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.
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.
Nevertheless divers of Asher
and Manasseh
and of Zebulun
humbled
themselves, and came
to Jerusalem
.
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
.
And there assembled at Jerusalem
much
people
to keep
the feast
of unleavened bread
in the second
month
, a very
great
congregation
.
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
.
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
.
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
.
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
.
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
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
.
And the LORD hearkened
to Hezekiah
, and healed
the people
.
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
.
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
.
And the whole assembly took counsel
to keep
other
seven
days
: and they kept
other seven
days
with gladness
.
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.
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
.
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
.
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
.