¹⁷ Because many in the assembly had not consecrated themselves, the Levites slaughtered^[a] the Passover lambs of all who were ceremonially unclean and could not consecrate their sacrifice to the Lord.^{[b] 18} The majority of the many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun were ceremonially unclean, yet they ate the Passover in violation of what is prescribed in the law.^[c] For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying: “May the Lord, who is good, forgive^{[d] 19} everyone who has determined to follow God,^[e] the Lord God of his ancestors, even if he is not ceremonially clean according to the standards of the temple.”^[f]