The kingdom
Hezekiah Calls a Passover Celebration
King Hezekiah sent messengers throughout all Israel and Judah, calling the people to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem during the second month. Despite mockery from some and ritual impurity among many, a large assembly gathered, and the festival was celebrated for fourteen days with great joy and God's blessing.
2 Chronicles 30,1-27
1Hezekiah sent word to 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 to the LORD, the God of Israel.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יְחִזְקִיָּ֜הוּ עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל וִֽיהוּדָ֗ה וְגַֽם־אִגְּרוֹת֙ כָּתַב֙ עַל־אֶפְרַ֣יִם וּמְנַשֶּׁ֔ה לָב֥וֹא לְבֵית־יְהוָ֖ה בִּֽירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת פֶּ֔סַח לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
2The king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem had decided to keep the Passover in the second month,
וַיִּוָּעַ֨ץ הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ וְשָׂרָ֛יו וְכָל־הַקָּהָ֖ל בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הַפֶּ֖סַח בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃
3since they could not keep it at the proper time: not enough priests had consecrated themselves, and the people had not gathered in Jerusalem.
כִּ֣י לֹ֧א יָכְל֛וּ לַעֲשֹׂת֖וֹ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֑יא כִּ֤י הַכֹּהֲנִים֙ לֹֽא־הִתְקַדְּשׁ֣וּ לְמַדַּ֔י וְהָעָ֖ם לֹא־נֶאֶסְפ֥וּ לִֽירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
4The plan seemed right to the king and to the whole assembly,
וַיִּישַׁ֥ר הַדָּבָ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וּבְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־הַקָּהָֽל׃
5so they resolved to send a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, calling the people to come to Jerusalem and keep the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel; for they had not kept it in great numbers as it is written.
וַיַּֽעֲמִ֣ידוּ דָבָ֗ר לְהַעֲבִ֨יר ק֤וֹל בְּכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִבְּאֵֽר־שֶׁ֣בַע וְעַד־דָּ֔ן לָב֞וֹא לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת פֶּ֛סַח לַיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם כִּ֣י לֹ֥א לָרֹ֛ב עָשׂ֖וּ כַּכָּתֽוּב׃
6So the couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the hand of the king and his officials, and by the king's command they said: "People of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return to the remnant of you who have escaped the hand of the kings of Assyria.
וַיֵּלְכוּ֩ הָרָצִ֨ים בָּֽאִגְּר֜וֹת מִיַּ֧ד הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ וְשָׂרָ֗יו בְּכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וִֽיהוּדָ֔ה וּכְמִצְוַ֥ת הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֵאמֹ֑ר בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל שׁ֚וּבוּ אֶל־יְהוָ֗ה אֱלֹהֵי֙ אַבְרָהָם֙ יִצְחָ֣ק וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְיָשֹׁב֙ אֶל־הַפְּלֵיטָ֔ה הַנִּשְׁאֶ֣רֶת לָכֶ֔ם מִכַּ֖ף מַלְכֵ֥י אַשּֽׁוּר׃
7Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that he made them an object of horror, as you yourselves see.
וְאַל־תִּֽהְי֗וּ כַּאֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ וְכַ֣אֲחֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָעֲל֔וּ בַּיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּתְּנֵ֣ם לְשַׁמָּ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר אַתֶּ֥ם רֹאִֽים׃
8Now do not stiffen your necks as your fathers did. Give your hand to the LORD and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the LORD your God, so that his fierce anger may turn away from you.
עַתָּ֕ה אַל־תַּקְשׁ֥וּ עָרְפְּכֶ֖ם כַּאֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם תְּנוּ־יָ֣ד לַיהוָ֗ה וּבֹ֤אוּ לְמִקְדָּשׁוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִקְדִּ֣ישׁ לְעוֹלָ֔ם וְעִבְדוּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם וְיָשֹׁ֥ב מִכֶּ֖ם חֲר֥וֹן אַפּֽוֹ׃
9For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and will come back to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and he will not turn his face from you if you return to him."
