Now 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 1celebrate
the Passover
to the LORD
God
of Israel
.
For the king and his princes
and all
the assembly
in Jerusalem
had decided
ato celebrate
the Passover
in the second
month
,
since they could
not celebrate
it aat that time
, because
the priests
had not consecrated
themselves in sufficient
numbers
, nor
had the people
been gathered
to Jerusalem
.
Thus the thing was right
in the sight
of the king
and 1all
the assembly
.
So they established a decree
to circulate
a 1proclamation
throughout all
Israel
afrom Beersheba
even to Dan
, that they should come
to celebrate
the Passover
to the LORD
God
of Israel
at Jerusalem
. For they had not celebrated
it in great
numbers
as it was 2prescribed
.
aThe 1couriers went
throughout all
Israel
and Judah
with the letters
from the hand
of the king
and his princes
, even according to the command
of the king
, saying
, "O 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 bthe 2hand
of the kings
of Assyria
.
" aDo not be like your fathers and your brothers
, who
were unfaithful
to the LORD
God
of their fathers
, so that bHe made
them a horror
, as you see
.
"Now do not astiffen
your neck
like your fathers
, but 1yield
to the LORD
and enter
His sanctuary
which
He has consecrated
forever
, and serve
the LORD
your God
, bthat His burning
anger
may turn
away
from you.
"For aif you return to the LORD
, your brothers
and your sons
will find compassion
before
those who led
them captive
and will return
to this
land
. bFor the LORD
your God
is gracious
and compassionate
, and will not turn
His face
away
from you if
you return
to Him."
So the 1couriers passed
from city
to city
through the country
of Ephraim
and Manasseh
, and as far
as Zebulun
, but athey laughed
them to scorn
and mocked
them.
Nevertheless asome
men
of Asher
, Manasseh
and Zebulun
humbled
themselves and came
to Jerusalem
.
The ahand 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
.
Now many people
were gathered
at Jerusalem
to celebrate
the Feast
of Unleavened
Bread
ain the second
month
, a very
large
assembly
.
They arose and removed
the altars
which
were in Jerusalem
; they also aremoved
all
the incense
altars
and bcast
them into the brook
Kidron
.
Then athey slaughtered the Passover
lambs on the fourteenth
of the second
month
. And bthe priests
and Levites
were ashamed
of themselves, and consecrated
themselves and brought
burnt
offerings
to the house
of the LORD
.
aThey stood at their stations
after 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
.
For there were many in the assembly
who
had not consecrated
themselves; therefore, athe Levites
were over
the slaughter
of the Passover
lambs for everyone
who was unclean
, in order to consecrate
them to the LORD
.
For a multitude of the people
, aeven many
from Ephraim
and Manasseh
, Issachar
and Zebulun
, had not purified
themselves, byet
they ate
the Passover
cotherwise
than 1prescribed
. For Hezekiah
prayed
for them, saying
, "May the good
LORD
pardon
aeveryone who prepares
his heart
to seek
God
, the LORD
God
of his fathers
, though not according to the purification
rules of the sanctuary
."
So the LORD heard
Hezekiah
and ahealed
the people
.
The sons of Israel
present
in Jerusalem
acelebrated
the Feast
of Unleavened
Bread
for seven
days
with great
joy
, and the Levites
and the priests
praised
the LORD
day
after day
with loud
instruments
to the LORD
.
Then Hezekiah aspoke
1encouragingly
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 bgiving
thanks
to the LORD
God
of their fathers
.
Then the whole assembly
adecided
to celebrate
the feast another
seven
days
, so they celebrated
the seven
days
with joy
.
For aHezekiah king
of Judah
had contributed
to the assembly
1,000
bulls
and 7,000
sheep
, and the princes
had contributed
to the assembly
1,000
bulls
and 10,000
sheep
; and ba large
number
of priests
consecrated
themselves.
All the assembly
of Judah
rejoiced
, with the priests
and the Levites
and aall
the assembly
that came
from Israel
, both the sojourners
who came
from the land
of Israel
and those living
in Judah
.
So there was great joy
in Jerusalem
, because
there was nothing
like this
in Jerusalem
asince
the days
of Solomon
the son
of David
, king
of Israel
.
Then athe Levitical priests
arose
and bblessed
the people
; and their voice
was heard
and their prayer
came
to cHis holy
dwelling
place
, to heaven
.