Hezekiah Proclaims a Passover

Then Hezekiah sent word throughout 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 of the LORD, the God of Israel. 2 For the king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem had decided to keep the Passover in the second month,[fn] 3 since they had been unable to keep it at the regular time, because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not been gathered in Jerusalem.

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This plan pleased the king and the whole assembly. 5 So they established a decree to circulate a proclamation throughout Israel, vvv from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come to keep the Passover of the LORD, the God of Israel, in Jerusalem. For they had not observed it in great numbers as prescribed.

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At the command of the king, the couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his officials, which read:

“Children of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that He may return to those of you who remain who have escaped the grasp of the kings of Assyria. 7 Do not be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that He made them an object of horror, as you can see.

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Now do not stiffen your necks as your fathers [did]. Submit to the LORD and come to His sanctuary, which He has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that His fierce anger will turn away from you. 9 For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and sons will receive mercy in the presence of their captors and will return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful; He will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”

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And the couriers traveled from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun but the people scorned and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 Moreover, the power of God was on the people in Judah to give them one heart to obey the command of the king and his officials according to the word of the LORD.

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