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Hezekiah Observes the Passover

30 Hezekiah sent messages throughout Israel and Judah; he even wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, summoning them to come to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem and observe a Passover celebration for the Lord God of Israel. The king, his officials, and the entire assembly in Jerusalem decided to observe the Passover in the second month. They were unable to observe it at the regular[a] time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem. The proposal seemed appropriate to[b] the king and the entire assembly. So they sent an edict[c] throughout Israel from Beer Sheba to Dan, summoning the people[d] to come and observe a Passover for the Lord God of Israel in Jerusalem, for they had not observed it on a nationwide scale as prescribed in the law.[e] Messengers[f] delivered the letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah.

This royal edict read:[g] “O Israelites, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so he may return[h] to you who have been spared from the kings of Assyria.[i] Don’t be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to the Lord God of their ancestors,[j] provoking him to destroy them,[k] as you can see. Now, don’t be stubborn[l] like your fathers. Submit[m] to the Lord and come to his sanctuary which he has permanently consecrated. Serve the Lord your God so that he might relent from his raging anger.[n] For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and sons will be shown mercy by their captors and return to this land. The Lord your God is merciful and compassionate; he will not reject you[o] if you return to him.”

10 The messengers journeyed from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but people mocked and ridiculed them.[p] 11 But some men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 In Judah God moved the people to unite[q] and carry out the edict of the king and the officers in keeping with the Lord’s message. 13 A huge crowd assembled in Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month.[r] 14 They removed the altars in Jerusalem; they also removed all the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.[s]

15 They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, so they consecrated themselves and brought burnt sacrifices to the Lord’s temple. 16 They stood at their posts according to the regulations outlined in the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests were splashing the blood as the Levites handed it to them.[t] 17 Because many in the assembly had not consecrated themselves, the Levites slaughtered[u] the Passover lambs of all who were ceremonially unclean and could not consecrate their sacrifice to the Lord.[v] 18 The majority of the many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun were ceremonially unclean, yet they ate the Passover in violation of what is prescribed in the law.[w] For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying: “May the Lord, who is good, forgive[x] 19 everyone who has determined to follow God,[y] the Lord God of his ancestors, even if he is not ceremonially clean according to the standards of the temple.”[z] 20 The Lord responded favorably[aa] to Hezekiah and forgave[ab] the people.

21 The Israelites who were in Jerusalem observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. The Levites and priests were praising the Lord every day with all their might.[ac] 22 Hezekiah expressed his appreciation to all the Levites,[ad] who demonstrated great skill in serving the Lord.[ae] They feasted for the seven days of the festival,[af] and were making peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord God of their ancestors.

