2Chronicles:30

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* And Ezekias sent to all Israel and Juda , and wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasse , that they should come into the house of the Lord to Jerusalem , to keep the (note :)See the Hebrews .(:note ) passover to the Lord God of Israel . * For the king , and the princes , and all the congregation in Jerusalem , designed to keep the passover in the second month . * For they could not keep it at that time , because a sufficient number of priest had not purified themselves , and the people was not gathered to Jerusalem . * And the proposal pleased the king and the congregation . * And they established a decree that a proclamation should go through all Israel , from Bersabee to Dan , that they should come and keep the passover to the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem : for the multitude had not done it lately according to the scripture . * And the (note :)Gr . running men ; q . d . couriers (:note ) posts went with the letters from the king and the princes to all Israel and Juda , according to the command of the king , saying , Children of Israel , return to the Lord God of Abraam , and Isaac , and Israel , and bring back them that have escaped even those that were left of the hand of the king of Assyria . * And be not as your fathers , and your brethren , who revolted from the Lord God of their fathers , and he gave them up to desolation , as ye see . * And now harden not your hearts , as your fathers did : give glory to the Lord God , and enter into his sanctuary , which he has sanctified for ever : and serve the Lord your God , and he shall turn away his fierce anger from you . * For when ye turn to the Lord , your brethren and your children shall be pitied before all that have carried them captives , and he will restore you to this land : for the Lord our God is merciful and pitiful , and will not turn away his face from you , if we return to him . * So the posts went through from city to city in mount Ephraim , and Manasse , and as far as Zabulon : and they (note :)Gr . were as those that ; See Ge strkjv @19:14 (:note ) as it were laughed them to scorn , and mocked them . * But the men of Aser , and some of Manasses and of Zabulon , were ashamed , and came to Jerusalem and Juda . * And the hand of the Lord was present to give them one heart to come , to do according to the commands of the king and of the princes , by the word of the Lord . * And a great multitude were gathered to Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month , a very great congregation . * And they arose , and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem , and all on which they burnt incense to false gods they tore down and cast into the brook Kedron . * Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month : and the priests and the Levites repented , and purified themselves , and brought whole-burnt-offerings into the house of the Lord . * And they stood at their post , according to their ordinance , according to the commandment of Moses the man of God : and the priests received the blood from the hand of the Levites . * For a great part of the congregation was not sanctified ; and the Levites were ready to kill the passover for every one who could not sanctify himself to the Lord . * For the greatest part of the people of Ephraim , and Manasse , and Issachar , and Zabulon , had not purified themselves , but ate the passover contrary to the scripture . On this account also Ezekias prayed concerning them , saying , * The good Lord be merciful with regard to every heart that sincerely seeks the Lord God of their fathers , and is not purified according to the purification of the (note :)Gr . holy things (:note ) sanctuary . * And the Lord hearkened to Ezekias , and healed the people . * And the children of Israel who were present in Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great joy ; and they continued to sing hymns to the Lord daily , and the priests and the Levites played on instruments to the Lord . * And Ezekias (note :)Gr . spoke to every heart of the Levites (:note ) encouraged all the Levites , and those that had good understanding of the Lord : and they completely kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days , offering Gr . singular peace-offerings , and confessing to the Lord God of their fathers . * And the congregation purposed together to keep other seven days : and they kept seven days with gladness . * For Ezekias set apart for Juda , even for the congregation , a thousand calves and seven thousand sheep ; and the princes set apart for the people a thousand calves and ten thousand sheep : and the holy things of the priests abundantly . * And all the congregation , the priests and the Levites , rejoiced , and all the congregation of Juda , and they that were present of Jerusalem , and the strangers that came from the land of Israel , and the dwellers in Juda . * And there was great joy in Jerusalem : from the days of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not such a feast in Jerusalem . * Then the priests the Levites rose up and blessed the people : and their voice was heard , and their prayer came into his holy dwelling-place , even into heaven .

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