Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Hezekiah organizes a passover festival in the second month. The people rejoice and celebrate for an additional seven days.
II. Photo
Hezekiah assembles the people: “Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah; he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh to come to the House of the Lord in Jerusalem to keep the Passover for the Lord God of Israel.” (v. 1)
III. Select Verses
1: Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah; he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh to come to the House of the LORD in Jerusalem to keep the Passover for the LORD God of Israel.
6-9: The couriers went out with the letters from the king and his officers through all Israel and Judah, by order of the king, proclaiming, “O you Israelites! Return to the LORD God of your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and He will return to the remnant of you who escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. Do not be like your fathers and brothers who trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers and He turned them into a horror, as you see. Now do not be stiffnecked like your fathers; submit yourselves to the LORD and come to His sanctuary, which He consecrated forever, and serve the LORD your God so that His anger may turn back from you. If you return to the LORD, your brothers and children will be regarded with compassion by their captors, and will return to this land; for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful; He will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.”
10-11: As the couriers passed from town to town in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh till they reached Zebulun, they were laughed at and mocked. Some of the people of Asher and Manasseh and Zebulun, however, were contrite, and came to Jerusalem.
23: All the congregation resolved to keep seven more days, so they kept seven more days of rejoicing.
26: There was great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for since the time of King Solomon son of David of Israel nothing like it had happened in Jerusalem.
27: The Levite priests rose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer went up to His holy abode, to heaven.
IV. Outline
1-6a. Hezekiah’s plan to keep the Passover in the second month
6b-9. Hezekiah’s letter to northern Israel
10. The couriers are mocked
11. Some members of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun join
12-13. A united Judah at the festival
14. Removing the idols of Jerusalem
15-17. The paschal sacrifices, notes about sanctification
18a. Some eat the sacrifice in impurity
18b-19. Hezekiah’s prayer/statement on their behalf
20. God hears Hezekiah’s prayer
21-22. Israelites and Levites keep the Passover
23. A resolution to keep an additional 7 days
24a. Hezekiah’s donation
24b. Priestly sanctification
25-26. Rejoicing
27. Prayer
V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.
VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Photo copied from http://unacosabuena.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/hand-writing-quill-pen.jpg
