13 Now many people were gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month , a very large assembly . 14 They arose and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem ; they also removed all the incense altars and cast them into the brook Kidron . 15 Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth e of the second month . And the priests and Levites were ashamed of themselves, and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the Lord . 16 They stood at their stations after their custom , according to the law of Moses the man of God ; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites . 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves; therefore, the Levites were over the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was unclean e , in order to consecrate them to the Lord . 18 For a multitude of the people , even many from Ephraim and Manasseh , Issachar and Zebulun , had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than prescribed . For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying , "May the good Lord pardon 19 everyone who prepares his heart to seek God , the Lord God of his fathers , though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary ." 20 So the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Chronicles 30:13-20
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 30:13-20
(Read 2 Chronicles 30:13-20)
The great thing needful in attendance upon God in solemn ordinances, is, that we make heart-work of it; all is nothing without this. Where this sincerity and fixedness of heart are, there may yet be many things short of the purification of the sanctuary. These defects need pardoning, healing grace; for omissions in duty are sins, as well as omissions of duty. If God should deal with us in strict justice, even as to the very best of our doings, we should be undone. The way to obtain pardon, is to seek it of God by prayer; it must be gotten by petition through the blood of Christ. Yet every defect is sin, and needs forgiveness; and should be matter to humble, but not to discourage us, though nothing can make up for the want of a heart prepared to seek the Lord.