|
Chapter 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. |