23 The entire assembly then decided to celebrate for seven more days; so they joyfully celebrated for seven more days. 24 King Hezekiah of Judah supplied 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep[ag] for the assembly, while the officials supplied them[ah] with 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. Many priests consecrated themselves. 25 The celebration included[ai] the entire assembly of Judah, the priests, the Levites, the entire assembly of those who came from Israel, the resident foreigners[aj] who came from the land of Israel, and those who were residents of Judah. 26 There was a great celebration in Jerusalem, unlike anything that had occurred in Jerusalem since the time of King Solomon son of David of Israel.[ak] 27 The priests and Levites got up and pronounced blessings on the people. The Lord responded favorably to them[al] as their prayers reached his holy dwelling place in heaven.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 30:3 tn Heb “at that time.”
  2. 2 Chronicles 30:4 tn Heb “and the thing was proper in the eyes of.”
  3. 2 Chronicles 30:5 tn Heb “and they caused to stand a word to cause a voice to pass through.”
  4. 2 Chronicles 30:5 tn The words “summoning the people” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons, with the summons being the "voice" that passed throughout Israel.
  5. 2 Chronicles 30:5 tn Heb “because not for abundance had they done as written.”
  6. 2 Chronicles 30:6 tn Heb “the runners.”
  7. 2 Chronicles 30:6 tn Heb “and according to the command of the king, saying.”
  8. 2 Chronicles 30:6 tn The jussive with vav conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
  9. 2 Chronicles 30:6 tn Heb “to the survivors who are left to you from the palm of the kings of Assyria.”
  10. 2 Chronicles 30:7 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 19, 22).
  11. 2 Chronicles 30:7 tn Heb “and he made them a devastation” (or, perhaps, “an object of horror”).
  12. 2 Chronicles 30:8 tn Heb “don’t stiffen your neck” (a Hebrew idiom for being stubborn).
  13. 2 Chronicles 30:8 tn Heb “give a hand.” On the meaning of the idiom here, see HALOT 387 s.v. I יָד 2.
  14. 2 Chronicles 30:8 tn Heb “so that the rage of his anger might turn from you.” The jussive with vav conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
  15. 2 Chronicles 30:9 tn Heb “turn [his] face from you.”
  16. 2 Chronicles 30:10 tn Heb “and they were mocking them and ridiculing them.”
  17. 2 Chronicles 30:12 tn Heb “the hand of God was [such as] to give them one heart.”
  18. 2 Chronicles 30:13 tn The Hebrew text adds here, “a very large assembly.” This has not been translated to avoid redundancy with the expression “a huge crowd” at the beginning of the verse.
  19. 2 Chronicles 30:14 tn Heb “and they arose and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem, and all the incense altars they removed and threw into the Kidron Valley.”
  20. 2 Chronicles 30:16 tn Heb “from the hand of the Levites.”
  21. 2 Chronicles 30:17 tn Heb “were over the slaughter of.”
  22. 2 Chronicles 30:17 tn Heb “of everyone not pure to consecrate to the Lord.”
  23. 2 Chronicles 30:18 tn Heb “without what is written.”
  24. 2 Chronicles 30:18 tn Heb “make atonement for.”
  25. 2 Chronicles 30:19 tn Heb “everyone [who] has prepared his heart to seek God.”
  26. 2 Chronicles 30:19 tn Heb “and not according to the purification of the holy place.”
  27. 2 Chronicles 30:20 tn Heb “listened.”
  28. 2 Chronicles 30:20 tn Heb “healed.”
  29. 2 Chronicles 30:21 tn Heb “and they were praising the Lord day by day, the Levites and the priests with instruments of strength to the Lord.” The phrase בִּכְלֵי־עֹז (bikhle ʿoz, “with instruments of strength”) might refer to loud sounding musical instruments (NASB “with loud instruments”; NEB “with unrestrained fervour”). The present translation assumes an emendation to בְּכָל־עֹז (bekhol ʿoz, “with all strength”); see 1 Chr 13:8, as well as HALOT 805 s.v. I עֹז and BDB 739 s.v. עֹז).
  30. 2 Chronicles 30:22 tn Heb “and Hezekiah spoke to the heart of all the Levites.” On the meaning of the idiom “speak to the heart of” here, see HALOT 210 s.v. II דבר 8.d.
  31. 2 Chronicles 30:22 tn Heb “who demonstrated skill [with] good skill for the Lord.”
  32. 2 Chronicles 30:22 tn Heb “and they ate [during] the appointed time [for] seven days.” מוֹעֵד (moʿed, “appointed time”) is probably an adverbial accusative of time referring to the festival. However, some understand it as metonymically referring to the food eaten during the festival. See BDB 417 s.v.
  33. 2 Chronicles 30:24 tn The Hebrew term צֹאן (tsoʾn, translated “sheep” twice in this verse) denotes smaller livestock in general; depending on context it can refer to sheep only or goats only, but there is nothing in the immediate context here to specify one or the other.
  34. 2 Chronicles 30:24 tn Heb “the assembly.” The pronoun “them” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy.
  35. 2 Chronicles 30:25 tn Heb “they rejoiced.”
  36. 2 Chronicles 30:25 sn The term גֵּר (ger) refers to a foreign resident, but with different social implications in different settings. In Mosaic Law the resident foreigner was essentially a naturalized citizen and convert to worshiping the God of Israel (see Exod 12:19, 48; Deut 29:10-13). Here the term refers to those who had immigrated (or fled as refugees) from the conquered northern kingdom as well as those already residents of the southern kingdom of Judah.
  37. 2 Chronicles 30:26 tn Heb “and there was great joy in Jerusalem, for from the days of Solomon son of David, king of Israel, there was nothing like this in Jerusalem.”
  38. 2 Chronicles 30:27 tn Heb “and it was heard with their voice.” BDB 1034 s.v. שָׁמַע Niph.4 interprets this to mean “hearing was granted to their voice.” It is possible that the name יְהוָה (yehvah, “the Lord”) has been accidentally omitted.

