2 Chronicles 30
New King James Version
Hezekiah Keeps the Passover
30 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel. 2 For the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second (A)month. 3 For they could not keep it (B)at [a]the regular time, (C)because a sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem. 4 And the matter pleased the king and all the assembly. 5 So they [b]resolved to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem, since they had not done it for a long time in the prescribed manner.
6 Then the (D)runners went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the king and his leaders, and spoke according to the command of the king: “Children of Israel, (E)return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; then He will return to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of (F)the kings of (G)Assyria. 7 And do not be (H)like your fathers and your brethren, who trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, so that He (I)gave them up to (J)desolation, as you see. 8 Now do not be (K)stiff-necked,[c] as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord; and enter His sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God, (L)that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you. 9 For if you return to the Lord, your brethren and your children will be treated with (M)compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the Lord your God is (N)gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you (O)return to Him.”
10 So the runners passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun; but (P)they laughed at them and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless (Q)some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 Also (R)the hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, (S)at the word of the Lord.
13 Now many people, a very great assembly, gathered at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of (T)Unleavened Bread in the second month. 14 They arose and took away the (U)altars that were in Jerusalem, and they took away all the incense altars and cast them into the Brook (V)Kidron. 15 Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites [d]were (W)ashamed, and [e]sanctified themselves, and brought the burnt offerings to the house of the Lord. 16 They stood in their (X)place [f]according to their custom, according to the Law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood received from the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not [g]sanctified themselves; (Y)therefore the Levites had charge of the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to the Lord. 18 For a multitude of the people, (Z)many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, (AA)yet they ate the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord provide atonement for everyone 19 who (AB)prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.” 20 And the Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.
21 So the children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept (AC)the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing to the Lord, accompanied by loud instruments. 22 And Hezekiah gave encouragement to all the Levites (AD)who taught the good knowledge of the Lord; and they ate throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings and (AE)making confession to the Lord God of their fathers.
23 Then the whole assembly agreed to keep the feast (AF)another seven days, and they kept it another seven days with gladness. 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah (AG)gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep, and the leaders gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and a great number of priests (AH)sanctified[h] themselves. 25 The whole assembly of Judah rejoiced, also the priests and Levites, all the assembly that came from Israel, the sojourners (AI)who came from the land of Israel, and those who dwelt in Judah. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of (AJ)Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. 27 Then the priests, the Levites, arose and (AK)blessed the people, and their voice was heard; and their prayer came up to (AL)His holy dwelling place, to heaven.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 30:3 The first month, Lev. 23:5; lit. that time
- 2 Chronicles 30:5 established a decree to
- 2 Chronicles 30:8 Rebellious
- 2 Chronicles 30:15 humbled themselves
- 2 Chronicles 30:15 set themselves apart
- 2 Chronicles 30:16 Or in their proper order
- 2 Chronicles 30:17 consecrated
- 2 Chronicles 30:24 consecrated
2 Chronicles 30
1599 Geneva Bible
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.
1 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.
2 And the king and his princes and all the Congregation had taken counsel in Jerusalem to keep the Passover in the [b]second month.
3 For they could not keep it at this time, because there were not Priests enough sanctified, neither was the people gathered to Jerusalem.
4 And the thing pleased the king, and all the Congregation.
5 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.
6 ¶ 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.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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
- 2 Chronicles 30:1 Meaning, all Israel, whom Tiglath-Pileser had not taken away into the captivity, 2 Kings 15:29.
- 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.
- 2 Chronicles 30:5 From one end of the land to the other, North and South.
- 2 Chronicles 30:5 In such sort and perfection as God had appointed.
- 2 Chronicles 30:6 He will have compassion on them, and preserve them.
- 2 Chronicles 30:8 Submit yourselves to the Lord, and rebel no more.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 2 Chronicles 30:14 Which declareth that we must put away those things wherewith God is offended, before we can serve him aright.
- 2 Chronicles 30:15 Seeing their own negligence (who should have been most prompt) and the readiness of the people, 2 Chron. 29:36.
- 2 Chronicles 30:16 To wit, of the lamb of the Passover.
- 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.
- 2 Chronicles 30:20 That is, did accept them as purified.
- 2 Chronicles 30:22 Hebrew, spake to the heart.
- 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.
- 2 Chronicles 30:27 According to that which is written, Num. 6:23, when they should dismiss the people.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
