2 Chronicles30
New King James Version
1And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel.
2For the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second month.
3For they could not keep it at the regular time, because a sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem.
4And the matter pleased the king and all the assembly.
5So they resolved to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem, since they had not done it for a long time in the prescribed manner.
6Then the runners went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the king and his leaders, and spoke according to the command of the king: “Children of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; then He will return to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.
7And do not be like your fathers and your brethren, who trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, so that He gave them up to desolation, as you see.
8Now do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord; and enter His sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you.
9For if you return to the Lord, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.”
10So the runners passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun; but they laughed at them and mocked them.
11Nevertheless some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.
12Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, at the word of the Lord.
13Now many people, a very great assembly, gathered at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month.
14They arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and they took away all the incense altars and cast them into the Brook Kidron.
15Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought the burnt offerings to the house of the Lord.
16They stood in their place according to their custom, according to the Law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood received from the hand of the Levites.
17For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves; therefore the Levites had charge of the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to the Lord.
18For a multitude of the people, many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord provide atonement for everyone
19who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.”
20And the Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.
21So the children of Israel who 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 to the Lord, accompanied by loud instruments.
22And Hezekiah gave encouragement to all the Levites who taught the good knowledge of the Lord; and they ate throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers.
23Then the whole assembly agreed to keep the feast another seven days, and they kept it another seven days with gladness.
24For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep, and the leaders gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.
25The whole assembly of Judah rejoiced, also the priests and Levites, all the assembly that came from Israel, the sojourners who came from the land of Israel, and those who dwelt in Judah.
26So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.
27Then the priests, the Levites, arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard; and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, to heaven.
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