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2 Chronicles 30:18

in 2 Chronicles 30

A 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

This verse in 2 Chronicles 30

Commentary

3 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

A 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

eat the passover otherwise than it was written

on 2 Chronicles 30:18-20

A multitude from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun eat the passover otherwise than it was written, uncleansed by the sanctuary's own standard, and Hezekiah does not send them away but prays over them: the good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. The prayer names the very thing Chronicles measures every king by, the heart that seeks, and sets it beside the ritual purity the law required, asking mercy where the heart outran the rite rather than asking the law be set aside. Verse 20 answers plainly, the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people, which Gill reads as forgiveness on the pattern of Ps 41:4 and Ps 103:3, the book's clearest word that a sought heart outweighs an unmet ceremony.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

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.

How the passage was read

On 2 Chronicles 30:1-27

On 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.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on II Chronicles 30:18:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg
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.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on II Chronicles 30:17:1, via Sefaria, The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg

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 words

Every 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.

  • כִּ֣יfor

    kiH35884482 times

  • מַרְבִּ֣ית[the] greater part of

    marbitH4768

  • הָעָ֡םthe people

    haamH59711873 times

  • רַ֠בַּתmany

    rabatH7227454 times

  • מֵֽאֶפְרַ֨יִםfrom Ephraim

    meefrayimH669180 times

  • וּמְנַשֶּׁ֜הand Manasseh

    umenashehH4519146 times

  • יִשָּׂשכָ֤רIssachar

    yisoshkharH3485

  • וּזְבֻלוּן֙and Zebulun

    uzevulunH207445 times

  • לֹ֣אnot

    lo'H38085168 times

  • הִטֶּהָ֔רוּthey had purified themselves

    hiteharuH289194 times

  • כִּֽי־for

    ki-H35884482 times

  • אָכְל֥וּthey ate

    ʾakheluH398810 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H85310935 times

  • הַפֶּ֖סַחthe passover

    hapesachH645349 times

  • בְּלֹ֣אwith not

    belo'H38085168 times

  • כַכָּת֑וּבaccording to <the> [what] is written

    khakatuvH3789224 times

  • כִּי֩for

    kiH35884482 times

  • הִתְפַּלֵּ֨לhe had prayed

    hitpalelH641984 times

  • יְחִזְקִיָּ֤הוּHezekiah

    yechizkiyahuH2396127 times

  • עֲלֵיהֶם֙on them

    ʾaleihemH59215755 times

  • לֵאמֹ֔ר<to> saying

    lemorH5595305 times

  • יְהוָ֥הYahweh

    yahwehH30686520 times

  • הַטּ֖וֹב<the> good

    hatovH2896538 times

  • יְכַפֵּ֥רmay he make atonement

    yekhaperH3722

  • בְּעַֽד׃for

    beadH1157105 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 11:28

    Each 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.

  • Through

    2 Chronicles 6:21

    Hear 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.

  • Through

    Daniel 9:19

    O 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…

About 2 Chronicles

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.