi brɛɛ wɔn ho ase, kɔɔ Yerusalem.

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

12 Saa bere koro no ara mu, na Onyankopɔn nsa wɔ nnipa a wɔwɔ Yuda no so. Na ɛhyɛ wɔn sɛ wɔnyɛ baako, na wɔnyɛ osetie mma Awurade asɛm a efi ɔhene ne ne mpanyimfo no nkyɛn no.

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 Enti dɔm kɛse hyiaa wɔ Yerusalem ɔsram a ɛto so abien no mu, sɛ wɔrebedi Twam no ne Apiti Afahyɛ no.

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

14 Wofii ase bubuu abosonsomfo afɔremuka no nyinaa fii Yerusalem. Woyiyii nnuhuam afɔremuka nyinaa kɔtow guu Kidron bon mu.

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

15 Da a wɔahyɛ wɔ ɔsram a ɛto so abien no dui no, ɔmanfo no kunkum wɔn Twam nguantenmma. Na asɔfo no ne Lewifo no ani wui nti, wodwiraa wɔn ho, na wɔde ɔhyew afɔre baa Awurade Asɔredan mu.

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 Obiara kogyinaa nʼafa wɔ Asɔredan no mu, sɛnea Mose a ɔyɛ Onyankopɔn nipa no mmara no kyerɛ no. Lewifo no de mogya afɔrebɔde no brɛɛ asɔfo no, maa wɔn nso pete guu afɔremuka no so.

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 Esiane sɛ na ɔmanfo no mu bebree nnwiraa wɔn ho nti, Lewifo no na wokunkum wɔn Twam nguantenmma no maa wɔn, nam so tew ho maa Awurade.

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 Na wɔn a wofi Efraim, Manase, Isakar ne Sebulon no mu fa kɛse no ara nnwira wɔn ho de, nanso ɔhene Hesekia bɔɔ mpae maa wɔn, na wɔmaa wɔn kwan ma wodii Twam aduan no bi a na anka etia Onyankopɔn mmara. Hesekia bɔɔ mpae se, “Awurade a ɔyɛ mmɔborɔhunufo no mfa nnipa a

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 wɔasi wɔn adwene pi sɛ wobedi Awurade, wɔn agyanom Nyankopɔn akyi no bɔne nkyɛ wɔn, mpo, sɛ wonnwiraa wɔn ho yiye mmaa afahyɛ no a.”

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 Na Awurade tiee Hesekia na ɔsaa ɔmanfo no yare.

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

21 Enti ɔmanfo a wɔwɔ Yerusalem no de nnanson dii Apiti Afahyɛ no anigye so. Da biara, Lewifo ne asɔfo no too nnwom maa Awurade de nnwontode a ano yɛ den memmaa ho.

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 Hesekia hyɛɛ Lewifo no nkuran wɔ ɔkwan pa a wɔfa so som Awurade no ho. Na afahyɛ no kɔɔ so nnanson. Wɔbɔɔ asomdwoe afɔre, na ɔmanfo kaa wɔn bɔne kyerɛɛ Awurade, wɔn agyanom Nyankopɔn.

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 Bagua no nyinaa yɛɛ wɔn adwene sɛ, wɔbɛtoa so adi afahyɛ no nnanson bio enti wɔde anigye toaa so nnaawɔtwe.

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

24 Ɔhene Hesekia maa ɔmanfo no anantwinini apem ne nguan mpem ason sɛ wɔmfa mmɔ afɔre, na mpanyimfo no nso maa anantwinini apem ne nguan mpem du. Bere koro no ara mu, asɔfo no bebree dwiraa wɔn ho.

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 Yuda bagua nyinaa a asɔfo, Lewifo ne wɔn a wofi Israel asase so nyinaa, ananafo a wobedii afahyɛ no ne wɔn a na wɔte Yuda nyinaa ani gyei.

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 Anigye kɛse baa kuropɔn no mu, efisɛ na Yerusalem nhuu afahyɛ a ɛte sɛɛ bi da, efi Salomo ɔhene Dawid babarima no bere so.

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 Na asɔfo no ne Lewifo no sɔre hyiraa ɔmanfo no, na Onyankopɔn tiee wɔn, efisɛ wɔn mpaebɔ duu ɔsoro, nʼatenae wɔ kronkronbea hɔ.

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