2 Chronicles 30:6 kjv
So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
2 Chronicles 30:6 nkjv
Then the runners went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the king and his leaders, and spoke according to the command of the king: "Children of Israel, return to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; then He will return to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.
2 Chronicles 30:6 niv
At 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.
2 Chronicles 30:6 esv
So couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his princes, as the king had commanded, saying, "O people of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.
2 Chronicles 30:6 nlt
At the king's command, runners were sent throughout Israel and Judah. They carried letters that said: "O people of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that he will return to the few of us who have survived the conquest of the Assyrian kings.
2 Chronicles 30 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 30:2-3 | "...if you return to the LORD your God and obey His voice... then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes..." | Conditional promise of return for repentance |
| 1 Ki 8:33-34 | "...if they turn to You and confess Your name and pray and implore You... then hear in heaven and forgive the sin..." | Solomonic prayer for repentance and restoration |
| Neh 1:9 | "...if you return to me and keep my commandments... even if you have been cast out to the farthest part... I will gather them." | Divine promise of gathering upon return |
| Isa 55:7 | "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion on him..." | Invitation to repentance and God's mercy |
| Jer 3:12-14 | "...Return, faithless Israel... declares the LORD. I will not look on you in anger... only acknowledge your guilt." | God's call to unfaithful Israel to return |
| Jer 4:1 | "If you return, O Israel... if you remove your detestable things from my presence, and do not waver..." | Condition for restoration: genuine repentance |
| Ezek 33:11 | "Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live...'" | God's desire for sinners to repent and live |
| Hos 14:1 | "Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity." | Direct plea for Israel's return to God |
| Joel 2:12-13 | "'Yet even now,' declares the LORD, 'return to me with all your heart... Rend your hearts and not your garments.' Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful..." | Urgent call to repentance with promise of grace |
| Zech 1:3 | "Therefore say to them, Thus declares the LORD of hosts: 'Return to me,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'and I will return to you,' says the LORD of hosts." | Reciprocal promise of God's return upon repentance |
| Acts 3:19 | "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." | New Testament call to repentance and renewal |
| Ex 3:6 | "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." | God identifying Himself with the patriarchs |
| Gen 28:13 | "And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, 'I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac...'" | God reaffirming His covenant with Jacob (Israel) |
| Ps 80:3 | "Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!" | Plea for God's favorable turning |
| Lam 5:21 | "Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old." | Prayer for God's restorative hand |
| Isa 10:20-22 | "In that day the remnant of Israel... will truly rely on the LORD... A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God." | Prophecy of a returning remnant |
| Rom 9:27-28 | "And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: 'Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant will be saved...'" | New Testament reference to the saving remnant |
| 2 Ki 17:5-6 | "The king of Assyria invaded all the land and came to Samaria, and for three years he besieged it... and carried Israel away to Assyria..." | Account of Assyrian deportation of Northern Israel |
| 2 Chr 29:10 | "Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, that his fierce anger may turn away from us." | Hezekiah's motivation for reform (prior verse) |
| 2 Chr 30:1 | "Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah... to come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover..." | Hezekiah's original decree to celebrate Passover |
2 Chronicles 30 verses
2 Chronicles 30 6 Meaning
The verse details the unprecedented outreach initiated by King Hezekiah of Judah, sending couriers across the remaining northern territories of Israel and throughout Judah. Their message was a fervent invitation for all scattered survivors and those untouched by the Assyrian invasions to "return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel." The king's deep spiritual motive was driven by the promise that if the people turned back to God, He in turn would show favor and compassion to them, specifically to the small remnant left in the aftermath of Assyrian aggression against the Northern Kingdom. It's a call to national spiritual renewal and reunification through repentance.
2 Chronicles 30 6 Context
2 Chronicles 30:6 is set during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah, specifically early in his reign (likely 1st year). Following his father Ahaz's idolatry and desecration of the temple, Hezekiah immediately initiated widespread religious reforms. Chapter 29 details the purification and dedication of the temple, and the re-establishment of proper worship. Chapter 30 opens with Hezekiah's audacious decision to celebrate Passover on an unprecedented scale, extending the invitation not just to Judah but also to the remnants of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. This invitation was significant because the Northern Kingdom had been severely depleted and scattered by the Assyrians (722 BCE, during Hezekiah's reign, although the initial deportations were prior to his major reforms but continued under him), and their spiritual practices had diverged from pure worship of YHWH. The verse is part of the message carried by the couriers, central to Hezekiah's vision of national spiritual unity and a turning back to God amidst foreign domination and past sin. The Chronicler emphasizes Hezekiah's righteousness and zeal as a model king who truly sought to align the nation with God's covenant.
