2 Chronicles 35

Josiah Restores the Passover

(2 Kings 23:21–27)

1Then JosiahH2977 keptH6213 the PassoverH6453 to the LORDH3068 in JerusalemH3389, and the Passover lambH6453 was slaughteredH7819 on the fourteenthH702H6240 day of the firstH7223 monthH2320. 2He appointedH5975 the priestsH3548 toH5921 their dutiesH4931 and encouraged themH2388 in the serviceH5656 of the houseH1004 of the LORDH3068.

3To the LevitesH3881 who taughtH995 allH3605 IsraelH3478 and were holyH6918 to the LORDH3068, Josiah saidH559: “PutH5414 the holyH6944 arkH727 in the templeH1004 builtH1129 by SolomonH8010 sonH1121 of DavidH1732 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478. It is not to beH369 carried aroundH4853 on your shouldersH3802. NowH6258 serveH5647 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 and His peopleH5971 IsraelH3478. 4PrepareH3559 yourselves by familiesH1004H1 in your divisionsH4256, according to the instructions writtenH3791 by DavidH1732 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 andH4385 SolomonH8010 his sonH1121.

5Moreover, standH5975 in the Holy PlaceH6944 by the divisionsH6391 of the familiesH1H1004 of your kinsmenH251 the lay peopleH1121H5971, and by the divisionsH2515 of the familiesH1H1004 of the LevitesH3881. 6SlaughterH7819 the Passover lambsH6453, consecrate yourselvesH6942, and make preparationsH3559 for your fellow countrymenH251 to carry outH6213 the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 given byH30271 MosesH4872.”

7From hisH4428 ownH7399 flocksH6629 and herds JosiahH2977 contributedH7311 30,000H7970H505 lambsH3532 andH1121 goatsH5795 plus 3,000H7969H505H428 bullsH1241 for the Passover offeringsH6453 for allH3605 the peopleH5971 who were presentH4672H4557.

8His officialsH8269 also contributedH7311 willinglyH5071 to the peopleH5971 and priestsH3548 and LevitesH3881. HilkiahH2518, ZechariahH2148, and JehielH3171, the chief officialsH5057 of the houseH1004 of GodH430, gaveH5414 the priestsH3548 2,600H505H8337H3967 PassoverH6453 offerings and 300H7969H3967 bullsH1241. 9Additionally, ConaniahH3562 and his brothersH251 ShemaiahH8098 and NethanelH5417, as well as HashabiahH2811, JeielH3273, and JozabadH3107, officersH8269 of the LevitesH3881, contributedH7311 to the LevitesH3881 5,000H2568H505 Passover offeringsH6453 and 500H2568H3967 bullsH1241.

10So the serviceH5656 was preparedH3559; the priestsH3548 stoodH5975 inH5921 their placesH5977 and the LevitesH3881 inH5921 their divisionsH4256 according to the king’sH4428 commandH4687. 11And they slaughteredH7819 the Passover lambsH6453, while the priestsH3548 splattered the bloodH2236 handed to themH3027 and the LevitesH3881 skinnedH6584 the animals. 12They set asideH5493 the burnt offeringsH5930 to be givenH5414 to the divisionsH4653 of the familiesH1H1004 of the peopleH1121H5971 to offerH7126 to the LORDH3068, as it is writtenH3789 in the BookH5612 of MosesH4872. And they did the sameH3651 with the bullsH1241.

13They roastedH1310 the PassoverH6453 animals on the fireH784 according to the regulationH4941, and they boiledH1310 the other holyH6944 offerings in potsH5518, kettlesH1731, and bowlsH6747 and quickly brought themH7323 to allH3605 the peopleH1121H5971. 14AfterwardH310, they made preparationsH3559 for themselves and for the priestsH3548, sinceH3588 the priestsH3548, the descendantsH1121 of AaronH175, were offering upH5927 burnt offeringsH5930 and fatH2459 untilH5704 nightfallH3915. So the LevitesH3881 made preparationsH3559 for themselves and for the priestsH3548, the descendantsH1121 of AaronH175.

