Hezekiah Proclaims a Passover
Then Hezekiah sent word throughout all Israel and Judah, and he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh inviting them to come to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem to keep the Passover of the LORD, the God of Israel. 1Co 5:7-82Ch 11:132Ch 11:162Ch 25:72Ch 30:10-112Ch 35:6Deu 16:2-6Exo 12:3-20 For the king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem had decided to keep the Passover in the second month, 1 Num 9:10-111Ch 13:1-32Ch 30:132Ch 30:15Ecc 4:13Pro 11:14Pro 15:22 since they had been unable to observe it at the regular time, because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not been gathered in Jerusalem. 2Ch 29:34Exo 12:18Exo 12:62Ch 29:17
This proposal pleased the king and the whole assembly. 1Ch 13:4 So they established a decree to circulate a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come to keep the Passover of the LORD, the God of Israel, in Jerusalem. For they had not observed it as a nation as prescribed. Jdg 20:11Co 11:22Ch 24:92Ch 35:182Ch 36:22Dan 4:1-33Dan 6:8Deu 12:32
So the couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his officials, which read: Jer 51:312Ki 15:192Ki 15:29Est 8:14Jer 4:11Ch 5:262Ch 28:20Isa 55:6-7
“Children of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that He may return to those of you who remain, who have escaped the grasp of the kings of Assyria. Do not be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that He made them an object of horror, as you can see. 2Ch 29:8Ezk 20:13-18Zec 1:3-4
Now do not stiffen your necks as your fathers did. Submit to the LORD and come to His sanctuary, which He has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that His fierce anger will turn away from you. 2Ch 29:10Exo 32:9Deu 10:161Ch 29:242Ch 28:112Ch 28:132Ch 36:132Ki 23:26 For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and sons will receive mercy in the presence of their captors and will return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful; He will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.” Isa 55:7Mic 7:18Psa 86:5Psa 106:46Deu 30:2-41Ki 8:50Exo 34:6-7Neh 9:17
And the couriers traveled from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun; but the people scorned and mocked them. 2Ch 36:162Ch 30:6Act 17:32Est 3:13Est 3:15Est 8:10Est 8:14Gen 19:14 Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 2Ch 30:182Ch 30:212Ch 30:251Pe 5:62Ch 11:162Ch 12:122Ch 12:6-72Ch 33:12 Moreover, the power of God was on the people in Judah to give them one heart to obey the command of the king and his officials according to the word of the LORD. Jer 32:39Jer 24:7Php 2:13Psa 110:32Th 2:13-142Ch 29:252Ch 29:36Deu 4:5-6
Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover
In the second month, a very great assembly gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 2 2Ch 30:2Psa 84:7 They proceeded to remove the altars in Jerusalem and to take away the incense altars and throw them into the Kidron Valley. 2Ch 28:242Ch 15:162Ch 29:162Sa 15:232Ch 34:42Ch 34:72Ki 18:222Ki 23:12-13 And on the fourteenth day of the second month they slaughtered the Passover lamb. The priests and Levites were ashamed, and they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the LORD. 2Ch 29:342Ch 29:152Ch 30:242Ch 31:182Ch 5:11Exo 19:10Exo 19:22Ezk 16:61-63
They stood at their prescribed posts, according to the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests sprinkled the blood, which they received from the hand of the Levites. 2Ch 35:15Deu 33:12Ch 35:10-112Ki 11:14Heb 11:28Lev 1:5 Since there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves, the Levites were in charge of slaughtering the Passover lambs for every unclean person to consecrate the lambs to the LORD. 2Ch 29:342Ch 35:3-6Exo 12:6
A large number of the people—many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun—had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah interceded for them, saying, “May the LORD, who is good, provide atonement for everyone 1Co 11:28Jas 5:15-162Ch 6:21Dan 9:19Num 9:10-142Ch 30:112Ch 30:25Exo 12:43-51 who sets his heart on seeking God—the LORD, the God of his fathers—even if he is not cleansed according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” 2Ch 19:3Pro 23:26Job 11:13Psa 10:171Ch 29:182Ch 20:33Ezr 7:101Sa 7:3
And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people. Exo 15:26Jas 5:15-16Psa 103:3 The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and priests praised the LORD day after day, accompanied by loud instruments of praise to the LORD. 3 Exo 12:15Exo 13:61Co 5:7-82Ch 20:212Ch 29:25-272Ch 30:262Ch 7:10Act 2:46 And Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who performed skillfully before the LORD. For seven days they ate their assigned portion, sacrificing fellowship offerings and giving thanks to the LORD, the God of their fathers. 2Ch 32:6Neh 9:3Ezr 10:11Isa 40:1-22Ch 15:32Ch 17:92Ch 35:32Co 4:6
The whole assembly agreed to observe seven more days, so they observed seven days with joy. 1Ki 8:652Ch 7:9 For Hezekiah king of Judah contributed a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep for the assembly, and the officials contributed a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep for the assembly, and a great number of priests consecrated themselves. 2Ch 29:342Ch 35:7-81Ch 29:3-92Ch 30:3Eph 4:8Ezk 45:17
Then the whole assembly of Judah rejoiced along with the priests and Levites and the whole assembly that had come from Israel, including the foreigners who had come from Israel and those who lived in Judah. 2Ch 30:112Ch 30:181Ch 16:10-11Exo 12:43-49Psa 104:34Psa 92:4 So there was great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for nothing like this had happened there since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel. 2Ch 7:8-10
Then the priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard their voice, and their prayer came into His holy dwelling place in heaven. Deu 26:15Psa 68:52Ch 23:18Act 10:4Deu 10:8Isa 57:151Ki 8:301Ki 8:39