15-17. Then, on the fourteenth day of that same month, the Levites began killing the lambs for Passover, because many of the worshippers were unclean and were not allowed to kill their own lambs. Meanwhile, some of the priests and Levites felt ashamed because they had not gone through the ceremony to make themselves clean. They immediately went through that ceremony and went to the temple, where they offered sacrifices to please the Lord. Then the priests and Levites took their positions, according to the Law of Moses, the servant of God.As the Levites killed the lambs, they handed some of the blood to the priests, who splattered it on the altar.
18-19. Most of the people who came from Ephraim, West Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not made themselves clean, but they ignored God's Law and ate the Passover lambs anyway. Hezekiah found out what they had done and prayed, “Lord God, these people are unclean according to the laws of holiness. But they are worshipping you, just as their ancestors did. So, please be kind and forgive them.”
20. The Lord answered Hezekiah's prayer and did not punish them.
21. The worshippers in Jerusalem were very happy and celebrated the Festival for seven days. The Levites and priests sang praises to the Lord every day and played their instruments.
22. Hezekiah thanked the Levites for doing such a good job, leading the celebration.The worshippers celebrated for seven days by offering sacrifices, by eating the sacred meals, and by praising the Lord God of their ancestors.
23. Everyone was so excited that they agreed to celebrate seven more days.
24. So Hezekiah gave the people one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep to be offered as sacrifices and to be used as food for the sacred meals. His officials gave one thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep, and many more priests agreed to go through the ceremony to make themselves clean.
25. Everyone was very happy, including those from Judah and Israel, the priests and Levites, and the foreigners living in Judah and Israel.
26. It was the biggest celebration in Jerusalem since the days of King Solomon, the son of David.
27. The priests and Levites asked God to bless the people, and from his home in heaven, he did.