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.
