דברי הימים ב, פרק ל׳, פסוק ט״ו

The slaughtering of the Passover sacrifice in the second month is a moment accompanied by a profound spiritual awakening and deep regret among the spiritual leadership. The Priests and Levites experience a deep sense of shame [מצודת ציון]. The primary approach among commentators is that this embarrassment stems from their own past negligence. Because they delayed purifying themselves, the entire nation was forced to postpone the Passover offering by a full month [רלב״ג, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם].

This initial hesitation was rooted in the long years of King Ahaz's reign, a time when the Temple was closed and neglected. The Priests found it difficult to trust the sudden shift brought about by his son, King Hezekiah. After a lengthy period of widespread idolatry, they could not believe that the new king truly intended to demand exclusive service to God. Once they investigated the matter and realized that the king's motives were entirely pure, they overcame their doubts, roused themselves, and underwent the necessary purification [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

As they complete their purification and return to their sacred duties, they bring burnt offerings. There are different perspectives on the exact purpose of these sacrifices. One view suggests that these offerings are brought specifically to appease God and atone for their previous delay in making themselves holy [מצודת דוד]. Another perspective maintains that these are simply the standard daily morning offerings, which naturally must be completed before the special Passover sacrifices can begin [רלב״ג].