30:18 had not cleansed themselves. The specific ways in which these Israelites had not cleansed themselves in preparation for the Passover are not mentioned. Possibly, because of the idolatries of their parents under King Ahaz, they had not been circumcised (Exodus 12:43-49) and were thus considered “strangers” and therefore not under the covenant (Genesis 17:10-14). Nevertheless, God regarded obedience of the heart as more important than ritual (I Samuel 15:22), and accepted them when the king prayed.