2 Chronicles 30:18
in 2 Chronicles 30A large number of the people—many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun—had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah interceded for them, saying, “May the LORD, who is good, provide atonement for everyone
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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 is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, The good Jehovah pardon every one
KJV
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 good Lord pardon every one
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 30
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA multitude of the people - had not cleansed themselves - As there were men from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, they were excusable, because they came from countries that had been wholly devoted to idolatry. The good Lord pardon every one - “The Lord, who is good, have mercy on this people who err.” - T.
This site's exposition
they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written
on 2 Chronicles 30:18-20
“May the LORD, who is good, provide atonement for everyone” “who sets his heart on seeking God”, the measure Chronicles applies to every king. Then “the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people”, which John Gill reads as forgiveness, citing Psalm 41:4 and Psalm 103:3.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Here is a defect in sanctuary purification. There is nothing perfect under the sun, nor a just man that doeth good, and sinneth not. (3.) These defects need pardoning healing grace; for omissions in duty are sins as well as omissions of duty.
"What shall we do," says Hezekiah, "about the passover? It is a very comfortable ordinance, and has been long neglected. The time has elapsed for this year; we cannot go about it immediately; the congregation is thin, the people have not notice, the priests are not prepared,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
), humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem, that is, were sorry for their sins and submitted to God. Pride keeps men from yielding themselves to the Lord; when that is brought down, the work is done.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites--This was a deviation from the established rules and practices in presenting the offerings of the temple. The reason was, that many present on the occasion having not sanctified themselves, the Levites slaughtered the paschal victims (see on 2Ch 35:5) for everyone that was unclean.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
BRETHREN, it should be much to our joy that we do not serve under the ceremonial Law, nor live within the legal dispensation. The legal economy exhibited to the people a multitude of types and figures and consequently it laid down many rules and rituals—and these were enacted with such solemn and terrible penalties that the people were in constant fear of offending and found obedience irksome by reason of the weakness of their flesh and the unspirituality of their minds. As for our Lord Jesus, His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
BRETHREN, it should be much to our joy that we do not serve under the ceremonial Law, nor live within the legal dispensation. The legal economy exhibited to the people a multitude of types and figures and consequently it laid down many rules and rituals—and these were enacted with such solemn and terrible penalties that the people were in constant fear of offending and found obedience irksome by reason of the weakness of their flesh and the unspirituality of their minds. As for our Lord Jesus, His yoke is easy and His burden is light. But concerning the Law, even Peter speaks of it as "a yoke which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear." We are now brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God, a liberty which those who had been in the bondage could best appreciate. Those who are still under legal restrictions feel the pressure of them when they see the liberty of others. Sitting at dinner with a Samaritan who considered himself under the Law of the Pentateuch, I noticed that the worthy man refused first one dish and then another, and at length he exclaimed, "Moses very hard," evidently feeling that the limit upon his diet involved a good deal of self-denial. Some of us could cheerfully bear such small matters as abstinence from certain meats and drinks, but if we were surrounded with regulations and prescriptions entering into minute details, our life would be full of cares and we should feel ill at ease. We have attained the liberty of the Gospel and we are not called upon to observe days, and months and years—nor to border our garments with a certain color, nor to trim our hair by rule. Neither are we called to practice different washing and purifying, or to observe laws and regulations amounting to a continual round of rites.
How the passage was read
On 2 Chronicles 30:1-27On 2 Chronicles 30:1-27
The Passover held a month late
Hezekiah's great Passover is kept in the SECOND month, and that is not an irregularity he invented: the Law itself provides a one-month make-up date for those unclean or far off (Numbers 9:10–11, the “Second Passover”). Hezekiah applies the provision nationally because the priests and the people could not be ready in time. Notice the chapter's heart: many northerners ate the Passover ritually unclean, and the king prays for them, “may the good LORD pardon everyone who sets his heart to seek God,” and the LORD heals the people. The feast's paperwork bends; the seeking heart is heard.
