2 Chronicles 30
Names of God Bible
Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover
30 Hezekiah sent a message to all Israel and Judah and wrote letters to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. He invited them to come to Yahweh’s temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of Yahweh Elohim of Israel.
2 The king, his officials, and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month. 3 They couldn’t celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had performed the ceremonies to make themselves holy and the people hadn’t gathered in Jerusalem. 4 The king and the whole assembly considered their plan to be the right thing to do. 5 So they decided to send an announcement throughout Israel from Beersheba to Dan. They summoned everyone to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of Yahweh Elohim of Israel. These people had not celebrated it in large numbers as the written instructions said they should.
6 Messengers took letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah. The king’s order said, “Israelites, return to Yahweh Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Then he will return to the few of you who escaped from the power of the kings of Assyria. 7 Don’t be like your ancestors and your relatives who were unfaithful to Yahweh Elohim of their ancestors. He made them something that shocks people, as you have seen. 8 Don’t be impossible to deal with like your ancestors. Reach out for Yahweh. Come to his holy place that he made holy forever. Serve Yahweh your Elohim, and he will turn his burning anger away from you. 9 When you return to Yahweh, your relatives and children will find compassion from those who captured them. They will return to this land. Yahweh your Elohim is merciful and compassionate. He will not turn his face away from you if you return to him.”
10 So the messengers went from city to city in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun. But the people ridiculed them. 11 However, some people from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 Also, Elohim guided the people of Judah so that they united to carry out the command which the king and the leaders gave from Yahweh’s word.
13 Many people gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. They formed a large assembly.
14 Then the people got rid of the idols’ altars in Jerusalem. They got rid of all the altars for incense by dumping them in the Kidron Valley.
15 They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, so they performed the ceremonies to make themselves holy. Then they brought burnt offerings to Yahweh’s temple. 16 They stood in their regular places as instructed by Moses’ Teachings. (Moses was a man of Elohim.) The priests sprinkled the blood they received from the Levites. 17 Many people in the assembly had not made themselves holy. So the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all who weren’t clean[a] and couldn’t make their lambs holy for Yahweh.
18 Many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not made themselves clean. So they ate the Passover, but not in the way the written instructions said they should. Hezekiah prayed for them: “May the good Yahweh forgive 19 those who have their hearts set on dedicating their lives to serving Elohim. May Yahweh Elohim of their ancestors do this for those who are not clean as required for the holy place.” 20 Yahweh listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.
21 So the Israelites in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. Each day the Levites and priests praised Yahweh in song. They played Yahweh’s instruments loudly. 22 Hezekiah spoke encouraging words to all the Levites who had the skills to serve Yahweh. They ate the festival meals for seven days, sacrificed fellowship offerings, and confessed their sins to Yahweh Elohim of their ancestors.
23 Then the whole assembly decided to celebrate the festival for seven more days. So they joyfully celebrated for seven more days. 24 King Hezekiah of Judah provided 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep as sacrifices for the assembly. The leaders provided 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep for the assembly. So a large number of priests were able to perform the ceremonies to make themselves holy.
25 The whole assembly from Judah, the priests, the Levites, the whole assembly from Israel, the foreigners who came from Israel, and those who lived in Judah rejoiced. 26 The city of Jerusalem was filled with joy. Nothing like this had happened in Jerusalem since the days of King Solomon of Israel.
27 Then the Levitical priests blessed the people. Their voices were heard, and their prayers went to Elohim’s holy place in heaven.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 30:17 “Clean” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is presentable to God.
2 Chronicles 30
English Standard Version
Passover Celebrated
30 Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. 2 For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to keep the Passover (A)in the second month— 3 for they could not keep it (B)at that time (C)because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem— 4 and the plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly. 5 So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, (D)from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it as often as prescribed. 6 (E)So couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his princes, as the king had commanded, saying, “O people of Israel, (F)return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of (G)the kings of Assyria. 7 (H)Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were faithless to the Lord God of their fathers, so that he made them a desolation, as you see. 8 (I)Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, (J)that his fierce anger may turn away from you. 9 For (K)if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children (L)will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For (M)the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, (N)if you return to him.”
10 (O)So the couriers went from city to city through the country of (P)Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but (Q)they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. 11 However, (R)some men of Asher, of Manasseh, and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded (S)by the word of the Lord.
13 And many people came together in Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread (T)in the second month, a very great assembly. 14 They set to work and removed (U)the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for burning incense they took away (V)and threw into the brook Kidron. 15 (W)And they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. (X)And the priests and the Levites were ashamed, (Y)so that they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of the Lord. 16 (Z)They took their accustomed posts according to the Law of Moses (AA)the man of God. The priests threw the blood that they received from the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves. Therefore the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to consecrate it to the Lord. 18 For a majority of the people, (AB)many of them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise (AC)than as prescribed. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord pardon everyone 19 (AD)who sets his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness.”[a] 20 And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people. 21 And the people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept (AE)the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with all their might[b] to the Lord. 22 And Hezekiah spoke (AF)encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good skill in the service of the Lord. So they ate the food of the festival for seven days, sacrificing (AG)peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord, the God of their fathers.
23 Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the feast (AH)for another seven days. So they kept it for another seven days with gladness. 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah (AI)gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for offerings, and the princes gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. And the priests (AJ)consecrated themselves in great numbers. 25 The whole assembly of Judah, and the priests and the Levites, (AK)and the whole assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners who came out of the land of Israel, and the sojourners who lived in Judah, rejoiced. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for (AL)since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. 27 Then (AM)the priests and the Levites arose and (AN)blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came to (AO)his holy habitation in heaven.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 30:19 Hebrew not according to the cleanness of holiness
- 2 Chronicles 30:21 Compare 1 Chronicles 13:8; Hebrew with instruments of might
2 Chronicles 30
King James Version
30 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel.
2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.
3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.
6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
7 And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.
8 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.
9 For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.
10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
11 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
12 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord.
13 And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
14 And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.
15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord.
16 And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.
17 For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the Lord.
18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one
19 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
20 And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the Lord.
22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers.
23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.
24 For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.
25 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.
26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.
27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
