30:1 And Ezekias sent to all Israel and Juda,
and wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasse, that they should come into the
house of the Lord to Jerusalem, to keep the passover to the Lord God of
Israel.
30:2 For the king, and the princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem,
designed to keep the passover in the second month.
30:3 For they could not keep it at that time, because a sufficient number of
priest had not purified themselves, and the people was not gathered to
Jerusalem.
30:4 And the proposal pleased the king and the congregation.
30:5 And they established a decree that a proclamation should go through all
Israel, from Bersabee to Dan, that they should come and keep the passover to
the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem: for the multitude had not done it
lately according to the scripture.
30:6 And the posts went with the letters from the king and the princes to
all Israel and Juda, according to the command of the king, saying, Children
of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraam, and Isaac, and Israel, and
bring back them that have escaped [even] those that were left of the hand of
the king of Assyria.
30:7 And be not as your fathers, and your brethren, who revolted from the
Lord God of their fathers, and he gave them up to desolation, as ye see.
30:8 And now harden not your hearts, as your fathers [did]: give glory to
the Lord God, and enter into his sanctuary, which he has sanctified for
ever: and serve the Lord your God, and he shall turn away [his] fierce anger
from you.
30:9 For when ye turn to the Lord, your brethren and your children shall be
pitied before all that have carried them captives, and he will restore [you]
to this land: for the Lord our God is merciful and pitiful, and will not
turn away his face from you, if we return to him.
30:10 So the posts went through from city to city in mount Ephraim, and
Manasse, and as far as Zabulon: and they as it were laughed them to scorn,
and mocked them.
30:11 But the men of Aser, and [some] of Manasses and of Zabulon, were
ashamed, and came to Jerusalem and Juda.
30:12 And the hand of the Lord was [present] to give them one heart to come,
to do according to the commands of the king and of the princes, by the word
of the Lord.
30:13 And a great multitude were gathered to Jerusalem to keep the feast of
unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
30:14 And they arose, and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and
all on which they burnt incense to false [gods] they tore down and cast into
the brook Kedron.
30:15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second
month: and the priests and the Levites repented, and purified [themselves],
and brought whole-burnt-offerings into the house of the Lord.
30:16 And they stood at their post, according to their ordinance, according
to the commandment of Moses the man of God: and the priests received the
blood from the hand of the Levites.
30:17 For a great part of the congregation was not sanctified; and the
Levites were [ready] to kill the passover for every one who could not
sanctify himself to the Lord.
30:18 For the greatest part of the people of Ephraim, and Manasse, and
Issachar, and Zabulon, had not purified [themselves], but ate the passover
contrary to the scripture. On this account also Ezekias prayed concerning
them, saying,
30:19 The good Lord be merciful with regard to every heart that sincerely
seeks the Lord God of their fathers, and [is] not [purified] according to
the purification of the sanctuary.
30:20 And the Lord hearkened to Ezekias, and healed the people.
30:21 And the children of Israel who were present in Jerusalem kept the
feast of unleavened bread seven days with great joy; and they continued to
sing hymns to the Lord daily, and the priests and the Levites [played] on
instruments to the Lord.
30:22 And Ezekias encouraged all the Levites, and those that had good
understanding of the Lord: and they completely kept the feast of unleavened
bread seven days, offering peace-offerings, and confessing to the Lord God
of their fathers.
30:23 And the congregation purposed together to keep other seven days: and
they kept seven days with gladness.
30:24 For Ezekias set apart for Juda, [even] for the congregation, a
thousand calves and seven thousand sheep; and the princes set apart for the
people a thousand calves and ten thousand sheep: and the holy things of the
priests abundantly.
30:25 And all the congregation, the priests and the Levites, rejoiced, and
all the congregation of Juda, and they that were present of Jerusalem, and
the strangers that came from the land of Israel, and the dwellers in Juda.
30:26 And there was great joy in Jerusalem: from the days of Solomon the son
of David king of Israel there was not such a feast in Jerusalem.
30:27 Then the priests the Levites rose up and blessed the people: and their
voice was heard, and their prayer came into his holy dwelling-place, [even]
into heaven. |
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.
30:2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the
congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.
30:3 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.
30:4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
30:5 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.
30:6 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.
30:7 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.
30:8 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.
30:9 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.
30:10 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.
30:11 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled
themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
30:12 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.
30:13 And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of
unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
30:14 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.
30:15 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.
30:16 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.
30:17 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.
30:18 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
30:19 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.
30:20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
30:21 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.
30:22 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.
30:23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they
kept other seven days with gladness.
30:24 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.
30:25 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.
30:26 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.
30:27 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. |