9When you return to the LORD, your relatives and children will find compassion from those who captured them. They will return to this land. The LORD your God is merciful and compassionate. He will not turn his face away from you if you return to him." 10So the messengers went from city to city in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun. But the people ridiculed them. 11However, some people from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12Also, God guided the people of Judah so that they united to carry out the command which the king and the leaders gave from the LORD's word. 13Many people gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. They formed a large assembly. 14Then the people got rid of the [idols'] altars in Jerusalem. They got rid of all the altars for incense by dumping them in the Kidron Valley. 15They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, so they performed the ceremonies to make themselves holy. Then they brought burnt offerings to the LORD's temple. 16They stood in their regular places as instructed by Moses' Teachings. (Moses was a man of God.) The priests sprinkled the blood they received from the Levites. 17Many people in the assembly had not made themselves holy. So the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all who weren't clean and couldn't make their lambs holy for the LORD. 18Many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not made themselves clean. So they ate the Passover, but not in the way the written instructions said they should. Hezekiah prayed for them: "May the good LORD forgive 19those who have their hearts set on dedicating their lives to serving God. May the LORD God of their ancestors do this for those who are not clean as required for the holy place." 20The LORD listened to Hezekiah and healed the people. 21So the Israelites in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. Each day the Levites and priests praised the LORD in song. They played the LORD's instruments loudly. 22Hezekiah spoke encouraging words to all the Levites who had the skills to serve the LORD. They ate the festival meals for seven days, sacrificed fellowship offerings, and confessed their sins to the LORD God of their ancestors. 23Then the whole assembly decided to celebrate the festival for seven more days. So they joyfully celebrated for seven more days. 24King Hezekiah of Judah provided 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep as sacrifices for the assembly. The leaders provided 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep for the assembly. So a large number of priests were able to perform the ceremonies to make themselves holy. 25The whole assembly from Judah, the priests, the Levites, the whole assembly from Israel, the foreigners who came from Israel, and those who lived in Judah rejoiced. 26The city of Jerusalem was filled with joy. Nothing like this had happened in Jerusalem since the days of King Solomon of Israel. 27Then the Levitical priests blessed the people. Their voices were heard, and their prayers went to God's holy place in heaven.
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