1   Ezechias also sent to al Israel and Iuda: and he wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasses, that they should come

Ezechias. to the house of our Lord in Ierusalem, and should make a Phase to our Lord the God of Israel.

2   Counsel therfore being taken of the king and the princes, and of al the assemblie of Ierusalem, they decreed to make the Phase the second moneth.

3   For they could not make it in his time . because the Priestes that might suffise, had not bene sanctified, and the people had not as yet bene gathered into Ierusalem.

4   And the word pleased the king, and al the multitude.

5   And they decreed to send messengers into al Israel from Bersabee vnto dan, that they should come, and make the Phase to our Lord the God of Israel in Ierusalem: for manie had not made it as is prescribed by the law.

6   And the postes went forth with letters of commandement from the king, and his princes, into al Israel and Iuda, according to that, which the king had commanded, proclaming: Children of Israel returne ye to our Lord the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel: and he wil returne to the remnant, that hath escaped the hand of the king of the Assyrians.

7   Become not as your fathers, and brethren, which haue reuolted from our Lord the God of their fathers, who hath deliuered them into destruction, as your selues see.

8   Harden not your neckes, as your fathers: geue handes to our Lord, and come to his Sanctuarie, which he hath sanctified for euer: serue our Lord the God of your fathers, and the wrath of his furie shal be turned away from you.

9   For if you shal returne to our Lord: your brethren, and children shal haue mercie before their Lordes, that haue led them captiue, and they shal returne into this land: for our Lord your God is merciful, and wil not turne away his face from you, if you shal returne to him.

10   Therfore the postes went forward spedely from citie to citie, through the land of Ephraim, and of Manasses, as farre as Zabulon, they mocking and skorning them.

11   Neuerthelesse certayne men of Aser, and Manasses, and Zabulon, condescending to the counsel, came to Ierusalem.

12   But the hand of God was in Iuda, to geue them one hart to doe the word of our Lord, according to the precept of the king and of the princes.

13   And much people was gathered into Ierusalem to make the solemnitie of Azimes in the second moneth:

14   And rising they destroyed the altars that were in Ierusalem, and ouerthrowing al thinges wherin incense was burnt to idols, they threw it into the Torrent cedron.

15   And they immolated

Ezechias. the Phase the fourtenth day of the second moneth. The Priestes also and the Leuites at length being sanctified offered holocaustes in the house of our Lord. And they stoode in their order according to the disposition, & law of Moyses the man of God: but the Priestes receiued the bloud to be powred out of the handes of the Leuites,

17   because a great multitude Was not sanctified: & therfore the Leuites immolated the Phase for them, that came not in time to be sanctified to our Lord.

18   For a great part of the people of Ephraim, and Manasses, and Issachar, and Zabulon, that had not bene sanctified, did eate the Phase, not according to that which is writen: and Ezechias prayed for them, saying: Our good Lord wil be merciful,

19   to al them, ^note that in al their hart seeke our Lord the God of their fathers: and wil not impute it to them that they are not sanctified.

20   Whom our Lord heard, and was pacified to the people.

21   And the children of Israel, that were found in Ierusalem, made the solemnitie of Azimes seuen daies in great ioy, praysing our Lord euerie day. The Leuites also and the Priestes by instrumentes, that agreed to their office.

22   And Ezechias spake to the hart of al the Leuites, that had good vnderstanding concerning our Lord: and they did eate during the seuen daies of the solemnitie, immolating victimes of pacifiques, and praysing our Lord the God of their fathers.

23   And it pleased the whole multitude to celebrate it ^note other seuen daies: which also they did with great ioy.

24   For Ezechias the king of Iuda had geuen the multitude a thousand oxen, and seuen thousand sheepe: but the princes had geuen the people oxen a thousand, & sheepe ten thousand: there was sanctified therfore a verie great multitude of Priestes.

25   And al the multitude of Iuda was ful of mirth, as wel of the Priestes and Leuites, as of al the assemblie, that came out of Israel; of the proselites also of the land of Israel, and them that dwelt in Iuda.

26   And there was made a great solemnitie in Ierusalem, such as had not bene in that citie from the dayes of Salomon the sonne of Dauid the king of Israel.

27   And the Priestes & the Leuites rose vp blessing the people: & their voice was heard: and their prayer came into the holie habitation of heauen.

Previous section

Next section