Holy Bible
(King James Version)
Second
Chronicles: Chapter 30
1. AND
Hez-e-ki-ah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to E-phra-im
and Ma-nas-seh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at
Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.
2. For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the
congregation 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 sufficiently, neither had the people gathered
themselves together to Jerusalem.
4. And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.
5. So they established a decree to make a proclamation throughout all
Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the
passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done
it of a long time in such sort as it was written.
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 the LORD God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you,
that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
7. And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which
trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave
them up to desolation, as ye see.
8. Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves
unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified
for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath
may turn away from you.
9. For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children
shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they
shall come again into this land: for the LORD 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 E-phra-im
and Ma-nas-seh even unto Ze-bu-lun: but they laughed them to scorn, and
mocked them.
11. Nevertheless divers of Asher and Ma-nas-seh and of Ze-bu-lun humbled
themselves, and came to Jerusalem.
12. Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the
commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.
13. And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of
unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
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 in the burnt offerings into the house of the
LORD.
16. And they stood in their place after their manner, 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 congregation that were not sanctified:
therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for
every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.
18. For a multitude of the people, even many of the E-phra-im, and Ma-nas-seh,
Is-sa-char, and Ze-bu-lun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat
the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hez-e-ki-ah prayed
for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one.
19. That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers,
though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the
sanctuary.
20. And the LORD hearkened to Hez-e-ki-ah, and healed the people.
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 the LORD day by day, singing with loud
instruments unto the LORD.
22. And Hez-e-ki-ah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught
the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast
seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD
God of their fathers.
23. And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and
they kept other seven days with gladness.
24. For Hez-e-ki-ah king of Judah did give 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 great
number of priests sanctified themselves.
25. And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites,
and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers 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 dwelling place,
even unto heaven.
June 8 Daily reading schedule.. go
to chapter 31
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Art by: Penny Parker. Visit her site HERE
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