Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible



The king, his officials, and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month. They could not celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had performed the ceremonies to make themselves holy and the people had not gathered in Jerusalem. The king and the entire assembly considered their plan to be the right thing to do. read more.
They decided to send an announcement throughout Israel from Beersheba to Dan. They summoned everyone to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of Jehovah God of Israel. These people had not celebrated it in large numbers as the written instructions said they should. Messengers carried letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah. The king's order said: Israelites should return to Jehovah the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Then he will return to the few of you who escaped from the power of the kings of Assyria. Do not be like your ancestors and your relatives who were unfaithful to Jehovah the God of their ancestors. He made them something that shocks people, as you have seen. Do not stiffen your neck like your fathers, but yield to Jehovah and enter his sanctuary that he has consecrated from generation to generation. Serve Jehovah your God that His burning anger may turn away from you. If you return to Jehovah, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. Jehovah your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face away from you if you return to him. So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. Nevertheless some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of Jehovah.

When he falls, he will not be thrown down headfirst because Jehovah holds on to his hand. Verse ConceptsStumblingHelp From GodGod SupportingSupportBeing Overwhelmedoverwhelmed


The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of Jehovah. Verse ConceptsAgreement, Among ChristiansHand Of GodUnity

He started his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month. He arrived at Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, by the good help of his God. Verse ConceptsReturn From BabylonJourneyHand Of GodGod's HandMonth 5God's Hands On People

With the help of our God they got for us Ish-sechel, one of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah with his sons and brothers, eighteen; Verse ConceptsHand Of GodGod's HandEighteenGod's Hands On People

Then I gave them an account of how the hand of my God was on me, helping me. I told them of the king's words he said to me. They said: Let us get to work on the building. So they made their hands strong for the good work. Verse ConceptsBeginningGod's HandGod's Hands On PeopleRebuilding Jerusalemconstructionrebuilding

You give it to them, and they gather it up. You open your hand, and they are satisfied with many blessings. Verse ConceptsHand Of GodGiving Good Things

Hezekiah incorporated Moses' teachings and commands into worship and dedicated his life to serving God. Whatever he did for the worship in God's Temple, he did wholeheartedly, and he succeeded. Verse ConceptsWork, And RedemptionServiceSuccess And Hard Workimprovementprospering

Hezekiah sent a message to all Israel and Judah. He wrote letters to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. He invited them to come to Jehovah's Temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of Jehovah the God of Israel. The king, his officials, and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month. They could not celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had performed the ceremonies to make themselves holy and the people had not gathered in Jerusalem. read more.
The king and the entire assembly considered their plan to be the right thing to do. They decided to send an announcement throughout Israel from Beersheba to Dan. They summoned everyone to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of Jehovah God of Israel. These people had not celebrated it in large numbers as the written instructions said they should. Messengers carried letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah. The king's order said: Israelites should return to Jehovah the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Then he will return to the few of you who escaped from the power of the kings of Assyria. Do not be like your ancestors and your relatives who were unfaithful to Jehovah the God of their ancestors. He made them something that shocks people, as you have seen. Do not stiffen your neck like your fathers, but yield to Jehovah and enter his sanctuary that he has consecrated from generation to generation. Serve Jehovah your God that His burning anger may turn away from you. If you return to Jehovah, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. Jehovah your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face away from you if you return to him. So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. Nevertheless some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of Jehovah.

When this ended, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh. They destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession. Hezekiah assigned the priests and the Levites to divisions. Each priest or Levite was put in a division based on the service he performed. The services included: sacrificing burnt offerings, sacrificing fellowship offerings, serving, giving thanks, or praising within the gates of Jehovah's camp. He set aside part of the king's property for burnt offerings, the morning and evening offerings, burnt offerings on the weekly worship days, the New Moon Festivals, and the annual festivals, as it is written in Jehovah's Law. read more.
He told the people living in Jerusalem to give the priests and Levites the portions they were due so that they could devote themselves to Jehovah's Law. As soon as the order was given, the people of Israel brought gifts of their finest grain, wine, olive oil, honey, and other farm produce, and they also brought the tithes of everything they had. All the people who lived in the cities of Judah brought tithes of their cattle and sheep. They also brought large quantities of gifts they dedicated to Jehovah their God. The gifts started arriving in the third month. They continued to pile up for the next four months. King Hezekiah and his officials saw how much had been given. They praised Jehovah and praised his people Israel. The king spoke to the priests and the Levites about these gifts, and Azariah the High Priest, a descendant of Zadok, said to him: Since the people started bringing their gifts to the temple, there has been enough to eat and a large surplus besides. We have all this because Jehovah has blessed his people.