¹And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to 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.

¹以色列人與猶大人一起守節希西家派人走遍以色列和猶大，又寫信給以法蓮人和瑪拿西人，叫他們到耶路撒冷耶和華的殿來，守逾越節記念耶和華以色列的　神。

²For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.

²因為王和眾領袖，以及耶路撒冷的全體會眾曾經商議，要在二月守逾越節。

³For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

³（但他們不能如期守逾越節，因為自潔的祭司不夠，人民也沒有齊集在耶路撒冷。）

⁴And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

⁴王和全體會眾都認為這計劃很好，

⁵So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from 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 as it was written.

⁵於是下了命令，通告全以色列，從別是巴直到但，叫人民來耶路撒冷守逾越節記念耶和華以色列的　神，因為照著所記的定例舉行這節的人不多。

⁶So 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 he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

⁶信差就帶著王和眾領袖發出的書信，走遍全以色列和猶大，照著王的吩咐，宣告說：“以色列人哪，你們應當轉向耶和華，亞伯拉罕、以撒和以色列的　神，使他也轉向這些在亞述王手中逃脫的餘民。

⁷And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

⁷你們不要像你們的列祖和你們的親族，他們得罪了耶和華他們列祖的　神，以致耶和華使他們成為令人驚駭的對象，就像你們自己所見的。

⁸Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but 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.

⁸現在你們不可頑固，像你們的列祖那樣；要順服耶和華，進入他永遠分別為聖的聖所，事奉耶和華你們的　神，使他的烈怒轉離你們。

⁹For 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 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.

⁹如果你們是歸向耶和華，你們的親族和兒女就必在俘擄他們的人面前蒙憐憫，可以返回這地；因為耶和華你們的　神是有恩惠有憐憫；如果你們歸向他，他必不轉臉不顧你們。”

¹⁰So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

¹⁰信差從這城到那城，走遍了以法蓮和瑪拿西各地，直到西布倫；那裡的人卻戲弄他們，譏笑他們。

¹¹Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

¹¹可是在亞設、瑪拿西和西布倫中，也有人願意謙卑，來到耶路撒冷。

¹²Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.

¹²　神的能力也幫助猶大人，使他們一心遵行王和眾領袖奉耶和華的命令發出的吩咐。

¹³And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

¹³二月，有很多人在耶路撒冷聚集，要舉行無酵節，集合了一大群會眾。

¹⁴And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.

¹⁴他們起來，把耶路撒冷城中的祭壇和一切香壇，盡都除去，拋在汲淪溪中。

¹⁵Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.

¹⁵二月十四日，他們宰了逾越節的羊羔。祭司和利未人都覺得慚愧，就自潔，把燔祭帶到耶和華的殿裡。

¹⁶And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.

¹⁶他們遵照神人摩西的律法，按著定例，站在自己的崗位上。祭司從利未人手裡把血接過來，灑在祭壇上。

¹⁷For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.

¹⁷因為會眾中有很多人還沒有自潔，所以利未人必須為所有不潔的人宰殺逾越節的羊羔，使他們在耶和華面前成為聖潔。

¹⁸For 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 good LORD pardon every one

¹⁸原來有一大群人，很多是從以法蓮、瑪拿西、以薩迦和西布倫來的，還沒有自潔，就吃逾越節的羊羔，不遵照所記的定例；因此，希西家為他們禱告說：

¹⁹That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

¹⁹“凡是立定心意，專一尋求　神耶和華他們列祖的　神的，雖然沒有照著聖所潔淨的禮自潔，願良善的耶和華也饒恕他們。”

²⁰And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

²⁰耶和華垂聽了希西家的禱告，就饒恕眾民。

²¹And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.

²¹在耶路撒冷的以色列人，都十分歡樂地守除酵節七天；利未人和祭司天天讚美耶和華，用響亮的樂器讚美耶和華。

²²And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.

²²希西家慰勉所有善於事奉耶和華的利未人；眾人吃節筵七日，又獻上平安祭，稱頌耶和華他們列祖的　神。

²³And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.

²³全體會眾商議好了，要再守節期七天，於是他們歡歡喜喜地又舉行了七天。

²⁴For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a 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.

²⁴猶大王希西家送給會眾公牛一千頭，羊七千隻；眾領袖也送給會眾公牛一千頭，羊一萬隻；並且有很多祭司自潔。

²⁵And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.

²⁵猶大的全體會眾、祭司和利未人、從以色列來的全體會眾，以及在以色列地寄居的人和在猶大寄居的人，都非常歡樂。

²⁶So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.

²⁶這樣，在耶路撒冷有極大的歡樂，自從以色列王大衛的兒子所羅門的日子以來，在耶路撒冷都沒有像這樣的歡樂。

²⁷Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.

²⁷那時，利未支派的祭司起來，給人民祝福；他們的聲音蒙了垂聽，他們的禱告達到天上　神的聖所那裡。