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1. King Hezekiah sent messages to all the people of Israel and Judah. He wrote letters to the people of Ephraim and Manasseh also. He invited all these people to come to the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem so that they all could celebrate the Passover for the Lord, the God of Israel.
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1. And Hezekiah H3169 sent H7971 to H5921 all H3605 Israel H3478 and Judah H3063 , and wrote H3789 letters H107 also H1571 to H5921 Ephraim H669 and Manasseh H4519 , that they should come H935 to the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 at Jerusalem H3389 , to keep H6213 the passover H6453 unto the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 .
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2. King Hezekiah agreed with all his officials and all the assembly in Jerusalem to have the Passover in the second month.
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2. For the king H4428 had taken counsel H3289 , and his princes H8269 , and all H3605 the congregation H6951 in Jerusalem H3389 , to keep H6213 the passover H6453 in the second H8145 month H2320 .
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3. They could not celebrate the Passover Festival at the regular time, because not enough priests had made themselves ready for holy service and the people had not gathered in Jerusalem.
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3. For H3588 they could H3201 not H3808 keep H6213 it at that H1931 time H6256 , because H3588 the priests H3548 had not H3808 sanctified themselves H6942 sufficiently H4078 , neither H3808 had the people H5971 gathered themselves together H622 to Jerusalem H3389 .
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4. The agreement satisfied King Hezekiah and all the assembly.
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4. And the thing H1697 pleased H3474 H5869 the king H4428 and all H3605 the congregation H6951 .
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5. So they sent the announcement throughout Israel, from the town of Beersheba all the way to the town of Dan. They told the people to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover for the Lord, the God of Israel. Not many people had been celebrating it as it was described in the law.
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5. So they established H5975 a decree H1697 to make proclamation H5674 H6963 throughout all H3605 Israel H3478 , from Beer H4480 H884 -sheba even to H5704 Dan H1835 , that they should come H935 to keep H6213 the passover H6453 unto the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 at Jerusalem H3389 : for H3588 they had not H3808 done H6213 it of a long H7230 time in such sort as it was written H3789 .
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6. So the messengers took the king's letters all through Israel and Judah. This is what the letters said: "Children of Israel, turn back to the Lord God that Abraham, Isaac, and Israel obeyed. Then God will come back to you who are still alive and have escaped from the kings of Assyria.
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6. So the posts H7323 went H1980 with the letters H107 from H4480 H3027 the king H4428 and his princes H8269 throughout all H3605 Israel H3478 and Judah H3063 , and according to the commandment H4687 of the king H4428 , saying H559 , Ye children H1121 of Israel H3478 , turn again H7725 unto H413 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Abraham H85 , Isaac H3327 , and Israel H3478 , and he will return H7725 to H413 the remnant H7604 of you , that are escaped H6413 out of the hand H4480 H3709 of the kings H4428 of Assyria H804 .
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7. Don't be like your fathers or your brothers. The Lord was their God, but they turned against him. So the Lord made people hate them and speak evil about them. You can see with your own eyes that this is true.
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7. And be H1961 not H408 ye like your fathers H1 , and like your brethren H251 , which H834 trespassed H4603 against the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers H1 , who therefore gave them up H5414 to desolation H8047 , as H834 ye H859 see H7200 .
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8. Don't be stubborn as your ancestors were. But obey the Lord with a willing heart. Come to the Temple. The Lord has made the Temple to be holy forever. Serve the Lord your God. Then the Lord's fearful anger will turn away from you.
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8. Now H6258 be ye not stiffnecked H408 H7185 H6203 , as your fathers H1 were, but yield H5414 H3027 yourselves unto the LORD H3068 , and enter H935 into his sanctuary H4720 , which H834 he hath sanctified H6942 forever H5769 : and serve H5647 H853 the LORD H3068 your God H430 , that the fierceness H2740 of his wrath H639 may turn away H7725 from H4480 you.
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9. If you come back and obey the Lord, your relatives and your children will find mercy from the people who captured them. And your relatives and your children will come back to this land. The Lord your God is kind and merciful. He will not turn away from you if you come back to him."
