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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.
02 For the king had taken counsel, and his
princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem,
to keep the passover in the second month.
03 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.
04 And the thing pleased the king and all the
congregation.
05 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.
06 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.
07 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.
08 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.
09 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.
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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.
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