Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 30:18

"For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, The good Jehovah pardon every one" — 2 Chronicles 30:18 (ASV)

A multitude. — Marbîth (2 Chronicles 30:18; 1 Chronicles 12:29). Only in the Chronicles in this sense. Elsewhere the term means “increase” of children (1 Samuel 2:33), or of money, that is, interest (τόκον, Leviticus 25:37).

Ephraim ... Zebulun. — The names indicate a documentary source.

Had not cleansed themselves. — As was natural in the case of persons who had long been estranged from the legal religion of Jehovah (hittèhârû, pausal form of hittâharû,Ezra 6:20, occurs here only).

Yet did they eat ... written. — But ate the Passover in non-accordance with the Scripture — that is, in illegal fashion, being themselves unclean. (Compare Numbers 9:6 and following, according to which unclean persons ‘were bound to abstain from eating the Passover until the fourteenth of the second month.’)

But Hezekiah prayed. — For Hezekiah had prayed for them, and therefore their irregularity was condoned.

The good Lord. — Jehovah the good; so only here. (Compare Psalm 25:8.)

Good — that is, kind, generous; benignus, benevolus.

Pardon every one. — Properly, make atonement on behalf of every one (kipper bĕ‘ad): Leviticus 16:6; Leviticus 16:11. In the sense of forgive the construction is different: Psalms 65:4; Ezekiel 16:63.