Why was the phase held in the second month?

Ezechias sent to all Israel and Juda, writing letters to Ephraim and Manasses, inviting them to come to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem to keep the phase to the Lord the God of Israel. Taking counsel with his princes and all the assembly of Jerusalem, the king decreed to celebrate the phase in the second month. They could not keep it in its prescribed time in the first month because insufficient priests were sanctified and the people had not yet gathered together to Jerusalem. The proposal pleased the king and all the people, and they decreed to send messengers throughout all Israel from Bersabee to Dan to summon the people to Jerusalem, for many had not kept the solemnity as prescribed by the law.

Couriers traveled with letters by commandment of the king and princes across all Israel and Juda. The royal proclamation urged the children of Israel to turn again to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that He might return to the remnant that had escaped the hand of the Assyrian kings. The message exhorted them not to harden their necks like their fathers, promising that if they turned again to the Lord, their brethren and children who had been led into captivity would find mercy before their masters and return to the land, for the Lord is merciful and will not turn away His face from those who return. The couriers passed from city to city through Ephraim, Manasses, and Zabulon, where people laughed at them and mocked them; nevertheless, some men of Aser, Manasses, and Zabulon yielded to the counsel and came to Jerusalem. In Juda, the hand of God gave the people one heart to execute the word of the Lord according to the commandment of the king and princes.

A great multitude assembled in Jerusalem in the second month to celebrate the solemnity of unleavened bread. Before the feast began, they arose and destroyed the idolatrous altars in Jerusalem, casting all things upon which incense had been burnt to idols into the torrent Cedron. On the fourteenth day of the second month, they immolated the phase. The priests and Levites, having become sanctified, offered holocausts in the house of the Lord, standing in their order according to the disposition and law of Moses. The priests received from the Levites the blood that was to be poured out. Because a great number of worshippers were not sanctified, the Levites immolated the phase for those who had not arrived in time to be ceremonially purified. Moreover, a great part of the people from Ephraim, Manasses, Issachar, and Zabulon ate the phase without ritual sanctification, otherwise than it was written in the law. King Ezechias interceded for them in prayer, asking the good Lord to show mercy to all who seek the Lord God of their fathers with their whole heart without imputing their lack of sanctification. The Lord heard Ezechias, and was merciful to the people.

The children of Israel present in Jerusalem celebrated the feast of unleavened bread for seven days with great joy, while the Levites and priests praised the Lord daily with appropriate instruments. Ezechias spoke encouragingly to the heart of all the Levites who possessed good understanding concerning the Lord, and they ate during the seven days of the solemnity, immolating peace offerings and praising God. When the feast ended, it pleased the whole multitude to keep another seven days, celebrating the extension with great joy. King Ezechias provided the multitude with one thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep, and the princes gave one thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep, while a great number of priests became sanctified. The entire assembly of Juda, the priests and Levites, the pilgrims from Israel, and the proselytes were filled with joy. A great solemnity filled Jerusalem such as had not been seen since the time of King Solomon the son of David. Finally, the priests and Levites arose and blessed the people; their voice was heard, and their prayer ascended to the holy dwelling place of heaven.