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2 Chronicles 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. |
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. |