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2 Chronicles 30

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Hezekiah Invites All Israel to Passover 1–5

1
And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto Jehovah, the God of Israel. ​
2
For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the assembly in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month. ​
3
For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
4
And the thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the assembly.
5
So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem: for they had not kept it in great numbers in such sort as it is written. ​

The Call for Repentance and Unity 6–12

6
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 Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return to the remnant that are escaped of you out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. ​
7
And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, who trespassed against Jehovah, the God of their fathers, so that he gave them up to desolation, as ye see. ​
8
Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were; but yield yourselves unto Jehovah, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever, and serve Jehovah your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you.
9
For if ye turn again unto Jehovah, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that led them captive, and shall come again into this land: for Jehovah your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him. ​
10
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
Nevertheless certain men of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
12
Also upon Judah came the hand of God to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by the word of Jehovah. ​

Preparation and the Passover Sacrifice 13–20

13
And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great assembly.
14
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
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 burnt-offerings into the house of Jehovah. ​
16
And they stood in their place after their order, 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
For there were many in the assembly that had not sanctified themselves: therefore the Levites had the charge of killing the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto Jehovah. ​
18
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 is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, The good Jehovah pardon every one ​
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that setteth his heart to seek God, Jehovah, the God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
20
And Jehovah hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. ​

The Feast of Unleavened Bread Extended 21–27

21
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 Jehovah day by day, singing with loud instruments unto Jehovah.
22
And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that had good understanding in the service of Jehovah. So they did eat throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace-offerings, and making confession to Jehovah, the God of their fathers. ​
23
And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days; and they keptotherseven days with gladness. ​
24
For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the assembly for offerings a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the assembly a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. ​
25
And all the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.
26
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
Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, even unto heaven. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for 2 Chronicles 30

Verse 1

to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel — The letters go to 'all Israel and Judah', and by name to Ephraim and Manasseh, calling them to Jerusalem. The Law sets the Passover at 'the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there' (Deut 16:2), which a Passover at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem honours.

Verse 2

in the second month — The king, his princes and the congregation took counsel to keep the Passover a month late. The Law allows this for any man 'unclean by reason of a dead body, or … in a journey afar off', who keeps it 'the fourteenth day of the second month at even' (Num 9:10–11). The reason given here is in v.3.

Verse 5

from Beersheba even to Dan — Judg 20:1 has the same span the other way round, 'from Dan even to Beersheba', for all Israel gathered as one. The call is to a Passover they 'had not done … of a long time in such sort as it was written'. A Passover like Josiah's is later said to have had no equal since Samuel (2 Chr 35:18).

Verse 6

turn again unto the LORD — The 'posts' (ratsim) are runners. Shub, to turn or return, is used twice: Israel is to turn to the LORD, and he 'will return to the remnant'. Zech 1:3 has the same exchange, 'Turn ye unto me … and I will turn unto you'. The remnant is of those who 'escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria' (2 Kgs 15:19, 29).

Verse 7

be not ye like your fathers — 'Trespassed' is ma'al, the word Hezekiah used of the fathers in 29:6, and 'desolation' is shammah, the 'astonishment' of 29:8. The appeal repeats what Judah has just learned from its own history, 'as ye see'. Zech 1:4 uses the same warning, 'Be ye not as your fathers'.

Verse 9

gracious and merciful — The promise rests on the LORD'S own name, 'merciful and gracious' (Ex 34:6). Captives 'shall find compassion before them that lead them captive', as Solomon asked, 'give them compassion before them who carried them captive' (1 Kgs 8:50). Moses had said that the LORD 'will turn thy captivity' (Deut 30:3).

Verse 10

laughed them to scorn, and mocked them — The runners passed 'from city to city' through Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, and were derided. Judah is later charged with the same, 'they mocked the messengers of God' (2 Chr 36:16). Yet v.11 records that some of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun 'humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem'.

Verse 12

one heart — The 'hand of God' gave Judah a single mind to obey the king and princes 'by the word of the LORD'. It is the gift the LORD promises in Jer 32:39, 'I will give them one heart, and one way', and Paul says God 'worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure' (Phil 2:13).

Verse 14

cast them into the brook Kidron — Ahaz 'made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem' (2 Chr 28:24). The people took these away, with the altars for incense, and threw them into the Kidron as the priests had done with the uncleanness of the temple (2 Chr 29:16). Josiah later breaks down altars through the land (2 Chr 34:7).

Verse 15

were ashamed, and sanctified themselves — The Passover was killed 'on the fourteenth day of the second month', the day set in Num 9:11. The verse says that the priests and Levites were ashamed and then sanctified themselves. Earlier the priests 'had not sanctified themselves sufficiently' (v.3), and the Levites were 'more upright in heart' (2 Chr 29:34).

Verse 17

not sanctified — Many in the congregation were not clean, so the Levites took charge of killing the Passover lambs for them. In Ex 12:6 'the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it'. Josiah's Levites are likewise told 'kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves' (2 Chr 35:6).

Verse 18

the good LORD pardon every one — Many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun ate 'otherwise than it was written'. Hezekiah's prayer, finished in v.19, is for him 'that prepareth his heart to seek God'. Kun, to prepare, is the verb of 29:36, 'God had prepared the people'. 'Pardon' is kaphar, to cover, the verb of atonement.

Verse 20

healed the people — The verb is rapha, to heal. It is the LORD'S own title in Ex 15:26, 'I am the LORD that healeth thee', and the verb of Ps 103:3, 'who healeth all thy diseases'. Here it follows Hezekiah's prayer for those who ate unprepared (vv.18–19): the LORD 'hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people'.

Verse 22

spake comfortably — Literally 'spoke to the heart', the phrase of Isa 40:2, 'Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem', and of Hezekiah's words to the people in 2 Chr 32:6. He speaks it to 'the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD' (compare 2 Chr 17:9). The seven days were kept with peace offerings and 'confession to the LORD God of their fathers'.

Verse 23

other seven days — The feast of unleavened bread was seven days (v.21), and the whole assembly took counsel to keep seven more. Solomon's dedication feast likewise ran 'seven days and seven days, even fourteen days' (1 Kgs 8:65). The fortnight was kept 'with gladness' (simchah), the word of 'great gladness' in v.21.

Verse 24

a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep — Hezekiah gave a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep, and the princes a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep, two thousand bullocks and seventeen thousand sheep in all. Josiah's gift at his Passover was 'thirty thousand' lambs and kids and 'three thousand bullocks' (2 Chr 35:7).

Verse 26

since the time of Solomon — The comparison is with Solomon's feast at the dedication of the temple, after which he 'sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart' (2 Chr 7:10; see 7:8–9). 'Great joy' is simchah gedolah, the same two words as 'great gladness' in v.21.

Verse 27

their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place — The priests 'blessed the people', in the manner of Num 6:23–26. 'Holy dwelling place' is ma'on, the word of Moses' prayer, 'Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel' (Deut 26:15). Solomon asked, 'hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven' (2 Chr 6:21).