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9. For H3588 if ye turn again H7725 unto H5921 the LORD H3068 , your brethren H251 and your children H1121 shall find compassion H7356 before H6440 them that lead them captive H7617 , so that they shall come again H7725 into this H2063 land H776 : for H3588 the LORD H3068 your God H430 is gracious H2587 and merciful H7349 , and will not H3808 turn away H5493 his face H6440 from H4480 you, if H518 ye return H7725 unto H413 him.
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10. The messengers went to every town in the area of Ephraim and Manasseh. They went all the way to the area of Zebulun, but the people laughed at the messengers and made fun of them.
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10. So the posts H7323 passed H1961 H5674 from city H4480 H5892 to city H5892 through the country H776 of Ephraim H669 and Manasseh H4519 even unto H5704 Zebulun H2074 : but they laughed them to scorn H1961 H7832 H5921 , and mocked H3932 them.
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11. But, some men from the areas of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem.
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11. Nevertheless H389 divers H376 of Asher H4480 H836 and Manasseh H4519 and of Zebulun H4480 H2074 humbled themselves H3665 , and came H935 to Jerusalem H3389 .
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12. Also, in Judah God's power united the people so that they would obey the king and his officials concerning the word of the Lord.
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12. Also H1571 in Judah H3063 the hand H3027 of God H430 was H1961 to give H5414 them one H259 heart H3820 to do H6213 the commandment H4687 of the king H4428 and of the princes H8269 , by the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 .
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13. Many people came together in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. It was a very large crowd.
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13. And there assembled H622 at Jerusalem H3389 much H7227 people H5971 to keep H6213 H853 the feast H2282 of unleavened bread H4682 in the second H8145 month H2320 , a very H3966 great H7230 congregation H6951 .
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14. The people took away the altars in Jerusalem that were for false gods and all the incense altars that were for false gods. They threw them into the Kidron Valley.
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14. And they arose H6965 and took away H5493 H853 the altars H4196 that H834 were in Jerusalem H3389 , and all H3605 the altars for incense H6999 took they away H5493 , and cast H7993 them into the brook H5158 Kidron H6939 .
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15. Then they killed the Passover lamb on the 14 day of the second month. The priests and the Levites felt ashamed. They made themselves ready for holy service. The priests and the Levites brought burnt offerings into the Lord's Temple.
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15. Then they killed H7819 the passover H6453 on the fourteenth H702 H6240 day of the second H8145 month H2320 : and the priests H3548 and the Levites H3881 were ashamed H3637 , and sanctified themselves H6942 , and brought in H935 the burnt offerings H5930 into the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 .
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16. They took their regular places in the Temple as described in the Law of Moses, the man of God. The Levites gave the blood to the priests. Then the priests sprinkled the blood on the altar.
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16. And they stood H5975 in H5921 their place H5977 after their manner H4941 , according to the law H8451 of Moses H4872 the man H376 of God H430 : the priests H3548 sprinkled H2236 H853 the blood H1818 , which they received of the hand H4480 H3027 of the Levites H3881 .
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17. There were many people in the group who had not made themselves ready for holy service, so they were not permitted to kill the Passover lambs. That is why the Levites were responsible for killing the Passover lambs for everyone who was not clean. The Levites made each lamb holy for the Lord.
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17. For H3588 there were many H7227 in the congregation H6951 that H834 were not H3808 sanctified H6942 : therefore the Levites H3881 had the charge of H5921 the killing H7821 of the passovers H6453 for every one H3605 that was not H3808 clean H2889 , to sanctify H6942 them unto the LORD H3068 .
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18. Many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not prepared themselves in the right way for the Passover Festival. They did not celebrate the Passover the right way, as the Law of Moses says. But Hezekiah prayed for the people. So he said this prayer, "Lord God, you are good. These people sincerely wanted to worship you in the right way, but they did not make themselves clean as the law says. Please forgive these people. You are the God that our ancestors obeyed. Forgive, even if someone did not make himself clean as the rules of the Most Holy Place say."
