DIBREY HA’YAMIM 2-30

1 And Ḥizqiyahu sent to all Yisra’ĕl and Yahuḏah, and he also wrote letters to Ephrayim and Menashsheh, to come to the House of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 at Yerushalayim, to perform the Pesaḥ to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of Yisra’ĕl.

2 But the sovereign and his leaders and all the assembly in Yerushalayim had taken counsel to perform the Pesaḥ in the second month.

3 For they were unable to perform it at its time, because not enough kohenim had qadosh themselves, and the people had not gathered at Yerushalayim.

4 And the matter was right in the eyes of the sovereign and in the eyes of all the assembly.

5 And they settled the matter, to send a call to all Yisra’ĕl, from Be’ĕrsheḇa to Dan, to come to perform a Pesaḥ to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of Yisra’ĕl at Yerushalayim, since they had not done it for a long time, as it is written.

6 And the runners went to all Yisra’ĕl and Yahuḏah with the letters from the sovereign and his leaders, and spoke according to the command of the sovereign, “Children of Yisra’ĕl, turn back to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of Aḇraham, Yitsḥaq, and Yisra’ĕl, so that He returns to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the sovereigns of Ashshur.

7 “And do not be like your fathers and like your brothers, who trespassed against 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of their fathers, so that He gave them up to ruin, as you see.

8 “Now do not stiffen your neck, like your fathers, stretch forth the hand to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and come to His Miqdash, which He has qadosh forever, and serve 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 your Elohim, so that His burning wrath turns away from you.

9 “For if you turn back to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, your brothers and your children shall be shown compassion by their captors, even to return to this land. For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 your Elohim shows favour and compassion, and does not turn His face from you if you turn back to Him.”

10 And the runners passed from city to city throughout the land of Ephrayim and Menashsheh, as far as Zeḇulun. But they were laughing at them and mocking them.

11 Some from Ashĕr and Menashsheh and from Zeḇulun, however, humbled themselves and came to Yerushalayim.

12 Also the hand of Elohim was on Yahuḏah to give them one heart to do the command of the sovereign and the rulers, at the word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.

13 And many people, a very great assembly, gathered at Yerushalayim to perform the Festival of Matstsoth in the second month.

14 And they rose up and removed the altars that were in Yerushalayim, and they removed all the incense altars and threw them into the wadi Qiḏron.

15 Then they slaughtered the Pesaḥ on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the kohenim and the Lĕwites were ashamed, and qadosh themselves, and brought the burnt offerings to the House of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.

16 And they stood in their place according to their right-ruling. According to the Torah of Mosheh, the man of Elohim, the kohenim sprinkled the blood from the hand of the Lĕwites.

17 For many in the assembly had not qadosh themselves. Therefore the Lĕwites were over the slaughter of the Pesaḥ for everyone who was not clean, to qadosh them to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.

18 For many of the people, many from Ephrayim and Menashsheh, Yissasḵar and Zeḇulun, had not been cleansed, yet they ate the Pesaḥ contrary to what was written. But Ḥizqiyahu prayed for them, saying, “𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 who is good, provide atonement for everyone

19 who has prepared his heart to seek Elohim, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the cleansing of the qodesh place.”

20 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 listened to Ḥizqiyahu and healed the people.

21 And the children of Yisra’ĕl who were in Yerushalayim performed the Festival of Matstsoth seven days with great joy. And the Lĕwites and the kohenim praised 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 day by day, with instruments of praise before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.

22 And Ḥizqiyahu spoke to the heart of all the Lĕwites, those having good understanding concerning 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄. So they ate what was appointed, seven days, slaughtering peace offerings and making confession to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 Elohim of their fathers.

23 And all the assembly took counsel to perform another seven days, and they performed it another seven days with joy.

24 For Ḥizqiyahu sovereign of Yahuḏah presented to the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep, and the rulers presented to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep. And a great number of kohenim qadosh themselves.

25 And all the assembly of Yahuḏah rejoiced, and the kohenim and Lĕwites, and all the assembly who had come from Yisra’ĕl, and the sojourners who came from the land of Yisra’ĕl, and those who dwelt in Yahuḏah.

26 And there came to be great joy in Yerushalayim, for since the days of Shelomoh son of Dawiḏ, the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, the like of this had not been in Yerushalayim.

27 And the kohenim, the Lĕwites, rose and baraḵ the people, and their voice was heard. And their prayer came up to His qodesh dwelling place, to the shamayim.