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Chapter 30
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1
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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. |
2
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For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and
all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover
in the second month. |
3
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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
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And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation. |
5
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun
humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem. |
12
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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
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And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep
the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a
very great congregation. |
14
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the
people. |
21
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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
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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
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And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven
days: and they kept other seven days with gladness. |
24
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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
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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
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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
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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. |
