² For the king and his officials and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to keep the Passover in the second month^(A)

³ (for they could not keep it at its proper time because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem).^(A)

³⁴ But the priests were too few and could not skin all the burnt offerings, so, until other priests had sanctified themselves, their kindred, the Levites, helped them until the work was finished, for the Levites were more conscientious^[a] than the priests in sanctifying themselves.^(A)