THE SECOND BOOK OF THE
CHRONICLES
2 Chronicles 30 ©
Hezekiah exhorts all Israel to come to Jerusalem, and to keep the Lord’s Passover, v. 1, etc. The exhortation is derided by many, accepted by others, who come to Jerusalem, 10. Where they destroy idolatry, 14. And keep the feast of the Passover, 15. Hezekiah prays unto God for those who before had not cleansed themselves as they ought to have done, 17. The feast is prolonged, 23. The priests and the Levites bless the people, 27.
AND Hezekiah 1sent to 2all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to 3Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the 4passover unto the LORD God of Israel.
For the king had taken counsel, and his 5princes, and 6all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover 7in the seconda month.
For they could not keep it 8at that time, 9because 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 10established a decree to make 11proclamation throughout all Israel, 12from Beer-sheba 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 13as it was written.
So the 14postsb 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 15return to the 16remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand 17of 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 18to desolation, as ye see.
Now be ye not 19stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but 20yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into 21his sanctuary, which he hath 22sanctified 23for 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, 24your brethren and your children shall find 25compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: forc 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 26they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
Nevertheless divers 27of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
Also in Judah 28the hand of God was to give them one 29heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by 30the word of the LORD.
¶And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the 31second month, a 32very great congregation.
And they arose and took away the 33altars that were in Jerusalem, and all 34the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.
Then they killed the 35passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and 36the priests and the Levites were 37ashamed, and 38sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.
And they stood 39in 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 sanc-tified: 40therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing 41of 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 42otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD 43pardon every one
That 44prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the 45purification of the sanctuary.
And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and 46healed the people.
And the children of Israel that were 47present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD 48day by day, singing 49with loud instruments unto the LORD.
And Hezekiah spake 50comfortably unto all the Levites 51that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and 52they 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.
Ford Hezekiah king of Judah 53did 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 54sanctified themselves.
And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of 55Israel, and 56the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.
So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for 57since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.
¶Then the 58priests the Levites arose and 59blessed the people: and their voice 60was heard, and their prayer came up 61to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.