Self-interpreting Bible

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2 Chronicles 30

1Hezekiah proclaimeth a solemn passover to be kept in the second month, and calleth all Judah and Israel to the celebration of it. 13The assembly, having destroyed the altars of idolatry in Jerusalem, keep the feast fourteen days. 27The priests bless the people.

1 AND Hezekiah sent to all aIsrael and Judah, and wrote letters also to bEphraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to ckeep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.

2 For the king had dtaken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover ein the second month.

3 For they could not keep it at fthat time, because the priests ghad not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

4 And the thing 1pleased the king and all the congregation.

  • 1: Heb. was right in the eyes of the king.

5 So they established a decree to make proclamation hthroughout all Israel, ifrom Beer-sheba 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 jthe posts went with the letters 2from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, kturn 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 lthe 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.

  • *: trespassed-sinned, transgressed.

8 Now 3be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but 4yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that mthe 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 ncompassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is ogracious 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 pEphraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they qlaughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

11 Nevertheless r*divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

12 Also in Judah the shand 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 tin the second month, a very great congregation.

14 And they arose and took away the ualtars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and vcast them into the brook Kidron.

15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the wpriests 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 5their place after their *manner, xaccording to the law of Moses ythe 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 sanc-tified: therefore zthe 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 amany of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, bhad not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than cit was written. But Hezekiah dprayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one

19 That eprepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the fpurification of the sanctuary.

20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and ghealed the people.

21 And the children of Israel that were 6present at Jerusalem kept hthe feast of unleavened bread seven days iwith great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with 7loud instruments unto the LORD.

22 And Hezekiah spake 8comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the jgood knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and kmaking confession to the LORD God of their fathers.

23 And the whole assembly took lcounsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.

24 For Hezekiah king of Judah 9did 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 ma 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 nstrangers othat came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.

26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the ptime of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.

27 ¶Then the qpriests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to 10his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.