And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to
(a) Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the
LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.
(a) Meaning, all Israel, whom Tiglath Pilesar had not taken away into
captivity, (2 Kings 15:... [ Continue Reading ]
For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the
congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the (b) second
month.
(b) Though they should have done it in the first month, as in (Exodus
12:18; Numbers 9:3), yet if any were not clean or else had a long
journey, they could delay it... [ Continue Reading ]
So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all
Israel, from (c) Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep
the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had
not done [it] of a long [time in such sort] (d) as it was written.
(c) From one end of the land... [ Continue Reading ]
So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes
throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of
the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God
of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and (e) he will return to the remnant
of you, that are escaped ou... [ Continue Reading ]
Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers [were, but] (f) yield
yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath
sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness
of his wrath may turn away from you.
(f) Submit yourselves to the Lord, and rebel no more.... [ Continue Reading ]
For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children
[shall find] compassion before them that lead them captive, so that
they shall (g) come again into this land: for the LORD your God [is]
gracious and merciful, and will not turn away [his] face from you, if
ye return unto him.
(g)... [ Continue Reading ]
So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim
and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they (h) laughed them to scorn,
and mocked them.
(h) Though the wicked mock the servants of God, by whom he calls them
to repentance, as in (Genesis 19:14), yet the word does not cease to
ripen... [ Continue Reading ]
Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one (i) heart to do the
commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.
(i) He shows the reason why some obey and some mock God's calling,
that is, because his Spirit is with the one sort and moves in their
heart, and the others ar... [ Continue Reading ]
And they arose and took away the (k) altars that [were] in Jerusalem,
and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast [them] into
the brook Kidron.
(k) Which declares that we must put away those things with which God
is offended, before we can serve him correctly.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth [day] of the second
month: and the priests and the Levites were (l) ashamed, and
sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the
house of the LORD.
(l) Seeing their own negligence (who should have been most prompt) and
the readiness... [ Continue Reading ]
And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law
of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the (m) blood, [which
they received] of the hand of the Levites.
(m) That is, of the lamb of the passover.... [ Continue Reading ]
For a multitude of the people, [even] many of Ephraim, and Manasseh,
Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat
the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for
them, saying, The (n) good LORD pardon every one
(n) He knew that faith and sincerity of hear... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and (o) healed the people.
(o) That is, accepted them as purified.... [ Continue Reading ]
For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a (p) thousand
bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the
congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great
number of priests sanctified themselves.
(p) This great liberality declares how kings, princes a... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the priests the Levites arose and (q) blessed the people: and
their voice was heard, and their prayer came [up] to his holy dwelling
place, [even] unto heaven.
(q) According to that which is written in (Numbers 6:23) when they
should dismiss the people.... [ Continue Reading ]