36. that which God had prepared for the people] It was God, not Hezekiah, who had done it all.
suddenly] In the very first year of Hezekiah’s reign (verse 3).
Chapter XXX.
1–12 (not in 2 Kings).
Hezekiah Invites all Israel to keep the Passover.
From verse 2 it appears that this Passover took place in the first year of Hezekiah while the Northern Kingdom was still standing. The invitation to share in it at Jerusalem which Hezekiah is here (verse 1) said to have sent to north Israel is opposed to all historic probability. The Chronicler, however, was little likely to be troubled by that difficulty, even if he had observed it (see note, verse 5). Furthermore it is a plausible suggestion that the references to Ephraim, Manasseh, etc. in verses 1, 10, 11, 18 really reflect conditions of the Chronicler’s own circumstances, regarding which see the note on xv. 9. It is therefore a mistake to suggest that the date may be wrong and that the Passover really took place in the sixth year of Hezekiah after the fall of Samaria on the ground that the invitation would then be more credible.
¹And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the Lord, the God of Israel. ²For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.
2. in the second month] The Law allowed such a postponement; compare Numbers ix. 10, 11.
³For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. ⁴And the thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the congregation.
3. at that time] In the first month.