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. For the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second (A)month. 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. And the matter pleased the king and all the assembly. 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.

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. 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. 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. 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

  1. 2 Chronicles 30:3 The first month, Lev. 23:5; lit. that time
  2. 2 Chronicles 30:5 established a decree to
  3. 2 Chronicles 30:8 Rebellious
  4. 2 Chronicles 30:15 humbled themselves
  5. 2 Chronicles 30:15 set themselves apart
  6. 2 Chronicles 30:16 Or in their proper order
  7. 2 Chronicles 30:17 consecrated
  8. 2 Chronicles 30:24 consecrated

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.

30 At si Ezechias ay nagsugo sa buong Israel at Juda, at sumulat ng mga liham naman sa Ephraim at Manases, na sila'y magsiparoon sa bahay ng Panginoon sa Jerusalem, upang ipangilin ang paskua sa Panginoon, sa Dios ng Israel.

Sapagka't ang hari ay nakipagsanggunian, at ang kaniyang mga prinsipe, at ang buong kapisanan sa Jerusalem, upang ipangilin ang paskua sa ikalawang buwan.

Sapagka't hindi nila maipangilin sa panahong yaon, sapagka't ang mga saserdote ay hindi nangagpakabanal sa sukat na bilang, ni nagsipisan man ang bayan sa Jerusalem.

At ang bagay ay matuwid sa harap ng mga mata ng hari at sa buong kapisanan.

Sa gayo'y itinatag nila ang pasiya upang magtanyag sa buong Israel mula sa Beer-seba hanggang sa Dan, na sila'y magsisiparoon na ipangilin ang paskua sa Panginoon, sa Dios ng Israel, sa Jerusalem: sapagka't hindi nila ipinagdiwang sa malaking bilang sa gayong paraan na gaya ng nakasulat.

Sa gayo'y ang mga mangdadala ng sulat ay nagsiyaong dala ang sulat na mula sa hari at sa kaniyang mga prinsipe sa buong Israel at Juda, at ayon sa utos ng hari, na sinasabi, Kayong mga anak ni Israel manumbalik kayo sa Panginoon, sa Dios ni Abraham, ni Isaac, at ni Israel, upang siya'y manumbalik sa nalabi na nakatanan sa inyo na mula sa kamay ng mga hari sa Asiria.

At kayo'y huwag maging gaya ng inyong mga magulang, at gaya ng inyong mga kapatid, na nagsisalangsang laban sa Panginoon, sa Dios ng kanilang mga magulang, na anopa't ibinigay niya sila sa pagkapahamak, gaya ng inyong nakikita.

Ngayo'y huwag kayong maging mapagmatigas na ulo, na gaya ng inyong mga magulang; kundi magsitalaga kayo sa Panginoon, at magsipasok sa kaniyang santuario, na kaniyang itinalaga magpakailan man at kayo'y mangaglingkod sa Panginoon ninyong Dios, upang ang kaniyang malaking galit ay maalis sa inyo.

Sapagka't kung kayo'y manumbalik sa Panginoon, ang inyong mga kapatid at ang inyong mga anak ay mangagkakasumpong ng habag sa harap nilang nagsibihag, at magsisibalik sa lupaing ito: sapagka't ang Panginoon ninyong Dios ay mapagbiyaya at maawain, at hindi itatalikod ang kaniyang mukha sa inyo, kung kayo'y manumbalik sa kaniya.

