2Chronicles:30

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* And Ezechias sent to all Israel and Juda : and he wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasses , that they should come to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem , and keep the phase to the Lord the God of Israel . * For the king , taking counsel , and the princes , and all the assembly of Jerusalem , decreed to keep the phase the second month . * For they could not keep it in its time ; because there were not priests enough sanctified , and the people was not as yet gathered together to Jerusalem . * And the thing pleased the king , and all the people . * And they decreed to send messengers to all Israel from Bersabee even to Dan , that they should come , and keep the phase to the Lord the God of Israel in Jerusalem : for many had not kept it as it is prescribed by the law . * And the posts went with letters by commandment of the king , and his princes , to all Israel and Juda , proclaiming according to the king 's orders : Ye children of Israel , turn again to the Lord the God of Abraham , and of Isaac , and of Israel : and he will return to the remnant of you that have escaped the hand of the king of the Assyrians . * Be not like your fathers , and brethren , who departed from the Lord the God of their fathers , and he hath given them up to destruction , as you see . * Harden not your necks , as your fathers did : yield yourselves to the Lord , and come to his sanctuary , which he hath sanctified for ever : serve the Lord the God of your fathers , and the wrath of his indignation shall be turned away from you . * For if you turn again to the Lord : your brethren , and children shall find mercy before their masters , that have led them away captive , and they shall return into this land : for the Lord your God is merciful , and will not turn away his face from you , if you return to him . * So the posts went speedily from city to city , through the land of Ephraim , and of Manasses , even to ZabuloI * Nevertheless some men of Aser , and of Manasses , and of Zabulon , yielding to the counsel , came to Jerusalem . * But the hand of God was in Juda , to give them one heart to do the word of the Lord , according to the commandment of the king , and of the princes . * And much people were assembled to Jerusalem to celebrate the solemnity of the unleavened bread in the second month : * And they arose and destroyed the altars that were in Jerusalem , and took sway all things in which incense was burnt to idols , and cast them into the torrent Cedron . * And they immolated the phase on the fourteenth day of the second month . And the priests and the Levites being at length sanctified offered holocausts in the house of the Lord . * And they stood in their order according to the disposition , and law of Moses the man of God : but the priests received the blood which was to be poured out , from the hands of the Levites , * Because a great number was not sanctified : and therefore the Levites immolated the phase for them that came not in time to be sanctified to the Lord . * For a great part of the people from Ephraim , and Manasses , and Issachar , and Zabulon , that had not been sanctified , ate the phase otherwise than it is written : and Ezechias prayed for them , saying : The Lord who is good will shew mercy , * To all them , who with their whole heart , seek the Lord the God of their fathers : and will not impute it to them that they are not sanctified . * And the Lord heard him , and was merciful to the people . * And the children of Israel , that were found at Jerusalem , kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great joy , praising the Lord every day : the Levites also , and the priests , with instruments that agreed to their office . * And Ezechias spoke to the heart of all the Levites , that had good understanding concerning the Lord : and they ate during the seven days of the solemnity , immolating victims of peace offerings , and praising the Lord the God of their fathers . * And it pleased the whole multitude to keep other seven days : which they did with great joy . * For Ezechias the king of Juda had given to the multitude a thousand bullocks , and seven thousand sheep : and the princes had given the people a thousand bullocks , and ten thousand sheep : and a great number of priests was sanctified . * And all the multitude of Juda with the priests and Levites , and all the assembly , that came out of Israel ; and the proselytes of the land of Israel , and that dwelt in Juda were full of joy . * And there was a great solemnity in Jerusalem , such as had not been in that city since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel . * And the priests and the Levites rose up and blessed the people : and their voice was heard : and their prayer came to the holy dwelling place of heaven .

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