Hezekiah Proclaims a Passover

1And Hezekia sent to all Israel and Iuda, and wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasse, that they shoulde come to the house of the lorde at Hierusalem, and offer passouer vnto the Lorde God of Israel. 2And the king helde a counsell with his lordes, and all the congregation of Hierusalem, to kepe the feast of passouer in the second moneth: 3For they coulde not kepe it at that time, because the priestes were not sanctified sufficiently, neither was the people gathered together to Hierusalem. 4And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation. 5And they decreed that it shoulde be proclaymed throughout all Israel from Beerseba to Dan, that they shoulde come & holde the feast of Passouer vnto the Lord God of Israel at Hierusalem: For they had not done it of a great season, as it was written. 6So the postes went with letters of the king and of his lordes throughout all Israel & Iuda, and at the commaundement of the king they sayde: Ye children of Israel, turne againe vnto the Lorde God of Abraham, Isahac, and Israel, and he wyll returne to the remnaunt that are escaped of you out of the hande of the kinges of the Assyrians. 7And be not ye lyke your fathers and your brethren, which trespassed against the Lorde God of their fathers, which gaue them vp to be destroyed, as ye see. 8And now be not ye stiffe necked lyke as were your fathers: but yeelde your selues vnto the Lord, and enter into his holy place which he hath sanctified for euer, and serue the Lord your God, and the fiercenesse of his wrath shall turne away from you. 9For if ye turne againe vnto the Lorde, then shall your brethren and your children finde compassion in the presence of them that toke them captiue, and they shall come againe vnto this lande: For the Lorde your God is gratious and mercifull, and wyll not turne away his face from you, if ye conuert vnto him.

10And so the postes went from citie to citie in the lande of Ephraim & Manasse, euen vnto Zabulon: but they laughed them to scorne, and mocked them. 11Neuerthelesse, yet diuers of Aser, Manasse, and of Zabulon, submitted them selues, and came to Hierusalem. 12And the hande of God was in Iuda, and he gaue them one heart to do the commmaundement of the king and of the rulers, according to the worde of the Lorde.

Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover

13And there assembled to Hierusalem much people, and there was present a mightie great congregation, to hold the feast of sweete bread in the second moneth. 14And they arose, and remoued the aulters that were in Hierusalem: And all the aulters for incense did they away, and cast them into the brooke Cedron. 15And they slue Passouer the foureteenth day of the second moneth: And the priestes and Leuites which were ashamed, sanctified them selues, and brought in the burnt offringes into the house of the Lorde. 16And they stoode in their office after their maner and according to the lawe of Moyses the man of God: And the priestes sprinckled the blood, which they receaued of the hande of the Leuites. 17For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified, and therefore the Leuites had the charge of the killing of the Passouer for euery one that was not cleane, to sanctifie him vnto the Lorde. 18For many of the people, and very many out of Ephraim, Manasse, Isachar, and Zabulon, were not clensed, and yet did eate Passour against the lawe appoynted: but Hezekia prayed for them, saying, The good Lorde be mercifull toward euery one 19That prepareth his heart to seeke the Lorde God, the God of his fathers: though he be not clensed accordyng to the purification of the sanctuarie. 20And the Lorde heard Hezekia, and healed the people. 21And the children of Israel that were present at Hierusalem, held the feast of sweete bread seuen dayes, with great gladnes: and the Leuites & the priestes praysed the Lorde day by day, singing with loude instrumentes vnto the lord. 22And Hezekia spake comfortablie vnto all the Leuites that had good knowledge to sing vnto the Lorde: and they did eate throughout that feast seuen dayes long, and offered peace offringes, and thanked the Lorde God of their fathers.

23And the whole assemblie toke counsel to do so other seuen dayes: & they helde those seuen dayes with gladnesse: 24For Hezekia king of Iuda, did geue to the congregation a thousand young oxen, and seuen thousand sheepe: And the lordes gaue out to the congregation a thousand oxen, & ten thousand sheepe, and a great number of the priestes were sanctified. 25And all the congregation of Iuda, with the priestes & Leuites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, & the straungers that came out of the lande of Israel, & that dwelt in Iuda, reioyced. 26And there was great gladnesse in Hierusalem: For since the time of Solomon the sonne of Dauid king of Israel, there was no such ioy in Hierusalem. 27And the priestes and the Leuites arose, and blessed the people: and their voyce was heard of the Lorde, and their prayer came vp vnto heauen his holy dwelling place.