预备守逾越节

30 希西迦派人通告以色列和犹大全境,又写信通知以法莲人和玛拿西人,叫他们到耶路撒冷耶和华的殿,向以色列的上帝耶和华守逾越节。 王、众官员及耶路撒冷的全体会众决定在二月守逾越节。 他们不能在一月守节期,因为洁净自己的祭司不够多,民众也没有聚集在耶路撒冷。 王与全体会众都很赞成这个计划。 于是,他们下令通告全以色列,从别示巴直到但,让人们到耶路撒冷向以色列的上帝耶和华守逾越节,因为人们不常照律例守这节期。

信差遵照王的命令带着王和众官员的信走遍以色列和犹大,宣告说:“以色列人啊,你们应当归向亚伯拉罕、以撒和以色列的上帝耶和华,好使祂转向你们这些从亚述王手中逃脱的余民。 不要效法你们的祖先和亲族,他们对他们祖先的上帝耶和华不忠,以致耶和华使他们的下场很可怕,正如你们所见的。 现在,不要像你们的祖先那样顽固不化;要顺服耶和华,进入祂永远圣洁的圣所,事奉你们的上帝耶和华,好使祂的烈怒转离你们。 你们若归向祂,你们的弟兄和儿女必蒙掳走他们之人的怜悯,得以回归此地,因为你们的上帝耶和华有恩典,好怜悯。你们若归向祂,祂必不会转脸不顾你们。”

10 信差将这通告逐城传遍以法莲和玛拿西,直到西布伦,可是那些地方的人却嘲笑、戏弄他们。 11 然而,有些亚设人、玛拿西人和西布伦人谦卑悔改,来到耶路撒冷。 12 耶和华上帝感动犹大人,使他们一心遵从王与众官员奉祂的指示所下的命令。

守逾越节

13 二月,大群的人聚到耶路撒冷守除酵节。 14 他们除去耶路撒冷的祭坛和所有香坛,把它们丢进汲沦溪。 15 二月十四日,他们宰了逾越节的羊羔。祭司和利未人觉得惭愧,就洁净自己,把燔祭带到耶和华的殿里, 16 然后照上帝的仆人摩西的律法照常供职。祭司从利未人手中接过血,洒在坛上。 17 因为会众中间有许多人没有洁净自己,利未人就为所有不洁之人宰逾越节的羊羔献给耶和华。 18-19 有许多以法莲人、玛拿西人、以萨迦人和西布伦人没有洁净自己就吃了逾越节的羊羔,违背了律法的规定。希西迦就为他们祷告说:“凡诚心寻求他祖先的上帝耶和华的人,虽然没有照圣所的律例洁净自己,愿良善的耶和华赦免他!” 20 耶和华垂听希西迦的祷告,就赦免[a]了他们。

21 在耶路撒冷的以色列人非常喜乐地守除酵节七天。利未人和祭司用响亮的乐器天天颂赞耶和华。 22 希西迦慰劳所有善于事奉耶和华的利未人。于是,众人欢宴过节七天,又献上平安祭,称谢他们祖先的上帝耶和华。

再次守节期

23 全体会众商议要再守节期七天,于是大家又欢欢喜喜地守节期七天。 24 犹大王希西迦送给会众一千头公牛和七千只羊,众官员也送给会众一千头公牛和一万只羊,并且很多祭司都已洁净自己。 25 犹大全体会众、祭司、利未人和从以色列来的全体会众,以及寄居在以色列和犹大的人尽都欢喜。 26 全耶路撒冷都喜气洋洋,因为自以色列王大卫的儿子所罗门时代以来,耶路撒冷从未有过这样的盛会。 27 利未祭司起来为民众祝福,他们的祷告得蒙垂听,达到天上的圣所。

Footnotes

  1. 30:20 赦免”希伯来文是“医治”。

Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover

30 Hezekiah sent a message to all Israel and Judah and wrote letters to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. He invited them to come to Yahweh’s temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of Yahweh Elohim of Israel.

The king, his officials, and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month. They couldn’t celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had performed the ceremonies to make themselves holy and the people hadn’t gathered in Jerusalem. The king and the whole assembly considered their plan to be the right thing to do. So they decided to send an announcement throughout Israel from Beersheba to Dan. They summoned everyone to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of Yahweh Elohim of Israel. These people had not celebrated it in large numbers as the written instructions said they should.

Messengers took letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah. The king’s order said, “Israelites, return to Yahweh Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Then he will return to the few of you who escaped from the power of the kings of Assyria. Don’t be like your ancestors and your relatives who were unfaithful to Yahweh Elohim of their ancestors. He made them something that shocks people, as you have seen. Don’t be impossible to deal with like your ancestors. Reach out for Yahweh. Come to his holy place that he made holy forever. Serve Yahweh your Elohim, and he will turn his burning anger away from you. When you return to Yahweh, your relatives and children will find compassion from those who captured them. They will return to this land. Yahweh your Elohim is merciful and compassionate. He will not turn his face away from you if you return to him.”

10 So the messengers went from city to city in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun. But the people ridiculed them. 11 However, some people from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 Also, Elohim guided the people of Judah so that they united to carry out the command which the king and the leaders gave from Yahweh’s word.

13 Many people gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. They formed a large assembly.

14 Then the people got rid of the idols’ altars in Jerusalem. They got rid of all the altars for incense by dumping them in the Kidron Valley.

15 They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, so they performed the ceremonies to make themselves holy. Then they brought burnt offerings to Yahweh’s temple. 16 They stood in their regular places as instructed by Moses’ Teachings. (Moses was a man of Elohim.) The priests sprinkled the blood they received from the Levites. 17 Many people in the assembly had not made themselves holy. So the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all who weren’t clean[a] and couldn’t make their lambs holy for Yahweh.

18 Many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not made themselves clean. So they ate the Passover, but not in the way the written instructions said they should. Hezekiah prayed for them: “May the good Yahweh forgive 19 those who have their hearts set on dedicating their lives to serving Elohim. May Yahweh Elohim of their ancestors do this for those who are not clean as required for the holy place.” 20 Yahweh listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.

21 So the Israelites in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. Each day the Levites and priests praised Yahweh in song. They played Yahweh’s instruments loudly. 22 Hezekiah spoke encouraging words to all the Levites who had the skills to serve Yahweh. They ate the festival meals for seven days, sacrificed fellowship offerings, and confessed their sins to Yahweh Elohim of their ancestors.

23 Then the whole assembly decided to celebrate the festival for seven more days. So they joyfully celebrated for seven more days. 24 King Hezekiah of Judah provided 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep as sacrifices for the assembly. The leaders provided 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep for the assembly. So a large number of priests were able to perform the ceremonies to make themselves holy.

25 The whole assembly from Judah, the priests, the Levites, the whole assembly from Israel, the foreigners who came from Israel, and those who lived in Judah rejoiced. 26 The city of Jerusalem was filled with joy. Nothing like this had happened in Jerusalem since the days of King Solomon of Israel.

27 Then the Levitical priests blessed the people. Their voices were heard, and their prayers went to Elohim’s holy place in heaven.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 30:17 “Clean” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is presentable to God.

30 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to 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.

For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.

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

And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from 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 long time in such sort as it was written.

So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand 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, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

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

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

12 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord.

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

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

15 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 in 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: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.

17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the Lord.

18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one

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

20 And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

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

22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers.

23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.

24 For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.

25 And all the congregation of Judah, 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, rejoiced.

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 in Jerusalem.

27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.