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18. For H3588 a multitude H4768 of the people H5971 , even many H7227 of Ephraim H4480 H669 , and Manasseh H4519 , Issachar H3485 , and Zebulun H2074 , had not H3808 cleansed themselves H2891 , yet H3588 did they eat H398 H853 the passover H6453 otherwise H3808 than it was written H3789 . But H3588 Hezekiah H3169 prayed H6419 for H5921 them, saying H559 , The good H2896 LORD H3068 pardon H3722 every one H1157
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19. That prepareth H3559 his heart H3824 to seek H1875 God H430 , the LORD H3068 God H430 of his fathers H1 , though he be not H3808 cleansed according to the purification H2893 of the sanctuary H6944 .
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20. The Lord listened to King Hezekiah's prayer and forgave the people.
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20. And the LORD H3068 hearkened H8085 to H413 Hezekiah H3169 , and healed H7495 H853 the people H5971 .
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21. The children of Israel at Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. They were very happy. The Levites and the priests gave praise to the Lord every day with all their strength.
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21. And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 that were present H4672 at Jerusalem H3389 kept H6213 H853 the feast H2282 of unleavened bread H4682 seven H7651 days H3117 with great H1419 gladness H8057 : and the Levites H3881 and the priests H3548 praised H1984 the LORD H3068 day H3117 by day H3117 , singing with loud H5797 instruments H3627 unto the LORD H3068 .
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22. King Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who understood very well how to do the service of the Lord. The people celebrated the festival for seven days and offered fellowship offerings. They gave thanks and praise to the Lord God of their ancestors.
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22. And Hezekiah H3169 spoke H1696 comfortably H5921 H3820 unto all H3605 the Levites H3881 that taught H7919 the good H2896 knowledge H7922 of the LORD H3068 : and they did eat H398 throughout H854 the feast H4150 seven H7651 days H3117 , offering H2076 peace H8002 offerings H2077 , and making confession H3034 to the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers H1 .
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23. All the people agreed to stay seven more days. They were joyful as they celebrated the Passover for seven more days.
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23. And the whole H3605 assembly H6951 took counsel H3289 to keep H6213 other H312 seven H7651 days H3117 : and they kept H6213 other seven H7651 days H3117 with gladness H8057 .
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24. King Hezekiah of Judah gave 1000 bulls and 7000 sheep to the assembly to kill and eat. The leaders gave 1000 bulls and 10,000 sheep to the assembly. Many priests prepared themselves for holy service.
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24. For H3588 Hezekiah H2396 king H4428 of Judah H3063 did give H7311 to the congregation H6951 a thousand H505 bullocks H6499 and seven H7651 thousand H505 sheep H6629 ; and the princes H8269 gave H7311 to the congregation H6951 a thousand H505 bullocks H6499 and ten H6235 thousand H505 sheep H6629 : and a great number H7230 of priests H3548 sanctified themselves H6942 .
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25. All the assembly of Judah, the priests, the Levites, all the assembly who came from Israel, and the travelers who came from Israel and moved to Judah�all these people were very happy.
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25. And all H3605 the congregation H6951 of Judah H3063 , with the priests H3548 and the Levites H3881 , and all H3605 the congregation H6951 that came H935 out of Israel H4480 H3478 , and the strangers H1616 that came H935 out of the land H4480 H776 of Israel H3478 , and that dwelt H3427 in Judah H3063 , rejoiced H8055 .
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26. So there was much joy in Jerusalem. There had not been a celebration like this since the time of Solomon son of King David of Israel.
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26. So there was H1961 great H1419 joy H8057 in Jerusalem H3389 : for H3588 since the time H4480 H3117 of Solomon H8010 the son H1121 of David H1732 king H4428 of Israel H3478 there was not H3808 the like H2063 in Jerusalem H3389 .
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27. The priests and the Levites stood up and asked the Lord to bless the people. God heard them. Their prayer came up to the Lord's holy home in heaven.
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27. Then the priests H3548 the Levites H3881 arose H6965 and blessed H1288 H853 the people H5971 : and their voice H6963 was heard H8085 , and their prayer H8605 came H935 up to his holy H6944 dwelling place H4583 , even unto heaven H8064 .
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