2 Chronicles 30 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

All Israel Invited to the Passover

1 Now Hezekiah ^H2396 sent ^H7971 word to all ^H3605 Israel ^H3478 and Judah ^H3063 and also ^H1571 wrote ^H3789 letters ^H107 to Ephraim ^H669 and Manasseh ^H4519, that they should come ^H935 to the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068 in Jerusalem ^H3389 to [fn]celebrate ^H6213 the Passover ^H6453 to the LORD ^H3068 God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478.

2 For the king ^H4428 and his princes ^H8269 and all ^H3605 the assembly ^H6951 in Jerusalem ^H3389 had decided ^H3289 to celebrate ^H6213 the Passover ^H6453 in the second ^H8145 month ^H2320, 3 since ^H3588 they could ^H3201 not celebrate ^H6213 it at that time ^H6256, because ^H3588 the priests ^H3548 had not consecrated ^H6942 themselves in sufficient ^H1767 numbers ^H1767, nor ^H3808 had the people ^H5971 been gathered ^H622 to Jerusalem ^H3389. 4 So the [fn]decision ^H1697 was ^H3474 right ^H3474 in the sight ^H5869 of the king ^H4428 and all ^H3605 the assembly ^H6951. 5 So they established ^H5975 a decree ^H1697 to circulate ^H5674 a [fn]proclamation ^H6963 throughout ^H3605 Israel ^H3478 from Beersheba ^H884 to Dan ^H1835, that they are to come ^H935 to celebrate ^H6213 the Passover ^H6453 to the LORD ^H3068 God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478 in Jerusalem ^H3389. For they had not celebrated ^H6213 it in great ^H7230 numbers ^H7230 as was written ^H3789. 6 The [fn]couriers ^H7323 went ^H1980 throughout ^H3605 Israel ^H3478 and Judah ^H3063 with the letters ^H107 from the hand ^H3027 of the king ^H4428 and his princes ^H8269, even according to the command ^H4687 of the king ^H4428, saying ^H559, “Sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478, return ^H7725 to the LORD ^H3068 God ^H430 of Abraham ^H85, Isaac ^H3327, and Israel ^H3478, that He may return ^H7725 to those of you who ^H6413 escaped ^H6413 and are left ^H7604 from the [fn]hand ^H3709 of the kings ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804. 7 Do not be like your fathers ^H1 and your brothers ^H251, who ^H834 were ^H4603 untrue ^H4603 to the LORD ^H3068 God ^H430 of their fathers ^H1, so that He made ^H5414 them an object ^H8047 of ^H8047 horror ^H8047, just ^H834 as ^H834 you see ^H7200. 8 Now ^H6258 do not stiffen ^H7185 your neck ^H6203 like your fathers ^H1, but [fn]yield ^H5414 H3027 to the LORD ^H3068 and enter ^H935 His sanctuary ^H4720 which ^H834 He has consecrated ^H6942 forever ^H5769, and serve ^H5647 the LORD ^H3068 your God ^H430, that His burning ^H2740 anger ^H639 may turn ^H7725 away ^H7725 from you. 9 For if you return ^H7725 to the LORD ^H3068, your brothers ^H251 and your sons ^H1121 will find compassion ^H7356 in the presence ^H6440 of those who led ^H7617 them captive ^H7617, and will return ^H7725 to this ^H2088 land ^H776. For the LORD ^H3068 your God ^H430 is gracious ^H2587 and compassionate ^H7349, and will not turn ^H5493 His face ^H6440 away ^H5493 from you if ^H518 you return ^H7725 to Him.”

10 So the [fn]couriers ^H7323 passed ^H5674 from city ^H5892 to city ^H5892 through the country ^H776 of Ephraim ^H669 and Manasseh ^H4519, and as far ^H5704 as Zebulun ^H2074, but they laughed ^H7832 at them with ^H7832 scorn ^H7832 and mocked ^H3932 them. 11 Nevertheless ^H389, some ^H4480 men ^H376 of Asher ^H836, Manasseh ^H4519, and Zebulun ^H2074 humbled ^H3665 themselves and came ^H935 to Jerusalem ^H3389. 12 The hand ^H3027 of God ^H430 was also ^H1571 on Judah ^H3063 to give ^H5414 them one ^H259 heart ^H3820 to do ^H6213 what ^H4687 the king ^H4428 and the princes ^H8269 commanded ^H4687 by the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068.

Passover Reinstituted

13 Now many ^H7227 people ^H5971 were gathered ^H622 at Jerusalem ^H3389 to celebrate ^H6213 the Feast ^H2282 of Unleavened ^H4682 Bread ^H4682 in the second ^H8145 month ^H2320, a very ^H3966 large ^H7230 assembly ^H6951.

