Chronicles II 30:18

18 For the greatest part of the people of Ephraim, and Manasse, and Issachar, and Zabulon, had not purified , but ate the passover contrary to the scripture. On this account also Ezekias prayed concerning them, saying,

Chronicles II 30:18 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 30:18

For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and
Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun
All which were of the ten tribes, where idolatry had prevailed for a long time:

had not cleansed themselves;
from impurity contracted by idolatry and other things:

yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written;
because they ate it in their uncleanness, which was not according to the law, that required that such should be clean that ate of any holy things, see ( John 18:28 ) but since these people came a great way off, and there was no deferring it to another month, the king chose rather they should be admitted to eat of it, though in their uncleanness:

but Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, the good Lord pardon everyone;
God, who is gracious and merciful, and of his goodness, grace, and mercy, forgive such who, though ceremonially unclean, ate of the passover, and especially since they were sincere and cordial in their services; and therefore he hoped that this breach of the ceremonial law would not be laid to their charge. Goodness is such a well known attribute of God, that the very Heathens ascribe it to their deities; hence we read of a temple of the "good god", the gods being the givers of good things to men; Jupiter, or Jove, the supreme god, is supposed to be meant ^F19.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Pausan. Arcadica, sive, l. 8. p. 513. Vid. Ciceronem de Nat. Deor. l. 3. prope finem.

Chronicles II 30:18 In-Context

16 And they stood at their post, according to their ordinance, according to the commandment of Moses the man of God: and the priests received the blood from the hand of the Levites.

17 For a great part of the congregation was not sanctified; and the Levites were to kill the passover for every one who could not sanctify himself to the Lord.

18 For the greatest part of the people of Ephraim, and Manasse, and Issachar, and Zabulon, had not purified , but ate the passover contrary to the scripture. On this account also Ezekias prayed concerning them, saying,

19 The good Lord be merciful with regard to every heart that sincerely seeks the Lord God of their fathers, and not according to the purification of the sanctuary.

20 And the Lord hearkened to Ezekias, and healed the people.