2 Chronicles 30

1 Also, Hezekiah sent to all of Israel and Judah. And he wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, so that they would come to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, and so that they would keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel.

希西家差遣人去見以色列和猶大眾人，又寫信給以法蓮和瑪拿西人，叫他們到耶路撒冷耶和華的殿，向耶和華－以色列的上帝守逾越節；

2 Therefore, having taken counsel, the king and the rulers, and the entire assembly of Jerusalem, resolved that they would keep the Passover, in the second month.

因為王和眾首領，並耶路撒冷全會眾已經商議，要在二月內守逾越節。

3 For they had not been able to keep it at its proper time. For the priests, who were unable to suffice, had not been sanctified. And the people had not yet been gathered together in Jerusalem.

正月間他們不能守；因為自潔的祭司尚不敷用，百姓也沒有聚集在耶路撒冷；

4 And the word was pleasing to the king, and to the entire multitude.

王與全會眾都以這事為善。

5 And they resolved that they would send messengers to all of Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, so that they might come and keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem. For many had not kept it, just as it was prescribed by the law.

於是定了命令，傳遍以色列，從別是巴直到但，使他們都來，在耶路撒冷向耶和華－以色列的上帝守逾越節；因為照所寫的例，守這節的不多了。

6 And carriers traveled with the letters, by order of the king and his rulers, to all of Israel and Judah, proclaiming, in accord with what the king had ordered: “O sons of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel. And he will return to the remnant who escaped from the hand of the king of the Assyrians.

驛卒就把王和眾首領的信，遵着王命傳遍以色列和猶大。信內說：「以色列人哪，你們當轉向耶和華－亞伯拉罕、以撒、以色列的上帝，好叫他轉向你們這脫離亞述王手的餘民。

7 Do not choose to be like your fathers and brothers, who withdrew from the Lord, the God of their fathers. And so he delivered them over to destruction, as you yourselves discern.

你們不要效法你們列祖和你們的弟兄；他們干犯耶和華－他們列祖的上帝，以致耶和華丟棄他們，使他們敗亡，正如你們所見的。

8 Do not choose to harden your necks, as your fathers did. Surrender to the hands of the Lord. And go to his Sanctuary, which he has sanctified unto eternity. Serve the Lord, the God of your fathers, and the fury of his wrath will be turned away from you.

現在不要像你們列祖硬着頸項，只要歸順耶和華，進入他的聖所，就是永遠成聖的居所；又要事奉耶和華－你們的上帝，好使他的烈怒轉離你們。

9 For if you will return to the Lord, your brothers and sons will find mercy before their masters, who led them away as captives, and they will be returned to this land. For the Lord your God is compassionate and lenient, and he will not avert his face from you, if you will return to him.”

你們若轉向耶和華，你們的弟兄和兒女必在擄掠他們的人面前蒙憐恤，得以歸回這地，因為耶和華－你們的上帝有恩典、施憐憫。你們若轉向他，他必不轉臉不顧你們。」

10 And so, the carriers were traveling quickly from city to city, throughout the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, though they were ridiculing and mocking them.

驛卒就由這城跑到那城，傳遍了以法蓮、瑪拿西，直到西布倫。那裏的人卻戲笑他們，譏誚他們。

11 Even so, certain men from Asher, and from Manasseh, and from Zebulun, acquiescing to this counsel, went to Jerusalem.

然而亞設、瑪拿西、西布倫中也有人自卑，來到耶路撒冷。

12 Truly, the hand of God was working in Judah, to give them one heart, so that they would accomplish the word of the Lord, according to the precept of the king and of the rulers.

上帝也感動猶大人，使他們一心遵行王與眾首領憑耶和華之言所發的命令。

13 And many people gathered together in Jerusalem, so that they could keep the solemnity of unleavened bread, in the second month.

二月，有許多人在耶路撒冷聚集，成為大會，要守除酵節。

14 And rising up, they destroyed the altars which were in Jerusalem, and all the things in which incense was burned to idols. Overturning these things, they cast them into the torrent Kidron.

