2 Chronicles 30

1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel, and Iudah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Ierusalem, to keepe the Passeouer vnto the Lord God of Israel.

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.

2 And the King and his princes and all the Congregation had taken counsel in Ierusalem to keepe the Passeouer in the second moneth.

For the king, and the princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, designed to keep the passover in the second month.

3 For they could not keepe it at this time, because there were not Priests enow sanctified, neither was the people gathered to Ierusalem.

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.

4 And the thing pleased the King, and all the Congregation.

And the proposal pleased the king and the congregation.

5 And they decreed to make proclamation throughout all Israel from Beersheba euen to Dan, that they should come to keepe the Passeouer vnto the Lord God of Israel at Ierusalem: for they had not done it of a great time, as it was written.

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.

6 So the postes went with letters by the commission of the King, and his princes, thorowout all Israel and Iudah, and with the commandement of the King, saying, Ye children of Israel, turne againe vnto the Lord God of Abraham, Izhak, and Israel, and he will returne to the remnant that are escaped of you, out of ye hands of the Kings of Asshur.

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.

7 And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers: and therfore he made them desolate, as ye see.

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 you see.

8 Be not ye now stiffenecked like your fathers, but giue the hand to the Lord, and come into his sanctuarie, which he hath sanctified for euer, and serue the Lord your God, and the fiercenesse of his wrath shall turne away from you.

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.

9 For if ye returne vnto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall finde mercy before them that led them captiues, and they shall returne vnto this lande: for the Lord your God is gracious and mercifull, and will not turne away his face from you, if ye conuert vnto him.

For when you 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.

10 So the postes went from citie to citie thorow the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, euen vnto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorne, and mocked them.

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.

11 Neuerthelesse diuers of Asher, and Manasseh, and of Zebulun submitted themselues, and came to Ierusalem.

But the men of Aser, and [some] of Manasses and of Zabulon, were ashamed, and came to Jerusalem and Juda.

12 And the hand of God was in Iudah, so that he gaue them one heart to doe the commandement of the King, and of the rulers, according to the worde of the Lord.

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.

13 And there assembled to Ierusalem much people, to keepe the feast of ye vnleauened bread in the second moneth, a very great assemblie.

And a great multitude were gathered to Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

14 And they arose, and tooke away the altars that were in Ierusalem: and all those for incense tooke they away, and cast them into the brooke Kidron.

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.

15 Afterwarde they slewe the Passeouer the fourteenth day of the seconde moneth: and the Priestes and Leuites were ashamed, and sanctified themselues, and brought the burnt offrings into the house of the Lord.

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.

16 And they stoode in their place after their maner, according to the Lawe of Moses the man of God: and the Priestes sprinkled the blood, receiued of the handes of the Leuites.

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.

17 Because there were many in the Congregation that were not sanctified, therefore the Leuites had the charge of the killing of ye Passeouer for all that were not cleane, to sanctifie it to the Lord.

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.

18 For a multitude of the people, euen a multitude of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not cleansed themselues, yet did eate the Passeouer, but not as it was written: wherefore Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord be mercifull toward him,

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,

19 That prepareth his whole heart to seeke the Lord God, the God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed, according to the purification of the Sanctuarie.

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.

20 And the Lord heard Hezekiah, and healed the people.

And the Lord listened to Ezekias, and healed the people.

21 And the children of Israel that were present at Ierusalem, kept the feast of the vnleauened bread seuen dayes with great ioye, and the Leuites, and the Priestes praysed the Lord, day by day, singing with loude instruments vnto the Lord.

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.

22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably vnto all the Leuites that had good knowledge to sing vnto the Lord: and they did eate in that feast seuen dayes, and offred peace offrings, and praysed the Lord God of their fathers.

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.

23 And the whole assembly tooke counsel to keepe it other seuen dayes. So they kept it seuen dayes with ioy.

And the congregation purposed together to keep other seven days: and they kept seven days with gladness.

24 For Hezekiah King of Iudah had giuen to the Congregation a thousande bullockes, and seuen thousand sheepe. And the princes had giuen to the Congregation a thousand bullocks, and ten thousand sheepe: and many Priests were sanctified.

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.

25 And all the Congregation of Iudah reioyced with the Priestes and the Leuites, and all the Congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Iudah.

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.

26 So there was great ioye in Ierusalem: for since the time of Salomon the sonne of Dauid King of Israel there was not the like thing in Ierusalem.

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.

27 Then the Priests and the Leuites arose, and blessed the people, and their voyce was heard, and their prayer came vp vnto heauen, to his holy habitation.

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.