2 Chronicles 30
1And
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.
2For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the
passover in the second month.
3For 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.
4And the
thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
5So
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.
6So 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.
7And
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.
8Now
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.
9For 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.
10So 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.
11Nevertheless
divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
12Also 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.
13And
there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
14And 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.
15Then 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.
16And 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.
17For 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.
18For
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
19That prepareth his heart to seek God, the
LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
20And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
21And 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.
22And 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.
23And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with
gladness.
24For 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.
25And 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.
26So 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.
27Then 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.