1And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh to come to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the LORD God of Israel.2And the king took counsel with his officials and all the assembly in Jerusalem to keep the Passover in the second month.3for they could not do it at that time, for the priests had not consecrated themselves sufficiently, and the people had not gathered to Jerusalem.4The decision was right in the eyes of the king and all the assembly.5So they decreed to send a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, calling the people to come to Jerusalem and keep the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel, for they had not done it in great numbers as written.6And the runners went with letters from the hand of the king and his chiefs throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, "Sons of Israel, return to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the escaped remnant remaining to you from the hand of the kings of Assyria."7And do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who acted unfaithfully against the LORD God of their fathers, and he gave them to desolation, as you see.8Now do not stiffen your neck like your fathers; give hand to the LORD and come to his sanctuary which he has consecrated forever and serve the LORD your God and he will turn from you the fierceness of his anger.9For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your sons will find mercy before their captors, to return to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and he will not turn his face from you if you return to him.10The runners went from city to city in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun, but the people laughed at them and mocked them.11Only men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.12Also in Judah the hand of the LORD was at work to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and the officials by the word of the LORD.13And a great people gathered to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month—a very great assembly.14They arose and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and they removed all the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.15They slaughtered the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were ashamed, consecrated themselves, and brought burnt offerings to the house of the LORD.16They stood at their posts in their divisions according to the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests dashed the blood from the hands of the Levites.17for many in the assembly had not consecrated themselves, and the Levites were over the slaughter of the Passovers for everyone not ritually pure, to consecrate them to the LORD.18For a majority of the people, many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than as written. So Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the LORD, who is good, atone for them."19who has prepared his heart to seek God, the LORD, the God of his fathers, even though it is not according to the cleanness of the holy things.20And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.21And the sons of Israel who were found in Jerusalem made the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great joy, and praising the LORD day by day, the Levites and the priests with instruments of strength to the LORD.22And Hezekiah spoke to the heart of all the Levites, the understanding ones in all good success to the LORD. And they ate the appointed time seven days from altars of sacrifices of peace offerings, and giving thanks to the LORD, God of their fathers.23And all the assembly resolved to keep seven more days, and they kept seven days with joy.24for Hezekiah king of Judah contributed to the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep, and the officials contributed to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep, and a large number of the priests consecrated themselves.25All the assembly of Judah rejoiced, along with the priests, the Levites, and all the assembly that had come from Israel, the foreigners who had come from the land of Israel, and those dwelling in Judah.26There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David, king of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.27And the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came to his holy dwelling, to the heavens.
31
Chapter 31
1When they had finished all this, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the Asherim, and demolished the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had finished. Then all the sons of Israel returned, each to his possession, to his cities.