2 Chronicles 30:1-13

All Israel Invited to the Passover

1 Now Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover to the LORD God of Israel.
2 For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had decided 1to celebrate the Passover in the second month,
3 since they could not celebrate it 2at that time, because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers, nor had the people been gathered to Jerusalem.
4 Thus the thing was right in the sight of the king and all the assembly.
5 So they established a decree to circulate a proclamation throughout all Israel 3from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to celebrate the Passover to the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem. For they had not celebrated it in great numbers as it was prescribed.
6 4The couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes, even according to the command of the king, saying, "O sons of Israel, return to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that He may return to those of you who escaped and are left from 5the hand of the kings of Assyria.
7 "6Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were unfaithful to the LORD God of their fathers, so that 7He made them a horror, as you see.
8 "Now do not 8stiffen your neck like your fathers, but yield * to the LORD and enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever, and serve the LORD your God, 9that His burning anger may turn away from you.
9 "For 10if you return to the LORD, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. 11For the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him."
10 So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but 12they laughed them to scorn and mocked them.
11 Nevertheless 13some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.
12 The 14hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the LORD.

Passover Reinstituted

13 Now many people were gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread 15in the second month, a very large assembly.

2 Chronicles 30:1-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 30

Hezekiah having consulted his nobles about keeping the passover the second month, and determined upon it, sent messengers throughout Israel and Judah, to acquaint them with it, at which some mocked, and others seriously attended to it, 2Ch 30:1-12 so it was celebrated in a solemn manner, though some were not qualified for it according to the law, and for whose pardon Hezekiah prayed, and it was granted, 2Ch 30:13-20, also the feast of unleavened bread was kept seven days, and a festival of seven days more was likewise observed with great joy and gladness, 2Ch 30:21-27.

messengers to them, not only to the subjects of his own kingdom, Judah, but to all the Israelites that dwelt in it, who were come thither for the sake of religion, and the worship of God:

\\and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh\\; which are put for all the ten tribes, as appears from 2Ch 30:10,11 and are distinguished from Israel in the preceding clause:

\\that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem\\; not that he laid his commands upon them to come, they not being his subjects, namely, those of the ten tribes; but he hereby admonished them of their duty, and gave them a kind invitation, signifying the doors of the temple were open for them, and they were welcome to come thither:

\\to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel\\; to the glory of his name, who was the common Lord of them all, and whose command it was to keep the passover, and that at Jerusalem, and nowhere else, see De 16:1-6. 19787-950128-1141-2Ch30.2

Cross References 15

  • 1. Numbers 9:10, 11; 2 Chronicles 30:13, 15
  • 2. 2 Chronicles 29:17, 34
  • 3. Judges 20:1
  • 4. Esther 8:14; Job 9:25; Jeremiah 51:31
  • 5. 2 Chronicles 28:20
  • 6. Ezekiel 20:13
  • 7. 2 Chronicles 29:8
  • 8. Exodus 32:9
  • 9. 2 Chronicles 29:10
  • 10. Deuteronomy 30:2
  • 11. Exodus 34:6, 7; Micah 7:18
  • 12. 2 Chronicles 36:16
  • 13. 2 Chr 30:18, 21, 25
  • 14. 2 Corinthians 3:5; Philippians 2:13; Hebrews 13:20, 21
  • 15. 2 Chronicles 30:2

Footnotes 8

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