15The singersH7891, the descendantsH1121 of AsaphH623, were atH5921 their stationsH4612 according to the commandH4687 of DavidH1732, AsaphH623, HemanH1968, and JeduthunH3038 the king’sH4428 seerH2374. And the gatekeepersH7778 at each gateH8179 did notH369 need to leaveH5493H5921 their postsH5656, becauseH3588 their fellowH251 LevitesH3881 made preparationsH3559 for them.

16So on thatH1931 dayH3117 the entireH3605 serviceH5656 of the LORDH3068 was carried outH3559 for celebratingH6213 the PassoverH6453 and offeringH5927 burnt offeringsH5930 onH5921 the altarH4196 of the LORDH3068, according to the commandH4687 of KingH4428 JosiahH2977. 17The IsraelitesH1121H3478 who were presentH4672 also observedH6213 the PassoverH6453 at thatH1931 timeH6256, as well as the FeastH2282 of Unleavened BreadH46822 for sevenH7651 daysH3117. 18NoH3808 suchH3644 PassoverH6453 had been observedH6213 in IsraelH3478 since the daysH3117 of SamuelH8050 the prophetH5030. NoneH3605H3808 of the kingsH4428 of IsraelH3478 ever observedH6213 a PassoverH6453 like the one thatH834 JosiahH2977 observedH6213 with the priestsH3548, the LevitesH3881, allH3605 JudahH3063, the IsraelitesH3478 who were presentH4672, and the peopleH3427 of JerusalemH3389. 19In the eighteenthH8083H6240 yearH8141 of Josiah’sH2977 reignH4438, thisH2088 PassoverH6453 was observedH6213.

The Death of Josiah

(2 Kings 23:28–30)

20AfterH310 allH3605 thisH2063, whenH834 JosiahH2977 had setH3559 the temple in orderH1004, NecoH5224 kingH4428 of EgyptH4714 marched upH5927 to fightH3898 at CarchemishH3751 byH5921 the EuphratesH6578, and JosiahH2977 went outH3318 to confront himH7122. 21But Neco sentH7971 messengersH4397 to himH413, sayingH559, “What is the issue between you and meH4100, O kingH4428 of JudahH3063? I have notH3808 come againstH5921 youH859 todayH3117, butH3588H413 I am fightingH4421 another dynastyH1004, and GodH430 has told meH559 to hurryH926. So stopH2308 opposing GodH430, whoH834 is with meH5973, orH408 He will destroy youH7843!”

22Josiah, howeverH2977H6440, did notH3808 turn awayH5437 from himH4480; insteadH3588, in order to engage him in battleH3898, he disguised himselfH2664. He did notH3808 listenH8085 toH413 Neco’sH5224 wordsH1697 from the mouthH6310 of GodH430, but wentH935 to fight himH3898 on the PlainH1237 of MegiddoH4023. 23There the archersH3384 shotH3384 KingH4428 JosiahH2977, whoH4428 saidH559 to his servantsH5650, “Take me awayH5674, forH3588 I am badlyH3966 woundedH2470!”

24So his servantsH5650 took himH5674 outH4480 of his chariotH4818, put himH7392 inH5921 his secondH4932 chariotH7393, and brought himH1980 to JerusalemH3389, where he diedH4191. And Josiah was buriedH6912 in the tombH6913 of his fathersH1, and allH3605 JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389 mournedH56 forH5921 him.

Laments over Josiah

25Then JeremiahH3414 lamentedH6969 overH5921 JosiahH2977, and toH5704 this dayH3117 allH3605 the maleH7891 and female singersH7891 reciteH559 lamentsH7015 overH5921 JosiahH2977. They established themH5414 as a statuteH2706 forH5921 IsraelH3478, and indeedH2005 they are writtenH3789 inH5921 the Book of LamentsH7015.

26As for the restH3499 of the actsH1697 of JosiahH2977 and his deeds of loving devotionH2617 according to what is writtenH3789 in the LawH8451 of the LORDH3068— 27his actsH1697 from beginningH7223 to endH314—they are indeedH2005 writtenH3789 inH5921 the BookH5612 of the KingsH4428 of IsraelH3478 and JudahH3063.