Hezekiah's passover feast
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.
Hezekiah sent letters to everyone in Israel telling them all to come to God's house
in Jerusalem to keep the passover.
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.
The letters said,
Don't be like your fathers and brothers who disobeyed God.
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.
Don't be stiffnecked like your fathers were.
But serve God, so his fierce wrath will turn elsewhere.
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.
If you obey God, everything will go well for you.
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.
The letters were sent out throughout the land, but some 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.
But others humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.
13
And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of
unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
Many people came to Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread.
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.
They took away the altars of incense 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.
They killed the passover lambs and brought burnt offerings into God's house.
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.
The priests sprinkled the blood.
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.
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.
The Levites killed the passover lambs for all the unclean 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.
Everyone who came to Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread for seven days, with lots of singing
and loud instruments.