(Now the Jewish feast of the Passover ¹  was near.) ² 

Why did you run away secretly ¹  and deceive me? ²  Why didn’t you tell me so I could send you off with a celebration complete with singing, tambourines, and harps? ³ 

There was a great celebration in Jerusalem, unlike anything that had occurred in Jerusalem since the time of King Solomon son of David of Israel. ¹ 

Then Jehu ordered, “Make arrangements for ¹  a celebration for Baal.” So they announced it.

Then she saw ¹  the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpeters stood beside the king and all the people of the land were celebrating and blowing trumpets, and the musicians with various instruments were leading the celebration. Athaliah tore her clothes and yelled, “Treason! Treason!” ² 

The righteous see their destruction ¹  and rejoice; the innocent mock them scornfully, ²  saying,

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, ¹  which is called the Passover, was approaching.

and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. ¹ 

Now the Jewish feast of Passover ¹  was near, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ² 

So David, the leaders of Israel, and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from the house of Obed-Edom with celebration.

The celebration included ¹  the entire assembly of Judah, the priests, the Levites, the entire assembly of those who came from Israel, the resident foreigners who came from the land of Israel, and the residents of Judah.

And on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced, for God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard from far away.

For seven days ¹  you must eat ²  bread made without yeast, and on the seventh day there is to be ³  a festival to the Lord.

They spent three days feasting ¹  there with David, for their relatives had given them provisions.

to have them observe the fourteenth and the fifteenth day of the month of Adar each year

So the Jews committed themselves to continue what they had begun to do and to what Mordecai had written to them.

Let’s enter his presence ¹  with thanksgiving! Let’s shout out to him in celebration! ² 

The hope ¹  of the righteous is joy, but the expectation of the wicked will remain unfulfilled. ² 

When the righteous rejoice, ¹  great is the glory, ²  but when the wicked rise to power, people are sought out. ³ 

The happy sound ¹  of the tambourines stops, the revelry of those who celebrate comes to a halt, the happy sound of the harp ceases.