Chapter 30

And Hezekiah sent⁴ to all Israel and Judah, and wrote¹ letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come² to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep² the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.

For the king had taken counsel,¹¹ and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep² the passover in the second month.

For they could¹ not keep² it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified⁹⁸ themselves sufficiently, ¹⁷⁶⁷ neither had the people gathered⁸ themselves together to Jerusalem.

And the thing pleased^{4 5869} the king and all the congregation.

So they established⁵⁵ a decree to make proclamation^{53 6963} throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come² to keep² the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done¹ [it] of a long [time in such sort] as it was written.⁷

So the posts⁵ went⁴ with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying,² Ye children of Israel, turn again³ unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return⁴ to the remnant¹² 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 trespassed¹ against the LORD God of their fathers, [who] therefore gave them up⁴ to desolation, as ye see.⁶

Now be ye not stiffnecked,^{55 6203} as your fathers [were, but] yield³ yourselves unto the LORD, and enter³ into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified⁵² for ever: and serve³ the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away⁴ from you.

For if ye turn again² unto the LORD, your brethren and your children [shall find] compassion before them that lead them captive,⁶ so that they shall come again² into this land: for the LORD your God [is] gracious and merciful, and will not turn away⁵⁵ [his] face from you, if ye return⁴ unto him.

So the posts⁵ passed⁶ from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn,⁵⁶ and mocked⁵⁶ them.

Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled⁸ themselves, and came⁴ to Jerusalem.

Also in Judah the hand of God was to give² them one heart to do² the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.

And there assembled¹¹ at Jerusalem much people to keep² the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

And they arose⁴ and took away⁵⁵ the altars that [were] in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away,⁵² and cast⁵⁵ [them] into the brook Kidron.

Then they killed⁴ the passover on the fourteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ [day] of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed,⁸ and sanctified¹⁰¹ themselves, and brought in⁵⁵ the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.

And they stood⁴ in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled⁶ the blood, [which they received] of the hand of the Levites.

For [there were] many in the congregation that were not sanctified:⁹⁸ therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one [that was] not clean, to sanctify⁵³ [them] unto the LORD.

For a multitude of the people, [even] many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed⁹⁸ themselves, yet did they eat¹ the passover otherwise than it was written.⁷ But Hezekiah prayed⁹⁸ for them, saying,² The good LORD pardon¹⁷ every one

[That] prepareth⁵² his heart to seek² God, the LORD God of his fathers, though [he be] not [cleansed] according to the purification of the sanctuary.

And the LORD hearkened⁴ to Hezekiah, and healed⁴ the people.

And the children of Israel that were present¹² at Jerusalem kept⁴ the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised¹⁸ the LORD day by day, [singing] with loud instruments unto the LORD.

And Hezekiah spake¹⁷ comfortably unto all the Levites that taught⁵⁶ the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat⁴ throughout the feast seven days, offering¹⁸ peace offerings, and making confession¹⁰² to the LORD God of their fathers.

And the whole assembly took counsel¹¹ to keep² other seven days: and they kept⁴ [other] seven days with gladness.

For Hezekiah king of Judah did give⁵² to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave⁵² to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified¹⁰¹ themselves.

And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came⁶ out of Israel, and the strangers that came⁶ out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt⁶ in Judah, rejoiced.⁴

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 arose⁴ and blessed¹⁷ the people: and their voice was heard,¹¹ and their prayer came⁴ [up] to his holy dwelling place, [even] unto heaven.