2 Chronicles 30
1. 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.
2. For the king had taken counsel * , and his princes, and all the congregation 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 sufficiently * ,neither had the people gathered themselves together * to Jerusalem.
4. And the thing pleased * the king and all the congregation.
5. 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 * .
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 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.
7. 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 * .
8. 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.
9. 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.