他們起來，把耶路撒冷的祭壇和燒香的壇盡都除去，拋在汲淪溪中。

15 Then they immolated the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month. Also, the priests and Levites, at length having been sanctified, offered the holocausts in the house of the Lord.

二月十四日，宰了逾越節的羊羔。祭司與利未人覺得慚愧，就潔淨自己，把燔祭奉到耶和華殿中，

16 And they stood in their order, according to the disposition and law of Moses, the man of God. Yet truly, the priests took up the blood, which was to be poured out, from the hands of the Levites,

遵着神人摩西的律法，照例站在自己的地方；祭司從利未人手裏接過血來，灑在壇上。

17 because a great number were not sanctified. And therefore, the Levites immolated the Passover for those who had not been sanctified to the Lord in time.

會中有許多人尚未自潔，所以利未人為一切不潔之人宰逾越節的羊羔，使他們在耶和華面前成為聖潔。

18 And now a great portion of the people from Ephraim, and Manasseh, and Issachar, and Zebulun, who had not been sanctified, ate the Passover, which is not in accord with what was written. And Hezekiah prayed for them, saying: “The good Lord will be forgiving

以法蓮、瑪拿西、以薩迦、西布倫有許多人尚未自潔，他們卻也吃逾越節的羊羔，不合所記錄的定例。希西家為他們禱告說：「凡專心尋求上帝，就是耶和華－他列祖之上帝的，雖不照着聖所潔淨之禮自潔，求至善的耶和華也饒恕他。」

19 to all who, with their whole heart, seek the Lord, the God of their fathers. And he will not impute it to them, though they have not been sanctified.”

20 And the Lord heeded him, and was reconciled to the people.

耶和華垂聽希西家的禱告，就饒恕百姓。

21 And the sons of Israel who were found at Jerusalem kept the solemnity of unleavened bread for seven days with great rejoicing, praising the Lord throughout each day, with the Levites and the priests, accompanied by the musical instruments corresponding to their office.

在耶路撒冷的以色列人大大喜樂，守除酵節七日。利未人和祭司用響亮的樂器，日日頌讚耶和華。

22 And Hezekiah spoke to the heart of all the Levites, who had a good understanding concerning the Lord. And they ate during the seven days of the solemnity, immolating victims of peace offerings, and praising the Lord, the God of their fathers.

希西家慰勞一切善於事奉耶和華的利未人。於是眾人吃節筵七日，又獻平安祭，且向耶和華－他們列祖的上帝認罪。

23 And it pleased the entire multitude that they should celebrate, even for another seven days. And they did this with enormous gladness.

全會眾商議，要再守節七日；於是歡歡喜喜地又守節七日。

24 For Hezekiah, the king of Judah, had offered to the multitude one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep. Truly, the rulers had given the people one thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep. Then a great multitude of priests was sanctified.

猶大王希西家賜給會眾公牛一千隻，羊七千隻為祭物；眾首領也賜給會眾公牛一千隻，羊一萬隻，並有許多的祭司潔淨自己。

25 And the whole multitude of Judah, as much the priests and Levites as the entire crowd that had arrived from Israel, and also the converts from the land of Israel, and those with a habitation in Judah, was overflowing with cheerfulness.

猶大全會眾、祭司、利未人，並那從以色列地來的會眾和寄居的人，以及猶大寄居的人，盡都喜樂。

26 And there was a great celebration in Jerusalem, to such an extent as had not been in that city since the days of Solomon, the son of David, the king of Israel.

這樣，在耶路撒冷大有喜樂，自從以色列王大衛兒子所羅門的時候，在耶路撒冷沒有這樣的喜樂。

27 Then the priests and Levites rose up and blessed the people. And their voice was heeded. And their prayer reached the holy habitation of heaven.

那時，祭司、利未人起來，為民祝福。他們的聲音蒙上帝垂聽，他們的禱告達到天上的聖所。