2 Chronicles 30:1-31
Modern English Version
Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover
30 And Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah. He even wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they come to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel. 2 The king counseled with his officials and all the assembly in Jerusalem to have the Passover in the second month. 3 For they were not able to have it at the appropriate time of the first month because a sufficient amount of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people assembled yet in Jerusalem. 4 And this matter was pleasing in the eyes of the king and all the assembly. 5 So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that they come to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel in Jerusalem, for the multitude of people did not do as it was written.
6 So couriers ran throughout all Israel and Judah with a letter from the hand of the king and his officials as a command from the king:
“Sons of Israel, return to the Lord of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel that He might turn to the remnant who has escaped from the king of Assyria. 7 Do not act like your fathers and brothers who were faithless before the Lord God of their fathers, and He appointed them for horror, as you observe. 8 So now do not harden your necks as your fathers, but give yourselves to the Lord and come to the sanctuary that He has consecrated permanently. Serve the Lord your God so that His burning anger might turn away from you all. 9 Because if you return to the Lord, your brothers and children will find compassion before those who have taken them captive, in order to return you to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn His face from you if you all return to Him.”
10 So the couriers ran from city to city in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh and up to Zebulun, but the people laughed at them and mocked them. 11 However some men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and journeyed to Jerusalem. 12 And even in Judah the hand of God was on them to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and officials by the word of the Lord.
13 And many people assembled in Jerusalem to have the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month. There was a very large assembly. 14 They went out and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and they took away all the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.
15 They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, and they consecrated themselves and brought in burnt offerings to the house of the Lord. 16 They stood at their places according to the Law of Moses, the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood they received from the hands of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had consecrated themselves, so the Levites slaughtered the Passover lamb for those who were not clean in order to consecrate the people to the Lord. 18 For a multitude of the people—many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun—had not purified themselves. For they ate of the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed over them saying, “The Lord is good, and may He pardon 19 everyone who sets his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, but is not pure according the rules of the holy sanctuary.” 20 So the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.
21 Then the sons of Israel present in Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and priests praised the Lord every day, singing with loud instruments to the Lord.
22 Then Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who taught the good knowledge of the Lord. So they ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord God of their fathers.
23 Then the whole assembly counseled to have the feast for another seven days, so they had seven more days of gladness. 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah lifted up for the assembly one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep. And the officials offered up for the assembly one thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep. And a multitude of priests consecrated themselves. 25 So all the assembly of Judah and the priests and Levites and all the assembly who came from Israel rejoiced, even the sojourners who came from the land of Israel and those who resided in Judah. 26 And there was a great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had not been anything like this. 27 Then the priests and Levites went out and blessed the people, and their voices were heard. And their prayers came up to His holy habitation in the heavens.
31 And when this celebration was finished, all of Israel that was present went out to the cities of Judah and smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles and tore down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until everything was destroyed. Then all Israel returned to their cities, each man to his own possession.
2 Chronicles 30:1-31
Lexham English Bible
Hezekiah Celebrates Passover
30 Then Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, to come to the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem to make a Passover feast to Yahweh the God of Israel. 2 Now the king and his princes, and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to make the Passover feast in the second month— 3 but they were not able to make it at that time, for the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers,[a] and the people had not been assembled in Jerusalem— 4 and the plan seemed right in the eyes of the king and in the eyes of all the assembly. 5 So they let the decree stand, to make a proclamation[b] throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, to come to make a Passover feast to Yahweh the God of Israel. 6 And the runners went with the letter from the hand of the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah according to the command of the king, saying, “O sons of Israel, return to Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again to the remnant of you who escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 Do not be like your fathers and like your brothers, who acted unfaithfully before Yahweh, the God of their ancestors,[c] so that he made them as a desolation, as you see. 8 Now, do not stiffen your neck as your fathers,[d] but give a hand to Yahweh and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve Yahweh your God that his fierce anger may turn away from you. 9 For when you return to Yahweh, your brothers and your children will find compassion before their captors and return to this land, for Yahweh your God is gracious and compassionate, and he will not turn away his face from you if you return to him.”
10 And it happened that the runners were passing from city to city in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and up to Zebulun, but they were laughing at them and mocking them. 11 Only men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 The hand of God was also upon Judah, to give them one heart to obey the command of the king and the princes concerning the word of Yahweh.
13 So many people gathered in Jerusalem to hold the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month; it was a very great assembly. 14 And they rose up and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem. And they removed all the incense altars and threw them away in the Wadi[e] Kidron. 15 And they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were disgraced, so they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of Yahweh. 16 Then they stood at their positions according to custom, according to the law of Moses the man of God. The priests were sprinkling the blood from the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who did not consecrate themselves, so the Levites were over the killing of the Passover sacrifices for all who were not clean, to consecrate them to Yahweh. 18 For a majority of the people, many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves. But they ate the Passover sacrifice otherwise than prescribed,[f] but Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Yahweh make atonement unto 19 everyone whose heart is set to seek God, Yahweh the God of his ancestors,[g] though not according to the cleansing for the sanctuary.” 20 And Yahweh listened to Hezekiah, and he healed the people. 21 And the Israelites[h] who were found in Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great joy. And the Levites and the priests were offering praise to Yahweh day by day, with powerful instruments to Yahweh. 22 And Hezekiah spoke to the heart of all the Levites who were skilled at service[i] to Yahweh. So they ate the feast seven days, offering peace offerings and giving thanks to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.[j]
23 Then the whole assembly decided to make seven more days of feasting, so they made seven more days with joy, 24 for Hezekiah the king of Judah had provided[k] one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep for the assembly, and the princes provided[l] one thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep for the assembly. And many priests consecrated themselves. 25 And the whole assembly of Judah, the priests and the Levites, all the assembly who had come from the land of Israel, and those living in Judah rejoiced. 26 And there was great joy in Jerusalem, for from the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there was nothing such as this in Jerusalem. 27 Then the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came to his holy dwelling place in the heavens.
Hezekiah Organizes the Priesthood
31 And when all this was finished, all Israel who were found in the cities of Judah went out and shattered the stone pillars, cut down the Asherahs, and destroyed the high places and the altars from all Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh to the very last one.[m] Then all the Israelites returned, each to his own property and to their cities.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 30:3 Literally “for enough”
- 2 Chronicles 30:5 Literally “to spread a voice”
- 2 Chronicles 30:7 Or “fathers”
- 2 Chronicles 30:8 Or “ancestors”
- 2 Chronicles 30:14 Or “valley”; a wadi is a valley that is dry most of the year, but contains a stream during the rainy season
- 2 Chronicles 30:18 Literally “in not as it is written”
- 2 Chronicles 30:19 Or “fathers”
- 2 Chronicles 30:21 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- 2 Chronicles 30:22 Literally “who were showing good understanding”
- 2 Chronicles 30:22 Or “fathers”
- 2 Chronicles 30:24 Literally “lifted up”
- 2 Chronicles 30:24 Literally “lifted up”
- 2 Chronicles 31:1 Literally “until finishing”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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