30 1, 13 The keeping of the Passover by the king’s commandment. 6 He exhorteth Israel to turn to the Lord. 18 He prayeth for the people. 24 His oblation and the princes’. 27 The Levites bless the people.

And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to [a]Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover unto the Lord God of Israel.

And the king and his princes and all the Congregation had taken counsel in Jerusalem to keep the Passover in the [b]second month.

For they could not keep it at this time, because there were not Priests enough sanctified, neither was the people gathered to Jerusalem.

And the thing pleased the king, and all the Congregation.

And they decreed to make proclamation throughout all Israel from [c]Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a great time, [d]as it was written.

¶ So the posts went with letters by the commission of the King, and his princes, throughout all Israel and Judah, and with the commandment of the King, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and [e]he will return to the remnant that are escaped of you, out of the hands of the kings of Assyria.

And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers: and therefore he made them desolate, as ye see.

Be not ye now stiff-necked like your fathers, but [f]give the hand to the Lord, and come into his Sanctuary, which he hath sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God, and the fierceness of his wrath shall turn away from you.

For if ye return unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find mercy before them that led them captives, and they shall [g]return unto this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye convert unto him.

10 ¶ So the posts went from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, even unto Zebulun: but they [h]laughed them to scorn and mocked them.

11 Nevertheless, divers of Asher, and Manasseh, and of Zebulun, submitted themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

12 And the hand of God was in Judah, so that he gave them one [i]heart to do the commandment of the king, and of the rulers, according to the word of the Lord.

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

14 ¶ And they arose, and took away the [j]altars that were in Jerusalem, and all those for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.

15 Afterward they slew the Passover the fourteenth day of the second month: and the Priests and Levites were [k]ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord.

16 And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the Law of Moses the man of God: and the Priests sprinkled the [l]blood returned of the hands of the Levites.

17 Because there were many in the Congregation that were not sanctified, therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the Passover for all that were not clean, to sanctify it to the Lord.

18 For a multitude of the people, even a multitude of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not cleansed themselves, yet did eat the Passover, but not as it was written: wherefore Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The [m]good Lord be merciful toward him,

19 That prepareth his whole heart to seek the Lord God, the God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed, according to the purification of the Sanctuary.

20 And the Lord heard Hezekiah, and [n]healed the people.

21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem, kept the feast of the unleavened bread seven days with great joy, and the Levites, and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the Lord.

22 And Hezekiah [o]spake comfortably unto all the Levites that had good knowledge to sing unto the Lord: and they did eat in that feast seven days, and offered peace offerings, and praised the Lord God of their fathers.

23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep it another seven days. So they kept it seven days with joy.

24 For Hezekiah king of Judah had given to the Congregation a [p]thousand bullocks, and seven thousand sheep. And the princes had given to the Congregation a thousand bullocks, and ten thousand sheep: and many Priests were sanctified.

25 And all the Congregation of Judah rejoiced with the Priests and the Levites, and all the Congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah.

26 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 thing in Jerusalem.

27 Then the Priests and the Levites arose, and [q]blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up unto heaven, to his holy habitation.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 30:1 Meaning, all Israel, whom Tiglath-Pileser had not taken away into the captivity, 2 Kings 15:29.
  2. 2 Chronicles 30:2 Though they ought to have done it in the first month, as Exod. 12:18; Num. 9:3, yet if any were not clean, or else had a long journey, they might defer it unto the second month, as Num. 9:10, 11.
  3. 2 Chronicles 30:5 From one end of the land to the other, North and South.
  4. 2 Chronicles 30:5 In such sort and perfection as God had appointed.
  5. 2 Chronicles 30:6 He will have compassion on them, and preserve them.
  6. 2 Chronicles 30:8 Submit yourselves to the Lord, and rebel no more.
  7. 2 Chronicles 30:9 God will not only preserve you, but through your repentance restore your brethren, which for their sins he gave into the hands of the enemies.
  8. 2 Chronicles 30:10 Though the wicked mock at the servants of God, by whom he calleth them to repentance, as Gen. 19:14, yet the word ceaseth not to fructify in the hearts of God’s elect.
  9. 2 Chronicles 30:12 He showeth the cause why some obey and some mock at God’s calling, to wit, because his Spirit is with the one sort, and moveth their heart, and the others are left to themselves.
  10. 2 Chronicles 30:14 Which declareth that we must put away those things wherewith God is offended, before we can serve him aright.
  11. 2 Chronicles 30:15 Seeing their own negligence (who should have been most prompt) and the readiness of the people, 2 Chron. 29:36.
  12. 2 Chronicles 30:16 To wit, of the lamb of the Passover.
  13. 2 Chronicles 30:18 He knew that faith and sincerity of heart was more agreeable to God, than the observation of the ceremonies, and therefore he prayed unto God to pardon this fault unto the people which did not offend of malice but of ignorance.
  14. 2 Chronicles 30:20 That is, did accept them as purified.
  15. 2 Chronicles 30:22 Hebrew, spake to the heart.
  16. 2 Chronicles 30:24 This great liberality declareth how kings, princes, and all they to whom God hath given wherewith, ought to be most ready to bestow it in setting forth of God’s glory.
  17. 2 Chronicles 30:27 According to that which is written, Num. 6:23, when they should dismiss the people.

