Now Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem to ¹celebrate the Passover to the LORD God of Israel. 2 For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had decided ^ato celebrate the Passover in the second month, 3 since they could not celebrate it ^aat that time, because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers, nor had the people been gathered to Jerusalem. 4 So the ¹decision was right in the sight of the king and all the assembly. 5 So they established a decree to circulate a ¹proclamation throughout Israel ^afrom Beersheba to Dan, that they are to come to celebrate the Passover to the LORD God of Israel in Jerusalem. For they had not celebrated it in great numbers as was written. 6 ^aThe ¹couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes, even according to the command of the king, saying, “Sons of Israel, return to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that He may return to those of you who escaped and are left from ^bthe ²hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 ^aDo not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were untrue to the LORD God of their fathers, so that ^bHe made them an object of horror, just as you see. 8 Now do not ^astiffen your neck like your fathers, but ¹yield to the LORD and enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever, and serve the LORD your God, ^bthat His burning anger may turn away from you. 9 For ^aif you return to the LORD, your brothers and your sons will find compassion in the presence of those who led them captive, and will return to this land. ^bFor the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”

10 So the ¹couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but ^athey laughed at them with scorn and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless, ^asome men of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 The ^ahand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the LORD.

13 Now many people were gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread ^ain the second month, a very large assembly. 14 They got up and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem; they also ^aremoved all the incense altars and ^bthrew them into the brook Kidron. 15 Then ^athey slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth of the second month. And ^bthe priests and Levites were ashamed of themselves, and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the LORD. 16 ^aThey stood at their stations following their custom, according to the Law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves; therefore, ^athe Levites were in charge of the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was unclean, in order to consecrate them to the LORD. 18 For a multitude of the people, ^amany from Ephraim and Manasseh, and Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, ^byet they ate the Passover ^ccontrary to what was written. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good LORD pardon 19 ^aeveryone who prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” 20 So the LORD heard Hezekiah and ^ahealed the people. 21 The sons of Israel present in Jerusalem ^acelebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and the priests were praising the LORD day after day with loud instruments to the LORD. 22 Then Hezekiah ^aspoke ¹encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good insight in the things of the LORD. So they ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and ^bgiving thanks to the LORD God of their fathers.

23 Then the whole assembly ^adecided to celebrate the feast another seven days, so they celebrated the seven days with joy. 24 For ^aHezekiah king of Judah had contributed to the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep, and the princes had contributed to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and ^ba large number of priests consecrated themselves. 25 All the assembly of Judah rejoiced, with the priests and the Levites and ^aall the assembly that came from Israel, both the strangers who came from the land of Israel and those living in Judah. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, because there was nothing like this in Jerusalem ^asince the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. 27 Then ^athe Levitical priests stood and ^bblessed the people; and their voice was heard and their prayer came to ^cHis holy dwelling place, to heaven.

Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and to Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh to come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover Feast to the LORD God of Israel. 2 For the king and his officials and all the assembly in Jerusalem had decided ^ato celebrate the Passover in the ¹second month, Num 9:10, 11 3 since they could not celebrate it ^aat that time because a sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people assembled at Jerusalem. 4 Thus the decision to set a new time pleased the king and the entire assembly. 5 So they decided to circulate a proclamation throughout Israel, ^afrom Beersheba to Dan, that the people were to come to celebrate the Passover to the LORD God of Israel, at Jerusalem. For they had not celebrated it in great numbers as it was prescribed for a long time. 6 So ^athe runners went throughout Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his officials, in accordance with the command of the king, saying, “O sons (descendants) of Israel, return to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob) , so that He will return to those of you who escaped and are left from ^bthe hand (power) of the kings of Assyria. 7 ^aDo not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were unfaithful to the LORD God of their fathers, so that ^bHe made them a horror (lifeless, desolate) , just as you see. 8 Now do not ^astiffen your neck becoming obstinate like your fathers, but yield to the LORD and come to His sanctuary which He has sanctified and set apart forever, and serve the LORD your God, ^bso that His burning anger will turn away from you. 9 For ^aif you return to the LORD, your brothers (relatives) and your children will find compassion in the presence of those who led them away captive and will return to this land. ^bFor the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and He will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”

10 So the runners (couriers) passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun; but ^athe people laughed at them with scorn and mocked them. 11 Yet some of the ^amen of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 Also the ^ahand of God was on Judah to give them one heart to do that which the king and the officials had commanded by the word of the LORD.

13 Now many people were gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread ^ain the second month; it was a very large assembly. 14 They took action and ^aremoved the pagan altars which were in Jerusalem; they also removed all the incense altars and ^bthrew them into the Brook Kidron the dumping place for the ashes of such repulsive things. 15 Then ^athey slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the second month. And ^bthe priests and the Levites were ashamed of themselves, and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the LORD. 16 ^aThey stood at their accustomed stations, in accordance with the Law of Moses, the man of God. The priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites on the altar. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves that is, become ceremonially clean and free from all sin; so ^athe Levites had to slaughter the Passover lambs for everyone who was not clean, in order to make them holy for the LORD. 18 For the majority of the people, ^amany from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, and ^byet they ate the Passover ^ccontrary to what had been prescribed. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good LORD pardon 19 ^aeveryone who sets his heart to seek God—the LORD God of his fathers—even though it is not in accordance with the ceremonial purification rules of the sanctuary.” 20 So the LORD listened to Hezekiah and ^ahealed the people of their uncleanness. 21 The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem ^acelebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. The Levites and priests praised the LORD day after day, singing to the LORD with loud instruments. 22 Hezekiah ^aspoke ¹encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good understanding in the things of the LORD. So the people ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings ^band giving thanks to the LORD God of their fathers.

23 Then the whole assembly decided ^ato celebrate the feast for another seven days; and they celebrated it another seven days with joy. 24 For ^aHezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep, and the officials gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. And ^ba large number of priests consecrated themselves for service. 25 All the assembly of Judah rejoiced, with the priests and the Levites and ^aall the assembly that came from Israel, both the sojourners (resident aliens, foreigners) who came from the land of Israel and those living in Judah. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, because there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem ^asince the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. 27 Then ^athe priests and Levites stood and ^bblessed the people; and their voice was heard and their prayer came up to ^cHis holy dwelling place, to heaven.