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2 Chronicles 30:1-31
New American Standard Bible

All Israel Invited to the Passover

30 Now Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem to [a]celebrate the Passover to the Lord God of Israel. 2 For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had decided (A)to celebrate the Passover in the second month, 3 since they could not celebrate it (B)at that time, because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers, nor had the people been gathered to Jerusalem. 4 So the [b]decision was right in the sight of the king and all the assembly. 5 So they established a decree to circulate a [c]proclamation throughout Israel (C)from Beersheba to Dan, that they are to come to celebrate the Passover to the Lord God of Israel in Jerusalem. For they had not celebrated it in great numbers as was written. 6 (D)The [d]couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes, even according to the command of the king, saying, “Sons of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that He may return to those of you who escaped and are left from (E)the [e]hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 (F)Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were untrue to the Lord God of their fathers, so that (G)He made them an object of horror, just as you see. 8 Now do not (H)stiffen your neck like your fathers, but [f]yield to the Lord and enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, (I)that His burning anger may turn away from you. 9 For (J)if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your sons will find compassion in the presence of those who led them captive, and will return to this land. (K)For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”

10 So the [g]couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but (L)they laughed at them with scorn and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless, (M)some men of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 The (N)hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord.

Passover Reinstituted

13 Now many people were gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread (O)in the second month, a very large assembly. 14 They got up and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem; they also (P)removed all the incense altars and (Q)threw them into the brook Kidron. 15 Then (R)they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth of the second month. And (S)the priests and Levites were ashamed of themselves, and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the Lord. 16 (T)They stood at their stations following their custom, according to the Law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves; therefore, (U)the Levites were in charge of the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was unclean, in order to consecrate them to the Lord. 18 For a multitude of the people, (V)many from Ephraim and Manasseh, and Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, (W)yet they ate the Passover (X)contrary to what was written. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord pardon 19 (Y)everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” 20 So the Lord heard Hezekiah and (Z)healed the people. 21 The sons of Israel present in Jerusalem (AA)celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and the priests were praising the Lord day after day with loud instruments to the Lord. 22 Then Hezekiah (AB)spoke [h]encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good insight in the things of the Lord. So they ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and (AC)giving thanks to the Lord God of their fathers.

23 Then the whole assembly (AD)decided to celebrate the feast another seven days, so they celebrated the seven days with joy. 24 For (AE)Hezekiah king of Judah had contributed to the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep, and the princes had contributed to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and (AF)a large number of priests consecrated themselves. 25 All the assembly of Judah rejoiced, with the priests and the Levites and (AG)all the assembly that came from Israel, both the strangers who came from the land of Israel and those living in Judah. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, because there was nothing like this in Jerusalem (AH)since the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. 27 Then (AI)the Levitical priests stood and (AJ)blessed the people; and their voice was heard and their prayer came to (AK)His holy dwelling place, to heaven.

Idols Are Destroyed

31 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, (AL)broke the memorial stones in pieces, cut down the [i]Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until [j]they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 30:1 Lit do, and so throughout the ch
  2. 2 Chronicles 30:4 Lit word
  3. 2 Chronicles 30:5 Lit voice
  4. 2 Chronicles 30:6 Lit runners
  5. 2 Chronicles 30:6 Lit palm
  6. 2 Chronicles 30:8 Lit give a hand
  7. 2 Chronicles 30:10 Lit runners
  8. 2 Chronicles 30:22 Lit to the heart of
  9. 2 Chronicles 31:1 I.e., wooden symbols of a female deity (Asherah)
  10. 2 Chronicles 31:1 Lit to completion
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2 Chronicles 30:1-31
American Standard Version

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 Jehovah at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto Jehovah, the God of Israel. 2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the assembly in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month. 3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. 4 And the thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the assembly. 5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem: for they had not kept it [a]in great numbers in such sort as it is written. 6 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 Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return to the remnant that are escaped of you out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, who trespassed against Jehovah, the God of their fathers, so that he gave them up [b]to desolation, as ye see. 8 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were; but [c]yield yourselves unto Jehovah, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever, and serve Jehovah your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you. 9 For if ye turn again unto Jehovah, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that led them captive, and shall come again into this land: for Jehovah 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 certain men of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem. 12 Also upon Judah came the hand of God to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by the word of Jehovah.

13 And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great assembly. 14 And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the [d]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 burnt-offerings into the house of Jehovah. 16 And they stood in their place after their order, 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 assembly that had not sanctified themselves: therefore the Levites had the charge of killing the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto Jehovah. 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 is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, The good Jehovah pardon [e]every one 19 that setteth his heart to seek God, Jehovah, the God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. 20 And Jehovah 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 Jehovah day by day, singing with loud instruments unto Jehovah. 22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that had good understanding in the service of Jehovah. So they did eat throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace-offerings, and [f]making confession to Jehovah, the 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 assembly for offerings a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the assembly a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. 25 And all the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners 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 habitation, even unto heaven.

31 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake in pieces the [g]pillars, and hewed down the Asherim, and brake down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 30:5 Or, of a long time
  2. 2 Chronicles 30:7 Or, to be an astonishment
  3. 2 Chronicles 30:8 Hebrew give the hand.
  4. 2 Chronicles 30:14 Or, vessels
  5. 2 Chronicles 30:18 Or, him that setteth his whole heart
  6. 2 Chronicles 30:22 Or, giving thanks
  7. 2 Chronicles 31:1 Or, obelisks
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2 Chronicles 29
2 Chronicles 32
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