The Passover Celebration

30 King Hezekiah sent messages to all the people of Israel and Judah, and he wrote letters to the people of Ephraim and Manasseh. Hezekiah invited all these people to come to the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover for the Lord, the God of Israel. King Hezekiah, his officers, and all the people in Jerusalem agreed to celebrate the Passover in the second month. They could not celebrate it at the normal time, because not enough priests had made themselves ready to serve the Lord, and the people had not yet gathered in Jerusalem. This plan satisfied King Hezekiah and all the people. So they made an announcement everywhere in Israel, from Beersheba to Dan,[a] telling the people to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover for the Lord, the God of Israel. For a long time most of the people had not celebrated the Passover as the law commanded. At the king’s command, the messengers took letters from him and his officers all through Israel and Judah. This is what the letters said:

People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Then God will return to you who are still alive, who have escaped from the kings of Assyria. Don’t be like your ancestors or your relatives. They turned against the Lord, the God of their ancestors, so he caused other people to be disgusted with them. You know this is true. Don’t be stubborn as your ancestors were, but obey the Lord willingly. Come to the Temple, which he has made holy forever. Serve the Lord your God so he will not be angry with you. Come back to the Lord. Then the people who captured your relatives and children will be kind to them and will let them return to this land. The Lord your God is kind and merciful. He will not turn away from you if you return to him.

10 The messengers went to every town in Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the way to Zebulun, but the people laughed at them and made fun of them. 11 But some men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun were sorry for what they had done and went to Jerusalem. 12 And God united all the people of Judah in obeying King Hezekiah and his officers, because their command had come from the Lord.

13 In the second month a large crowd came together in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 14 The people removed the altars and incense altars to gods in Jerusalem and threw them into the Kidron Valley.

15 They killed the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed, so they made themselves holy and brought burnt offerings into the Temple of the Lord. 16 They took their regular places in the Temple as the Teachings of Moses, the man of God, commanded. The Levites gave the blood of the sacrifices to the priests, who sprinkled it on the altar. 17 Since many people in the crowd had not made themselves holy, the Levites killed the Passover lambs for everyone who was not clean. The Levites made each lamb holy for the Lord. 18-19 Although many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not purified themselves for the feast, they ate the Passover even though it was against the law. So Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “Lord, you are good. You are the Lord, the God of our ancestors. Please forgive all those who try to obey you even if they did not make themselves clean as the rules of the Temple command.” 20 The Lord listened to Hezekiah’s prayer, and he healed the people. 21 The Israelites in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy to the Lord. The Levites and priests praised the Lord every day with loud music. 22 Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who showed they understood well how to do their service for the Lord. The people ate the feast for seven days, offered fellowship offerings, and praised the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

23 Then all the people agreed to stay seven more days, so they celebrated with joy for seven more days. 24 Hezekiah king of Judah gave one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep to the people. The officers gave one thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep to the people. Many priests made themselves holy. 25 All the people of Judah, the priests, the Levites, those who came from Israel, the foreigners from Israel, and the foreigners living in Judah were very happy. 26 There was much joy in Jerusalem, because there had not been a celebration like this since the time of Solomon son of David and king of Israel. 27 The priests and Levites stood up and blessed the people, and God heard them because their prayer reached heaven, his holy home.

Footnotes

  1. 30:5 Beersheba to Dan Dan was the city farthest north in Israel, and Beersheba was the city farthest south. So this means all the people of Israel.