⁵They decided to send a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan,^v calling the people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. It had not been celebrated in large numbers according to what was written.

⁶At the king’s command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read:

“People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. ⁷Do not be like your parents^w and your fellow Israelites, who were unfaithful^x to the Lord, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror,^y as you see. ⁸Do not be stiff-necked,^z as your ancestors were; submit to the Lord. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord your God, so that his fierce anger^a will turn away from you. ⁹If you return^b to the Lord, then your fellow Israelites and your children will be shown compassion^c by their captors and will return to this land, for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate.^d He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”

Read in Logos

Cross references

vSee Jdg 20:1
w Ps 78:8, 57; 106:6; Jer 11:10; Eze 20:18
xSee 1 Ch 5:25
ySee Dt 28:25
zSee Ex 32:9
aSee Nu 25:4; See 2 Ch 29:10
b Dt 30:2–5; Isa 1:16; 55:7; Jer 25:5; Eze 33:11
cSee Ex 3:21; See 1 Ki 8:50
dSee Ex 22:27; See Dt 4:31; See 2 Ch 6:39; Mic 7:18