כִּ֣י בְשׁוּבְכֶ֞ם עַל־יְהוָ֗ה אֲחֵיכֶ֨ם וּבְנֵיכֶ֤ם לְרַחֲמִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י שֽׁוֹבֵיהֶ֔ם וְלָשׁ֖וּב לָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את כִּֽי־חַנּ֤וּן וְרַחוּם֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם וְלֹא־יָסִ֤יר פָּנִים֙ מִכֶּ֔ם אִם־תָּשׁ֖וּבוּ אֵלָֽיו׃ פ
10The couriers went from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but the people laughed at them and mocked them.
וַיִּֽהְי֨וּ הָרָצִ֜ים עֹבְרִ֨ים מֵעִ֧יר ׀ לָעִ֛יר בְּאֶֽרֶץ־אֶפְרַ֥יִם וּמְנַשֶּׁ֖ה וְעַד־זְבֻל֑וּן וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ מַשְׂחִיקִ֣ים עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וּמַלְעִגִ֖ים בָּֽם׃
11Yet some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.
אַךְ־אֲנָשִׁ֛ים מֵאָשֵׁ֥ר וּמְנַשֶּׁ֖ה וּמִזְּבֻל֑וּן נִֽכְנְע֔וּ וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ לִירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
12In Judah too the hand of God was at work, giving them one heart to carry out what the king and the officials had commanded by the word of the LORD.
גַּ֣ם בִּיהוּדָ֗ה הָֽיְתָה֙ יַ֣ד הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶ֖ם לֵ֣ב אֶחָ֑ד לַעֲשׂ֞וֹת מִצְוַ֥ת הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וְהַשָּׂרִ֖ים בִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃
13A great crowd gathered in Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month—a very large assembly.
וַיֵּֽאָסְפ֤וּ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ עַם־רָ֔ב לַעֲשׂ֛וֹת אֶת־חַ֥ג הַמַּצּ֖וֹת בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֑י קָהָ֖ל לָרֹ֥ב מְאֹֽד׃
14They set to work and removed the altars in Jerusalem, and they took away all the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.
וַיָּקֻ֕מוּ וַיָּסִ֙ירוּ֙ אֶת־הַֽמִּזְבְּח֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֖ר בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְאֵ֤ת כָּל־הַֽמְקַטְּרוֹת֙ הֵסִ֔ירוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֖יכוּ לְנַ֥חַל קִדְרֽוֹן׃
15They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites, put to shame, consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.
וַיִּשְׁחֲט֣וּ הַפֶּ֔סַח בְּאַרְבָּעָ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֑י וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֨ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֤ם נִכְלְמוּ֙ וַיִּֽתְקַדְּשׁ֔וּ וַיָּבִ֥יאוּ עֹל֖וֹת בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃
16They took their accustomed places as prescribed in the Law of Moses, the man of God, the priests sprinkling the blood they received from the hand of the Levites.
וַיַּֽעַמְד֤וּ עַל־עָמְדָם֙ כְּמִשְׁפָּטָ֔ם כְּתוֹרַ֖ת מֹשֶׁ֣ה אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ זֹרְקִ֣ים אֶת־הַדָּ֔ם מִיַּ֖ד הַלְוִיִּֽם׃
17For many in the assembly had not consecrated themselves; so the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lambs for everyone who was not clean, to consecrate them to the LORD.
כִּי־רַבַּ֥ת בַּקָּהָ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־הִתְקַדָּ֑שׁוּ וְהַלְוִיִּ֞ם עַל־שְׁחִיטַ֣ת הַפְּסָחִ֗ים לְכֹל֙ לֹ֣א טָה֔וֹר לְהַקְדִּ֖ישׁ לַיהוָֽה׃
18For a great many of the people—many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun—had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover contrary to what is written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the LORD, who is good, make atonement for everyone
כִּ֣י מַרְבִּ֣ית הָעָ֡ם רַ֠בַּת מֵֽאֶפְרַ֨יִם וּמְנַשֶּׁ֜ה יִשָּׂשכָ֤ר וּזְבֻלוּן֙ לֹ֣א הִטֶּהָ֔רוּ כִּֽי־אָכְל֥וּ אֶת־הַפֶּ֖סַח בְּלֹ֣א כַכָּת֑וּב כִּי֩ הִתְפַּלֵּ֨ל יְחִזְקִיָּ֤הוּ עֲלֵיהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יְהוָ֥ה הַטּ֖וֹב יְכַפֵּ֥ר בְּעַֽד׃
19who sets his heart to seek God, the LORD, the God of his fathers, even if he is not clean according to the purity of the sanctuary."
