The king came to an agreement. After he came to an agreement he sent word to all Israel and Judah. For when the text says “Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah … to observe Passover” (v. 1), this was because he had come to an agreement with the officers and the congregation to observe Passover in the second month. I wonder about what our Sages say (b. Berakhot 10b) that [Hezekiah] added another Nisan during Nisan [itself], and that [the rabbinic authorities] did not accede to this. For the text says, “The king came to an agreement with his officers and the entire congregation in Jerusalem”—so it says that they did accede to it! They also have no proof from the verse that he added another Nisan during Nisan. For this agreement could have taken place in Adar—to make a second Adar in place of Nisan and to observe Passover in the second month; that is, Iyyar: it could have been turned into Nisan so that they might observe Passover in it. Moreover, as for the assertions they make (b. Sanhedrin 12a-b) in debating why Hezekiah sought mercy (v. 18), it is explicit, after all, that this was because many of the people had eaten the paschal sacrifice in an unclean state, as the text says, “yet they ate the paschal sacrifice in violation of what was written” (ibid.)!

To observe Passover in the second month. This was not akin to a “second Passover,” because they did not observe Passover in the month of Nisan at all. Instead, they changed Nisan into Adar: they made it a leap year because of the uncleanness and because of the people who would not have been able to reach Jerusalem. For their hearts had not yet acquiesced to serve God, and they had not wanted to come to Jerusalem to make the paschal sacrifice, as the text says, “because la-rov they did not do as was written” (v. 5). That is, to this point, rov (=most) of Israel had not done as was written, because they had been worshiping idols and did not care to come to Jerusalem for the service of God—hence the need to make it a leap year and extend the time. For even though Hezekiah had sent couriers (v. 6), most people mocked them (v. 10). And even those who came did not all sanctify themselves but rather ate the paschal sacrifice in an unclean state (vv. 17–18), so that Hezekiah had to seek mercy on their behalf, as the text says (v. 18). Thus, they were compelled to make it a leap year: they assigned the second month the status of Nisan, made the paschal sacrifice in it, and made the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread.

For the priests had not sanctified themselves le-ma-day (=in great enough numbers). This is equivalent to le-min day, albeit with a pataḥ under the mem as in le-ma-ba-rishonah (=the first time; 1 Chr 15:13). [The phrase] means: for not enough priests had sanctified themselves for there to be enough (day) of them to bring the offerings.

**The priests dashed the blood [that they received] from the Levites—**for the priests are commanded to do everything from the receiving of the blood onward (b. Ber. 31b).

Because rabbat (=many) in the congregation. This is a noun, as in “rabbat (=many) have assailed me” (Ps 129:1). The point is that there were many in the congregation who had not sanctified themselves.

For anyone not clean. This means: The Levites were prepared to slaughter the paschal sacrifice for the sake of any Israelite who was not clean. For even though many of them ate the sacrifice in an unclean state, they had no other choice: they were compelled to do so because they had had no opportunity to become clean. But they received no dispensation to enter the court unclean, because the Levites were able to act on their behalf.

Yet they ate the paschal sacrifice in violation of what was written. This means: not in accordance with its regulations. For an unclean person who eats of sacred things is cut off, consistent with the verse: “any man among your offspring who approaches [any sacred donation] that [the Israelite people] may consecrate … [that person] shall be cut off” (Lev 22:3); and our Sages, of blessed memory (cf. b. Zevaḥim 45b) explain “approaching” to mean eating. For one does not incur the punishment of being cut off by touching alone. Rather, [the phrase] means: [any man] who approaches and eats. And the paschal sacrifice is indeed a sacred thing (of lesser stringency).

The good Lord will provide atonement for. This is connected to the beginning of the next verse—kol levavo hekhin (=anyone who sets his mind). But the scholar Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra (Ps 73:15) explains that it is not connected: kol levavo (=his entire heart) refers to Hezekiah, and “will provide atonement for” means that He will provide atonement for those who ate the paschal sacrifice in an unclean state.

And in violation of the standard of cleanness associated with sacred things. This means: Even though they ate in violation of the standard of cleanness associated with sacred things, Hezekiah prayed on their behalf that God should provide atonement for them, on the grounds that they had set their minds on worshiping God.

And [God] healed the people. That is, He forgave their transgression. “Heal me for I have sinned against you” (Ps 41:5) also bears the sense of forgiveness.

With instruments of ‘oz (=vitality) for the Lord—in the sense of “dancing with full ‘oz (=vitality)” (2 Sam 6:14).

And they ate the mo‘ed. This means the sacrifices of the mo‘ed (=festival).

Contributed to the congregation. [Hezekiah] set [the animals] aside for the congregation, and he presented them to be used for burnt offerings and peace offerings.

Vayyishama‘ be-qolam (=and their voice was heard). [God] heeded them, as in: “The moment they hear Me, yishame‘u (=they will obey)” (2 Sam 22:45).