Hezekiah Proclaims a Passover

1And Ezechias sent into all Israel and Iuda, and wrote letters vnto Ephraim and Manasses, that they shulde come to the house of the LORDE at Ierusalem, to kepe easter vnto the LORDE God of Israel. 2And the kynge helde a councell with his rulers, and all the cogregacion at Ierusalem, to kepe Passeouer in the seconde moneth: 3for at that tyme they coulde not kepe it, because the prestes were not sanctified ynough, and the people were not yet come together vnto Ierusalem. 4And it pleased the kynge well and all the cogregacion. 5And they appointed it to be proclamed thorow out all Israel from Berseba vnto Dan, that they shulde come to kepe Passeouer vnto the LORDE God of Israel: for they were not many to kepe it as it is wrytten. 6And the postes wente with the letters from the hande of the kynge and of his rulers thorow out all Israell and Iuda, at ye kynges commaundement, and sayde: Ye children of Israel, turne you vnto the LORDE God of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, and he shal turne to ye escaped, which are lefte ouer amonge you from the hande of the kynge of Assur: 7and be not ye as youre fathers and brethren, which rebelled agaynst the LORDE God of their fathers, and he gaue the ouer in to desolacion as ye se youre selues. 8Be not ye hardnecked now as were youre fathers, but offre youre hade vnto the LORDE, and come to his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for euer, and serue the LORDE youre God, & so shal the indignacion of his wrath turne awaye from you. 9For yf ye turne vnto the LORDE, then shal youre brethren and children haue mercy in the sighte of them which holde them in captiuyte, that they maye come agayne in to this londe: for the LORDE youre God is gracious and mercifull, and shal not turne awaye his face from you, yf ye conuerte vnto him.

10And the postes wente from one cite to another in the londe of Ephraim and Manasses, and vnto Zabulon. But they mocked them and laughed them to scorne. 11Yet were there some of Asser and Manasses, and of Zabulon, that submytted them selues, and came to Ierusalem. 12And the hande of God came in to Iuda, so that he gaue the one hert to do after the commaundement of the kynge and the rulers at the worde of the LORDE.

Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover

13And there came together vnto Ierusale a greate people, to kepe the feast of vnleuended bred in the seconde moneth, a very greate congregacion. 14And they gat them vp, and put downe ye altares that were at Ierusalem, and all the incense put they awaye, and cast it in to the broke Cedron, 15and slewe the Passeouer on the fourtenth daye of the secode moneth. And ye prestes and Leuites were ashamed, and halowed them selues, and broughte the burntofferynges to the house of the LORDE, 16and stode in their ordinaunce, as it was acordinge, after the lawe off Moses the man of God. And the prestes sprenkled the bloude from the hande of the Leuites: 17for there were many in the cogregacion which were not sanctified, therfore dyd the Leuites kyll Passeouer for them which were not clensed, that they mighte be sanctified vnto the LORDE. 18There were many people also of Ephraim, Manasses, Isachar and Zabulon, which were not cleane, but ate the Easter lambe not as it is wrytten: for Ezechias prayed for them, and sayde: The LORDE, which is gracious, 19shalbe mercifull vnto all them that prepare their hertes vnto God, to seke the LORDE God of their fathers, though they be not clensed after the holy purificacion. 20And the LORDE herde Ezechias, and healed the people. 21Thus the children of Israel that were founde at Ierusale, helde ye feast of vnleuended bred seuen dayes with greate ioye. And the Leuites and prestes praysed the LORDE euery daye with the loude instrumentes of the LORDE. 22And Ezechias spake hertely vnto all ye Leuites, which had good vnderstondinge in the LORDE, and they ate the feast seuen dayes, and offred thakofferynges, and gaue thankes vnto ye LORDE God of their fathers.

23And all the congregacion deuysed to kepe the feast yet other seue dayes, and so they helde it those seuen dayes also with ioye: 24for Ezechias the kinge of Iuda gaue an Heueofferynge for the cogregacion, euen a thousande bullockes, and seuen thousande shepe. But the rulers gaue an Heueoffering for ye congregacion, euen a thousande bullockes, and ten thousande shepe. And many of the prestes sanctified them selues. 25And the whole congregacion of Iuda reioysed, the prestes and Leuites, and all the congregacion that came out of Israel, and the straungers that were come out of the londe of Israel, and they that dwelt in Iuda, 26and greate ioye was there at Ierusalem: for sence the tyme of Salomon the sonne of Dauid the kynge of Israel, was there no soch (ioye) at Ierusale. 27And the prestes and Leuites stode vp and blessed the people, and their voyce was herde, and their prayer came in to his holy habitacion in heauen.