2CH-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.
2CH-30:2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and
all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the
second month.
2CH-30:3 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.
2CH-30:4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
2CH-30:5 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.
2CH-30:6 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.
2CH-30:7 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.
2CH-30:8 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.
2CH-30:9 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.
2CH-30:10 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.
2CH-30:11 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of
Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
2CH-30:12 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.
2CH-30:13 And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep
the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great
congregation.
2CH-30:14 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.
2CH-30:15 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.
2CH-30:16 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.
2CH-30:17 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.
2CH-30:18 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
2CH-30:19 [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.
2CH-30:20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the
people.
2CH-30:21 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.
2CH-30:22 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.
2CH-30:23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other
seven days: and they kept [other] seven days with gladness.
2CH-30:24 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.
2CH-30:25 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.
2CH-30:26 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.
2CH-30:27 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.
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