10 Sa gayo'y ang mangdadala ng sulat ay nagdaan sa bayan at bayan sa lupain ng Ephraim at Manases hanggang sa Zabulon: nguni't sila'y tinatawanang mainam, at tinutuya sila.

11 Gayon ma'y ang iba sa Aser, at sa Manases, at sa Zabulon ay nangagpakumbaba, at nagsiparoon sa Jerusalem.

12 Suma Juda naman ang kamay ng Dios upang papagisahing puso sila upang gawin ang utos ng hari at ng mga prinsipe sa pamamagitan ng salita ng Panginoon.

13 At nagpupulong sa Jerusalem ang maraming tao upang ipagdiwang ang kapistahan ng tinapay na walang lebadura sa ikalawang buwan, na isang totoong malaking kapisanan.

14 At sila'y nagsitindig at inalis ang mga dambana na nangasa Jerusalem, at ang lahat na dambana na ukol sa kamangyan ay inalis nila, at kanilang inihagis sa batis ng Cedron.

15 Nang magkagayo'y kanilang pinatay ang kordero ng paskua nang ikalabing apat ng ikalawang buwan: at ang mga saserdote at ang mga Levita ay nangapahiya, at nangagpakabanal, at nangagdala ng mga handog na susunugin sa bahay ng Panginoon.

16 At sila'y nagsitayo sa kanilang dako ayon sa kanilang ayos, ayon sa kautusan ni Moises na lalake ng Dios: iniwisik ng mga saserdote ang dugo, na kanilang tinanggap sa kamay ng mga Levita.

17 Sapagka't marami sa kapisanan na hindi nangagpakabanal; kaya't ang mga Levita ang may katungkulan ng pagpatay sa kordero ng paskua na ukol sa bawa't isa na hindi malinis, upang mga italaga sa Panginoon.

18 Sapagka't isang karamihan sa bayan, sa makatuwid baga'y marami sa Ephraim at sa Manases, sa Issachar, at sa Zabulon, ay hindi nangagpakalinis, gayon ma'y nagsikain sila ng kordero ng paskua na hindi gaya ng nasusulat. Sapagka't idinalangin sila ni Ezechias, na sinasabi, Patawarin nawa ng mabuting Panginoon ang bawa't isa.

19 Na naglalagak ng kaniyang puso upang hanapin ang Dios, ang Panginoon, ang Dios ng kaniyang mga magulang, bagaman hindi siya nalinis ng ayon sa paglilinis sa santuario.

20 At dininig ng Panginoon si Ezechias, at pinagaling ang bayan.

21 At ang mga anak ni Israel na nakaharap sa Jerusalem ay nagdiwang ng kapistahan ng tinapay na walang lebadura na pitong araw, na may malaking kasayahan: at ang mga Levita at ang mga saserdote ay nagsipuri araw-araw sa Panginoon na nagsisiawit na may matunog na panugtog sa Panginoon.

22 At si Ezechias ay nagsalitang may kagandahang loob sa lahat na Levita sa mga matalino sa paglilingkod sa Panginoon. Sa gayo'y nagsikain sila sa buong kapistahan sa loob ng pitong araw, na nangaghahandog ng mga hain na mga handog tungkol sa kapayapaan, at nangagpahayag ng kasalanan sa Panginoon, sa Dios ng kanilang mga magulang.

23 At ang buong kapisanan ay nagsanggunian upang magdiwang ng ibang pitong araw: at sila'y nangagdiwang ng ibang pitong araw na may kasayahan.

24 Sapagka't si Ezechias na hari sa Juda ay nagbigay sa kapisanan ng pinakahandog na isang libong baka at pitong libong tupa; at ang mga prinsipe ay nangagbigay sa kapisanan ng isang libong baka at sangpung libong tupa; at lubhang maraming bilang ng mga saserdote ay nangagpakabanal.

