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1. King Hezekiah sent messages to all the people of Israel and Judah, and he wrote letters to the people of Ephraim and Manasseh. Hezekiah invited all these people to come to the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem to 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, his officers, and all the people in Jerusalem agreed to celebrate 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 it at the normal time, because not enough priests had made themselves ready to serve the Lord, and the people had not yet 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. This plan satisfied King Hezekiah and all the people.
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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 made an announcement everywhere in Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, telling the people to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover for the Lord, the God of Israel. For a long time most of the people had not celebrated the Passover as the law commanded.
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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. At the king's command, the messengers took letters from him and his officers all through Israel and Judah. This is what the letters said: People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Then God will return to you who are still alive, who 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 ancestors or your relatives. They turned against the Lord, the God of their ancestors, so he caused other people to be disgusted with them. You know 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 willingly. Come to the Temple, which he has made holy forever. Serve the Lord your God so he will not be angry with 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. Come back to the Lord. Then the people who captured your relatives and children will be kind to them and will let them return to this land. The Lord your God is kind and merciful. He will not turn away from you if you return 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 Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the way to Zebulun, but the people laughed at them 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 Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun were sorry for what they had done 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. And God united all the people of Judah in obeying King Hezekiah and his officers, because their command had come from 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. In the second month a large crowd came together in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
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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 removed the altars and incense altars to gods in Jerusalem and 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. They killed the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed, so they made themselves holy and brought burnt offerings into the Temple of the Lord.
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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 the Teachings of Moses, the man of God, commanded. The Levites gave the blood of the sacrifices to the priests, who sprinkled it 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. Since many people in the crowd had not made themselves holy, the Levites killed 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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