2 Chronicles 30 6 Word analysis
- So the couriers went: The term "couriers" (rāṣîm, רָצִים) literally means "runners" or "those who run swiftly." These were royal messengers, emphasizing the king's earnest and urgent initiative to disseminate the message far and wide. This highlights the king's proactive zeal for spiritual revival.
- throughout all Israel and Judah: "All Israel" here refers specifically to the remnant populations and territories of the northern tribes (formerly the kingdom of Israel) who survived the Assyrian conquests and deportations, distinct from "Judah," the southern kingdom which Hezekiah ruled directly. This demonstrated Hezekiah's aspiration for the reunification of all twelve tribes under the true worship of YHWH, echoing the vision of a unified people of God.
- with letters from the king and his officials: The formal written invitation underscores the official, authoritative nature of the decree. It was not a casual suggestion but a royal edict, carrying the weight of the monarchy and the Sanhedrin (implied by "officials" and Hezekiah's reforms involving the Levites and priests).
- according to the command of the king, saying: Reiteration of the king's authority. The repetition stresses that this initiative stemmed directly from Hezekiah's devout heart and divine leading, not external pressure.
- O people of Israel: Direct address to the northern tribes, acknowledging their distinct identity while calling them back into the covenant fold. This was a bold and compassionate gesture, recognizing their ongoing status as God's people despite their prolonged idolatry and suffering.
- return to the LORD: The pivotal word is "return" (שׁוּב, shuv), a fundamental biblical concept signifying repentance, turning away from sin and back towards God. It's a call to spiritual reformation, implying a restoration of proper worship, covenant obedience, and allegiance to YHWH alone.
- the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel: This covenant formula anchors the call to repentance in God's faithful historical relationship with His chosen people. It reminds the recipients of their identity as descendants of the patriarchs and God's unwavering covenant promises made to them, underscoring that YHWH is their ancestral, unchanging, and faithful God.
- that he may turn again to those of you who escape, who are left: The word "turn again" is also shuv (שׁוּב), but here from God's perspective. It signifies God's reciprocated act of turning towards His people in compassion and favor if they first turn to Him. The phrase "who escape, who are left" (pêlệṭâh - escaped ones, yêtârâh - remaining) emphasizes the dire circumstances of the northern remnant—they were survivors of significant national catastrophe (Assyrian invasions and deportations), often seen as a mere remnant, yet still offered a path to God's favor.
- of the hand of the kings of Assyria: Direct historical reference to the devastators of the Northern Kingdom. It highlights the vulnerability and subjugation of those addressed, underscoring that their current plight was a consequence of divine judgment, but also emphasizing that God, who permitted this judgment, could reverse their fortunes if they repented.
2 Chronicles 30 6 Bonus section
This call from Hezekiah was a truly unprecedented act. Historically, since the kingdom's division after Solomon, relations between Judah and Israel were often strained, marked by rivalry, war, or indifference. For a Judean king to proactively send messengers to the scattered and defeated northern tribes, inviting them to Jerusalem for Passover, represented a radical commitment to pan-Israelite spiritual unity. It demonstrated Hezekiah's faith that God’s covenant promise extended beyond political boundaries and that the concept of "Israel" still included all the tribes, regardless of their current desolate state. This bold invitation, despite the scorn it often received (as shown in subsequent verses of the chapter), foreshadows later prophecies of the reunification of Judah and Israel under one shepherd, driven by God's faithfulness and a people's eventual return. It's a testament to divine initiative working through a godly leader to bridge deep historical and spiritual divides.
2 Chronicles 30 6 Commentary
2 Chronicles 30:6 encapsulates a profound theological truth: divine restoration hinges upon human repentance. Hezekiah's call for "all Israel and Judah" to "return to the LORD" was not merely a political maneuver to reunite a fractured kingdom but a deeply spiritual and theological invitation rooted in God's covenant faithfulness. By invoking "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel," Hezekiah reminded the scattered remnant that YHWH was not just Judah's God, but the enduring God of all Jacob's descendants, whose promises remained active despite generations of unfaithfulness. The promise that God would "turn again to those of you who escape" signifies God's reciprocal mercy—His willingness to engage with even the most marginalized and decimated portions of His people once they turn to Him in genuine repentance. This passage teaches that regardless of past failings or present hardships (like being "left of the hand of the kings of Assyria"), God's redemptive power and grace are available to those who sincerely return to Him. It also showcases Hezekiah's heart as a king modeling a pastor's concern for the spiritual welfare of the entire nation, even beyond his direct dominion.
Example: Just as the prodigal son had to "come to himself" and return to his father's house to receive reconciliation (Luke 15:17-20), Hezekiah's message urged Israel to realize their spiritual destitution and make the journey back to God for His embrace.