2 Chronicles30
New International Version
1Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel.
2The king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month.
3They had not been able to celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem.
4The plan seemed right both to the king and to the whole assembly.
5They decided to send a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, calling the people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. It had not been celebrated in large numbers according to what was written.
6At the king’s command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read: “People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.
7Do not be like your parents and your fellow Israelites, who were unfaithful to the Lord, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see.
8Do not be stiff-necked, as your ancestors were; submit to the Lord. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you.
9If you return to the Lord, then your fellow Israelites and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will return to this land, for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”
10The couriers went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, but people scorned and ridiculed them.
11Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem.
12Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the Lord.
13A very large crowd of people assembled in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month.
14They removed the altars in Jerusalem and cleared away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.
15They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the temple of the Lord.
16Then they took up their regular positions as prescribed in the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests splashed against the altar the blood handed to them by the Levites.
17Since many in the crowd had not consecrated themselves, the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all those who were not ceremonially clean and could not consecrate their lambs to the Lord.
18Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone
19who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.”
20And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.
21The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests praised the Lord every day with resounding instruments dedicated to the Lord.
22Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the Lord. For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised the Lord, the God of their ancestors.
23The whole assembly then agreed to celebrate the festival seven more days; so for another seven days they celebrated joyfully.
24Hezekiah king of Judah provided a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep and goats for the assembly, and the officials provided them with a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep and goats. A great number of priests consecrated themselves.
25The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, along with the priests and Levites and all who had assembled from Israel, including the foreigners who had come from Israel and also those who resided in Judah.
26There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.
27The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 2 Chronicles 30.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Hezekiah's passover. (1–12). The passover celebrated. (13–20). The feast of unleavened bread. (21–27).
vv1-12
Hezekiah made Israel as welcome to the passover, as any of his own subjects. Let us yield ourselves unto the Lord. Say not, you will do what you please, but resolve to do what he pleases. We perceive in the carnal mind a stiffness, an obstinacy, an unaptness to compel with God; we have it from our fathers: this must be overcome. Those who, through grace, have turned to God themselves, should do all they can to bring others to him. Numbers will be scorners, but some will be humbled and benefited; perhaps where least expected. The rich mercy of God is the great argument by which to enforce repentance; the vilest who submit and yield themselves to the Lord, seek his grace, and give themselves to his service, shall certainly be saved. Oh that messengers were sent forth to carry these glad tidings to every city and every village, through every land!
vv13-20
The great thing needful in attendance upon God in solemn ordinances, is, that we make heart-work of it; all is nothing without this. Where this sincerity and fixedness of heart are, there may yet be many things short of the purification of the sanctuary. These defects need pardoning, healing grace; for omissions in duty are sins, as well as omissions of duty. If God should deal with us in strict justice, even as to the very best of our doings, we should be undone. The way to obtain pardon, is to seek it of God by prayer; it must be gotten by petition through the blood of Christ. Yet every defect is sin, and needs forgiveness; and should be matter to humble, but not to discourage us, though nothing can make up for the want of a heart prepared to seek the Lord.
vv21-27
Many prayers were put up to God with the peace-offerings. In these Israel looked to God as the God of their fathers, a God in covenant with them. There was also abundance of good preaching. The Levites read and explained the Scriptures. Faith cometh by hearing, and true religion preaching has abounded. They sang psalms every day: praising God should be much of our work in religious assemblies. Having kept the seven days of the feast in this religious manner, they had so much comfort in it, that they kept other seven days also. This they did with gladness. Holy duties should be done with holy gladness. And when sinners humble themselves before the Lord, they may expect gladness in his ordinances. Those who taste this happiness will not soon grow weary of it, but will be glad to prolong their enjoyment.
Key Words
יְחִזְקִיָּה: Jechizkijah, the name of five Israelites
שָׁלַח: to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
יְהוּדָה: Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
כָּתַב: to grave, by implication, to write (describe, inscribe, prescribe, subscribe)
אִגֶּרֶת: an epistle
גַּם: properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
אֶפְרַיִם: Ephrajim, a son of Joseph; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory
מְנַשֶּׁה: Menashsheh, a grandson of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and its territory
Cross References
2 Chronicles 30Allows a second-month Passover in cases of ceremonial uncleanness or being on a journey.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Explicit biblical provision for celebrating the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Shows the previous shortage of sanctified priests, causing the delay to the second month.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Details the Assyrian captivity under Tiglath-pileser, leaving the 'remnant' Hezekiah addresses.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The invasion of Pul, king of Assyria, beginning the depletion of the northern tribes.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Hebrew idiom 'yield' (literally 'give the hand') signifying submission and covenant loyalty.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Another historical usage of 'giving the hand' as a pledge of covenant submission.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The idolatrous altars Ahaz had erected, which the people now destroy before the feast.
Supported by JFB
Precedent for members of Ephraim and Manasseh falling to Judah when they saw God was with them.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies Moses by the title 'man of God', matching the wording in verse 16.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Connects the humble individuals of the northern tribes with those who ate without full cleansing.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the concept of preparing the heart to seek God despite ritual shortcomings.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The original Law of Moses specifying the fourteenth day of the first month.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Hoshea's milder character allowed northern subjects religious liberty to attend Hezekiah's feast.
Supported by JFB
Shows similar Passover administration under Josiah, with priests and Levites in their places.
Supported by JFB