What the Jewish commentators add
for they ate the Passover sacrifice not as it is written not in accordance with halachah, for they ate it in a state of uncleanness, for Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, etc.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
for everyone who was unclean a Levite took his place to sanctify it for the Lord.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Sources: Numbers 9:10–11 (the Second-Passover provision) · Mishnah Pesachim 9:1 (the provision in the oral law)
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
25 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מַרְבִּ֣ית | marbit | [the] greater part of | H4768 → | |
| הָעָ֡ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| רַ֠בַּת | rabat | many | H7227 → | 454 times |
| מֵֽאֶפְרַ֨יִם | meefrayim | from Ephraim | H669 → | 180 times |
| וּמְנַשֶּׁ֜ה | umenasheh | and Manasseh | H4519 → | 146 times |
| יִשָּׂשכָ֤ר | yisoshkhar | Issachar | H3485 → | |
| וּזְבֻלוּן֙ | uzevulun | and Zebulun | H2074 → | 45 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הִטֶּהָ֔רוּ | hiteharu | they had purified themselves | H2891 → | 94 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אָכְל֥וּ | ʾakhelu | they ate | H398 → | 810 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַפֶּ֖סַח | hapesach | the passover | H6453 → | 49 times |
| בְּלֹ֣א | belo' | with not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| כַכָּת֑וּב | khakatuv | according to <the> [what] is written | H3789 → | 224 times |
| כִּי֩ | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הִתְפַּלֵּ֨ל | hitpalel | he had prayed | H6419 → | 84 times |
| יְחִזְקִיָּ֤הוּ | yechizkiyahu | Hezekiah | H2396 → | 127 times |
| עֲלֵיהֶם֙ | ʾaleihem | on them | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| לֵאמֹ֔ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| הַטּ֖וֹב | hatov | <the> good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| יְכַפֵּ֥ר | yekhaper | may he make atonement | H3722 → | |
| בְּעַֽד׃ | bead | for | H1157 → | 105 times |
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
מַרְבִּ֣ית[the] greater part of
marbitH4768 →
הָעָ֡םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
רַ֠בַּתmany
rabatH7227 →454 times
מֵֽאֶפְרַ֨יִםfrom Ephraim
meefrayimH669 →180 times
וּמְנַשֶּׁ֜הand Manasseh
umenashehH4519 →146 times
יִשָּׂשכָ֤רIssachar
yisoshkharH3485 →
וּזְבֻלוּן֙and Zebulun
uzevulunH2074 →45 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
הִטֶּהָ֔רוּthey had purified themselves
hiteharuH2891 →94 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
אָכְל֥וּthey ate
ʾakheluH398 →810 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַפֶּ֖סַחthe passover
hapesachH6453 →49 times
בְּלֹ֣אwith not
belo'H3808 →5168 times
כַכָּת֑וּבaccording to <the> [what] is written
khakatuvH3789 →224 times
כִּי֩for
kiH3588 →4482 times
הִתְפַּלֵּ֨לhe had prayed
hitpalelH6419 →84 times
יְחִזְקִיָּ֤הוּHezekiah
yechizkiyahuH2396 →127 times
עֲלֵיהֶם֙on them
ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 times
לֵאמֹ֔ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֥הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
הַטּ֖וֹב<the> good
hatovH2896 →538 times
יְכַפֵּ֥רmay he make atonement
yekhaperH3722 →
בְּעַֽד׃for
beadH1157 →105 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 11:28Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.
it leads to
- Galatians 6:4
Each one should test his own work. Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in someone else.
- 2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you actually fail the test?
- Lamentations 3:40
Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD.
- Matthew 5:23–24
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
- 1 Corinthians 11:31
Now if we judged ourselves properly, we would not come under judgment.
- Galatians 6:4
Through
2 Chronicles 6:21Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive.
it leads to
- Micah 7:18
Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance—who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion?
- Isaiah 43:25
I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.
- Micah 7:18
Through
Daniel 9:19O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your name.”
it leads to
- Daniel 9:18
Incline Your ear, O my God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your name. For we are not presenting our petitions before You because of our…
- Daniel 9:18
Where this verse is studied
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About 2 Chronicles
Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonDivided kingdomHezekiahThe reforming king of Judah who trusted Jehovah against Sennacherib, spread the Assyrian letter before the LORD, was granted fifte…
- PersonLate monarchyManassehJudah's longest-reigning and worst king, who filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; the book names his apostasy as the cause of 586…
- PlaceJudeaEphraimThe town near the wilderness where Jesus withdrew with His disciples before the last Passover (John 11:54).
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2131: “To Those Who Feel Unfit for Communion” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.