14 They got ^H6965 up ^H6965 and removed ^H5493 the altars ^H4196 which ^H834 were in Jerusalem ^H3389; they also removed ^H5493 all ^H3605 the incense ^H6999 altars ^H6999 and threw ^H7993 them into the brook ^H5158 Kidron ^H6939. 15 Then they slaughtered ^H7819 the Passover ^H6453 lambs on the fourteenth ^H702 H6240 of the second ^H8145 month ^H2320. And the priests ^H3548 and Levites ^H3881 were ashamed ^H3637 of themselves, and consecrated ^H6942 themselves and brought ^H935 burnt ^H5930 offerings ^H5930 to the house ^H1004 of the LORD ^H3068. 16 They stood ^H5975 at their stations ^H5977 following their custom ^H4941, according to the Law ^H8451 of Moses ^H4872 the man ^H376 of God ^H430; the priests ^H3548 sprinkled ^H2236 the blood ^H1818 which they received from the hand ^H3027 of the Levites ^H3881. 17 For there were many ^H7227 in the assembly ^H6951 who ^H834 had not consecrated ^H6942 themselves; therefore, the Levites ^H3881 were in ^H5921 charge ^H5921 of ^H5921 the slaughter ^H7821 of the Passover ^H6453 lambs for everyone ^H3605 who was unclean ^H3808 H2889, in order to consecrate ^H6942 them to the LORD ^H3068. 18 For a multitude ^H4768 of the people ^H5971, many ^H7227 from Ephraim ^H669 and Manasseh ^H4519, and Issachar ^H3485 and Zebulun ^H2074, had not purified ^H2891 themselves, yet ^H3588 they ate ^H398 the Passover ^H6453 contrary ^H3808 to what was written ^H3789. For Hezekiah ^H2396 prayed ^H6419 for them, saying ^H559, “May the good ^H2896 LORD ^H3068 pardon ^H3722 19 everyone ^H3605 who prepares ^H3559 his heart ^H3824 to seek ^H1875 God ^H430, the LORD ^H3068 God ^H430 of his fathers ^H1, though not according to the purification ^H2893 rules of the sanctuary ^H6944.” 20 So the LORD ^H3068 heard ^H8085 Hezekiah ^H2396 and healed ^H7495 the people ^H5971. 21 The sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 present ^H4672 in Jerusalem ^H3389 celebrated ^H6213 the Feast ^H2282 of Unleavened ^H4682 Bread ^H4682 for seven ^H7651 days ^H3117 with great ^H1419 joy ^H8057, and the Levites ^H3881 and the priests ^H3548 were praising ^H1984 the LORD ^H3068 day ^H3117 after day ^H3117 with loud ^H5797 instruments ^H3627 to the LORD ^H3068. 22 Then Hezekiah ^H2396 spoke ^H1696 [fn]encouragingly ^H5921 H3820 to all ^H3605 the Levites ^H3881 who showed ^H7919 good ^H2896 insight ^H7922 in the things of the LORD ^H3068. So they ate ^H398 for the appointed ^H4150 seven ^H7651 days ^H3117, sacrificing ^H2076 peace ^H8002 offerings ^H8002 and giving ^H3034 thanks ^H3034 to the LORD ^H3068 God ^H430 of their fathers ^H1.

23 Then the whole ^H3605 assembly ^H6951 decided ^H3289 to celebrate ^H6213 the feast another ^H312 seven ^H7651 days ^H3117, so they celebrated ^H6213 the seven ^H7651 days ^H3117 with joy ^H8057. 24 For Hezekiah ^H2396 king ^H4428 of Judah ^H3063 had contributed ^H7311 to the assembly ^H6951 a thousand ^H505 bulls ^H6499 and seven ^H7651 thousand ^H505 sheep ^H6629, and the princes ^H8269 had contributed ^H7311 to the assembly ^H6951 a thousand ^H505 bulls ^H6499 and ten ^H6235 thousand ^H505 sheep ^H6629; and a large ^H7230 number ^H7230 of priests ^H3548 consecrated ^H6942 themselves. 25 All ^H3605 the assembly ^H6951 of Judah ^H3063 rejoiced ^H8055, with the priests ^H3548 and the Levites ^H3881 and all ^H3605 the assembly ^H6951 that came ^H935 from Israel ^H3478, both the strangers ^H1616 who came ^H935 from the land ^H776 of Israel ^H3478 and those living ^H3427 in Judah ^H3063. 26 So there was great ^H1419 joy ^H8057 in Jerusalem ^H3389, because ^H3588 there was nothing ^H3808 like this ^H2088 in Jerusalem ^H3389 since ^H3588 the days ^H3117 of Solomon ^H8010 the son ^H1121 of David ^H1732, king ^H4428 of Israel ^H3478. 27 Then the Levitical ^H3881 priests ^H3548 stood ^H6965 and blessed ^H1288 the people ^H5971; and their voice ^H6963 was heard ^H8085 and their prayer ^H8605 came ^H935 to His holy ^H6944 dwelling ^H4583 place ^H4583, to heaven ^H8064.