25 At ang buong kapisanan ng Juda, pati ng mga saserdote at mga Levita, at ang buong kapisanan na lumabas sa Israel, at ang mga taga ibang lupa na nagsilabas sa lupain ng Israel, at nagsitahan sa Juda, ay nangagalak.

26 Sa gayo'y nagkaroon ng malaking kagalakan sa Jerusalem: sapagka't mula sa panahon ni Salomon na anak ni David na hari sa Israel, ay hindi nagkaroon ng gayon sa Jerusalem.

27 Nang magkagayo'y ang mga saserdote na mga Levita ay nagsitindig at binasbasan ang bayan: at ang kanilang tinig ay narinig, at ang kanilang dalangin ay umilanglang sa kaniyang banal na tahanan, hanggang sa langit.

Hezekiah’s Passover

30 Then Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh as well, inviting them to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of the Lord God of Israel. The king, his officials, and the entire Jerusalem congregation had decided to celebrate Passover in the second month.[a] They had been unable to celebrate it at the usual time because the priests had failed to make themselves holy in sufficient numbers, and the people hadn’t gathered at Jerusalem. Since the plan seemed good to the king and the entire congregation, they made arrangements to circulate an announcement throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba to Dan, to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of the Lord God of Israel, because they hadn’t often kept it as written. Under the authority of the king, runners took letters from the king and his officials throughout all Israel and Judah, which read:

People of Israel! Return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that he may return to those of you who remain, who have escaped capture by the Assyrian kings. Don’t be like your ancestors and relatives, who were unfaithful to the Lord, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror as you can see for yourselves. So don’t be stubborn like your ancestors. Surrender to the Lord! Come to God’s sanctuary, which he has made holy forever, and serve the Lord your God so that he won’t be angry with you any longer. When you return to the Lord, your relatives and your children will receive mercy from their captors and be allowed to return to this land. The Lord your God is merciful and compassionate. He won’t withdraw his presence from you if you return to him.

10 So the runners went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, all the way to Zebulun. But they were laughed at and made fun of. 11 Even so, some people from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun were submissive and came to Jerusalem. 12 Moreover, God’s power was at work in Judah, unifying them to do what the king and his officials had ordered by the Lord’s command.

13 A huge crowd gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. A very large congregation gathered. 14 First, they removed the altars in Jerusalem, and hauled off the incense altars and dumped them in the Kidron Valley. 15 They slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the second month. Ashamed of themselves, the priests and the Levites made themselves holy and brought entirely burned offerings to the Lord’s temple. 16 They now took their places as laid out in the Instruction from Moses the man of God, and the priests splashed the blood they received from the Levites against the altar. 17 Since many in the congregation hadn’t made themselves holy, the Levites slaughtered the Passover lambs, making them holy to the Lord for all who weren’t ceremonially clean. 18 This included most of those who had come from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun—people who hadn’t purified themselves and so hadn’t eaten the Passover meal in the prescribed way. But Hezekiah prayed for them: “May the good Lord forgive 19 everyone who has decided to seek the true God, the Lord, the God of their ancestors, even though they aren’t ceremonially clean by sanctuary standards.” 20 The Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. 21 So the Israelites in Jerusalem joyfully celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days, with the Levites and the priests praising the Lord every day, accompanied by the Lord’s mighty instruments. 22 Hezekiah congratulated all the Levites who had performed so skillfully for the Lord. They feasted throughout the seven days of the festival, sacrificing well-being offerings and praising the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

23 Then the whole congregation agreed to celebrate another seven days, which they joyfully did. 24 Judah’s King Hezekiah contributed one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep for the congregation, while the officials provided another thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep, and great numbers of priests made themselves holy. 25 Then the whole congregation of Judah rejoiced, as did the priests and the Levites, the whole congregation from Israel, the immigrants who had come from the land of Israel, and those who lived in Judah. 26 There was great joy in Jerusalem. Nothing like this had taken place in Jerusalem since the days of Israel’s King Solomon, David’s son. 27 Then the levitical priests blessed the people, and their voice was heard when their prayer reached God’s holy dwelling in heaven.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 30:2 April–May, Iyar