כָּל־לְבָב֣וֹ הֵכִ֔ין לִדְר֛וֹשׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀ יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבוֹתָ֑יו וְלֹ֖א כְּטָהֳרַ֥ת הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ ס
20And the LORD listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.
וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע יְהוָה֙ אֶל־יְחִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ וַיִּרְפָּ֖א אֶת־הָעָֽם׃ ס
21The people of Israel who were present in Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great joy, and day after day the Levites and the priests praised the LORD with loud instruments.
וַיַּעֲשׂ֣וּ בְנֵֽי־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל הַנִּמְצְאִ֨ים בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֜ם אֶת־חַ֧ג הַמַּצּ֛וֹת שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים בְּשִׂמְחָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֑ה וּֽמְהַלְלִ֣ים לַ֠יהוָה י֣וֹם ׀ בְּי֞וֹם הַלְוִיִּ֧ם וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים בִּכְלֵי־עֹ֖ז לַיהוָֽה׃ ס
22Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed skill in the service of the LORD. So they ate the festal meal for the seven days, sacrificing fellowship offerings and giving thanks to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְחִזְקִיָּ֗הוּ עַל־לֵב֙ כָּל־הַלְוִיִּ֔ם הַמַּשְׂכִּילִ֥ים שֵֽׂכֶל־ט֖וֹב לַיהוָ֑ה וַיֹּאכְל֤וּ אֶת־הַמּוֹעֵד֙ שִׁבְעַ֣ת הַיָּמִ֔ים מְזַבְּחִים֙ זִבְחֵ֣י שְׁלָמִ֔ים וּמִ֨תְוַדִּ֔ים לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ ס
23Then the whole assembly agreed to keep the feast another seven days, and they kept those seven days with joy.
וַיִּוָּֽעֲצוּ֙ כָּל־הַקָּהָ֔ל לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ שִׁבְעַת־יָמִ֖ים שִׂמְחָֽה׃
24For Hezekiah king of Judah contributed a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep to the assembly, and the officials contributed a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep. And a great number of priests consecrated themselves.
כִּ֣י חִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְ֠הוּדָה הֵרִ֨ים לַקָּהָ֜ל אֶ֣לֶף פָּרִים֮ וְשִׁבְעַ֣ת אֲלָפִ֣ים צֹאן֒ ס וְהַשָּׂרִ֞ים הֵרִ֤ימוּ לַקָּהָל֙ פָּרִ֣ים אֶ֔לֶף וְצֹ֖אן עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת אֲלָפִ֑ים וַיִּֽתְקַדְּשׁ֥וּ כֹהֲנִ֖ים לָרֹֽב׃
25The whole assembly of Judah rejoiced, along with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly that had come from Israel, and the foreigners who had come from the land of Israel or lived in Judah.
וַֽיִּשְׂמְח֣וּ ׀ כָּל־קְהַ֣ל יְהוּדָ֗ה וְהַכֹּהֲנִים֙ וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם וְכָל־הַקָּהָ֖ל הַבָּאִ֣ים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהַגֵּרִ֗ים הַבָּאִים֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְהַיּוֹשְׁבִ֖ים בִּיהוּדָֽה׃
26There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David, king of Israel, there had been nothing like it in Jerusalem.
וַתְּהִ֥י שִׂמְחָֽה־גְדוֹלָ֖ה בִּֽירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם כִּ֠י מִימֵ֞י שְׁלֹמֹ֤ה בֶן־דָּוִיד֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א כָזֹ֖את בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ ס
27Then the priests and the Levites stood and blessed the people, and their voice was heard; their prayer came to his holy dwelling place, to heaven.
וַיָּקֻ֜מוּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֤ים הַלְוִיִּם֙ וַיְבָרֲכ֣וּ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וַיִּשָּׁמַ֖ע בְּקוֹלָ֑ם וַתָּב֧וֹא תְפִלָּתָ֛ם לִמְע֥וֹן קָדְשׁ֖וֹ לַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ פ