¶ And Hezekiah sent to all Israel¹ and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim² and Manasseh, that they should come to the house³ of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep⁴ the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.

For the king⁵ had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month⁶.

For they could not keep it at that time⁷, because⁸ the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

And the thing pleased the king⁹ and all the congregation.

So they established¹⁰ a decree to make proclamation¹¹ throughout all Israel, from Beersheba¹² even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they¹³ had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.

So the posts went¹⁴ with the letters from the king¹⁵ and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will¹⁶ return to the remnant of you, that are escaped¹⁷ out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

And be not ye like¹⁸ your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as¹⁹ ye see.

Now be ye not stiffnecked²⁰, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves²¹ unto the LORD, and enter into²² his sanctuary, which he hath²³ sanctified for ever: and serve²⁴ the LORD your God, that the fierceness²⁵ of his wrath may turn away from you.

For if ye turn²⁶ again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall²⁷ come again into this land: for the LORD²⁸ your God is gracious and merciful, and will not²⁹ turn away³⁰ his face from you, if ye return unto him.

¶ So the posts³¹ passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed³² them to scorn, and mocked them.

Nevertheless divers of Asher³³ and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves,³⁴ and came to Jerusalem.

Also in Judah the hand of God³⁵ was to give them one heart to do the commandment³⁶ of the king and of the princes, by the word³⁷ of the LORD.

¶ And there assembled³⁸ at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month³⁹, a very great congregation.

And they arose and took away the altars⁴⁰ that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook⁴¹ Kidron.

Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed⁴³, and sanctified⁴⁴ themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.

And they stood⁴⁵ in their place⁴⁶ after their manner, according to the law of Moses⁴⁷ the man of God: the priests⁴⁸ sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.

For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites⁴⁹ had the charge of the killing⁵⁰ of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.

For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim⁵¹, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed⁵² themselves, yet did they eat the passover⁵³ otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed⁵⁴ for them, saying, The good⁵⁵ LORD pardon every one

That prepareth⁵⁶ his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not⁵⁷ cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

¶ And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed⁵⁸ the people.

¶ And the children of Israel that were present⁵⁹ at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness⁶⁰: and the Levites and the priests⁶¹ praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments⁶² unto the LORD.

And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all⁶³ the Levites that taught⁶⁴ the good⁶⁵ knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making⁶⁶ confession to the LORD God of their fathers.

And the whole assembly took counsel⁶⁷ to keep⁶⁸ other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.

For Hezekiah king of Judah did give⁶⁹ to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great⁷⁰ number of priests sanctified themselves.

And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers⁷¹ that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced⁷².

So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time⁷³ of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.

Then the priests⁷⁴ the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer⁷⁵ came up to his holy dwelling place⁷⁶, even unto heaven.