Hezekiah Observes the Passover
1Hezekiah sent messages throughout Israel and Judah; he even wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, summoning them to come to the
2The king, his officials, and the entire assembly in Jerusalem decided to observe the Passover in the second month.
3They were unable to observe it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem.
4The proposal seemed appropriate to the king and the entire assembly.
5So they sent an edict throughout Israel from Beer Sheba to Dan, summoning the people to come and observe a Passover for the
6Messengers delivered the letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah.
This royal edict read: “O Israelites, return to the
7Don’t be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to the
8Now, don’t be stubborn like your fathers! Submit to the
9For if you return to the
10The messengers journeyed from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but people mocked and ridiculed them.
11But some men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.
12In Judah God moved the people to unite and carry out the edict the king and the officers had issued at the
13A huge crowd assembled in Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month.
14They removed the altars in Jerusalem; they also removed all the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.
15They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, so they consecrated themselves and brought burnt sacrifices to the
16They stood at their posts according to the regulations outlined in the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests were splashing the blood as the Levites handed it to them.
17Because many in the assembly had not consecrated themselves, the Levites slaughtered the Passover lambs of all who were ceremonially unclean and could not consecrate their sacrifice to the
18The majority of the many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun were ceremonially unclean, yet they ate the Passover in violation of what is prescribed in the law. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying: “May the
19everyone who has determined to follow God, the
20The
21The Israelites who were in Jerusalem observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. The Levites and priests were praising the
22Hezekiah expressed his appreciation to all the Levites, who demonstrated great skill in serving the
23The entire assembly then decided to celebrate for seven more days; so they joyfully celebrated for seven more days.
24King Hezekiah of Judah supplied 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for the assembly, while the officials supplied them with 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. Many priests consecrated themselves.
25The celebration included the entire assembly of Judah, the priests, the Levites, the entire assembly of those who came from Israel, the resident foreigners who came from the land of Israel, and the residents of Judah.
26There was a great celebration in Jerusalem, unlike anything that had occurred in Jerusalem since the time of King Solomon son of David of Israel.
27The priests and Levites got up and pronounced blessings on the people. The
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