2 Chronicles 35

1 Then Josiah kept the Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and the Passover lamb was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month.

2 He appointed the priests to their duties and encouraged them in the service of the house of the LORD.

3 To the Levites who taught all Israel and were holy to the LORD, Josiah said: “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. It is not to be carried around on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel.

4 Prepare yourselves by families in your divisions, according to the instructions written by David king of Israel and Solomon his son.

5 Moreover, stand in the Holy Place by the divisions of the families of your kinsmen the lay people, and by the divisions of the families of the Levites.

6 Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves, and make preparations for your fellow countrymen to carry out the word of the LORD given by Moses.”

7 From his own flocks and herds Josiah contributed 30,000 lambs and goats plus 3,000 bulls for the Passover offerings for all the people who were present.

8 His officials also contributed willingly to the people and priests and Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the chief officials of the house of God, gave the priests 2,600 Passover offerings and 300 bulls.

9 Additionally, Conaniah and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, as well as Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, officers of the Levites, contributed to the Levites 5,000 Passover offerings and 500 bulls.

10 So the service was prepared; the priests stood in their places and the Levites in their divisions according to the king’s command.

11 And they slaughtered the Passover lambs, while the priests splattered the blood handed to them and the Levites skinned the animals.

12 They set aside the burnt offerings to be given to the divisions of the families of the people to offer to the LORD, as it is written in the Book of Moses. And they did the same with the bulls.

13 They roasted the Passover animals on the fire according to the regulation, and they boiled the other holy offerings in pots, kettles, and bowls and quickly brought them to all the people.

14 Afterward, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, since the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were offering up burnt offerings and fat until nightfall. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

15 The singers, the descendants of Asaph, were at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer. And the gatekeepers at each gate did not need to leave their posts, because their fellow Levites made preparations for them.

16 So on that day the entire service of the LORD was carried out for celebrating the Passover and offering burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD, according to the command of King Josiah.

17 The Israelites who were present also observed the Passover at that time, as well as the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days.

18 No such Passover had been observed in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel ever observed a Passover like the one that Josiah observed with the priests, the Levites, all Judah, the Israelites who were present, and the people of Jerusalem.

19 In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, this Passover was observed.

20 After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Neco king of Egypt marched up to fight at Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to confront him.

21 But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, “What is the issue between you and me, O king of Judah? I have not come against you today, but I am fighting another dynasty, and God has told me to hurry. So stop opposing God, who is with me, or He will destroy you!”

22 Josiah, however, did not turn away from him; instead, in order to engage him in battle, he disguised himself. He did not listen to Neco’s words from the mouth of God, but went to fight him on the Plain of Megiddo.

23 There the archers shot King Josiah, who said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am badly wounded!”

24 So his servants took him out of his chariot, put him in his second chariot, and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. And Josiah was buried in the tomb of his fathers, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him.

25 Then Jeremiah lamented over Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers recite laments over Josiah. They established them as a statute for Israel, and indeed they are written in the Book of Laments.

26 As for the rest of the acts of Josiah and his deeds of loving devotion according to what is written in the Law of the LORD—

27 his acts from beginning to end—they are indeed written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.

1 ¶ Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth [day] of the first month.

2 And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD,

3 And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, which were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; [it shall] not [be] a burden upon [your] shoulders: serve now the LORD your God, and his people Israel,

4 And prepare [yourselves] by the houses of your fathers, after your courses, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son.

5 And stand in the holy [place] according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren the people, and [after] the division of the families of the Levites.

6 So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that [they] may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

7 And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these [were] of the king's substance.

8 And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred [small cattle], and three hundred oxen.

9 Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for passover offerings five thousand [small cattle], and five hundred oxen.

10 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king's commandment.

11 And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled [the blood] from their hands, and the Levites flayed [them].

12 And they removed the burnt offerings, that they might give according to the divisions of the families of the people, to offer unto the LORD, as [it is] written in the book of Moses. And so [did they] with the oxen.

13 And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance: but the [other] holy [offerings] sod they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and divided [them] speedily among all the people.

14 And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the priests: because the priests the sons of Aaron [were busied] in offering of burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron.

15 And the singers the sons of Asaph [were] in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer; and the porters [waited] at every gate; they might not depart from their service; for their brethren the Levites prepared for them.

16 So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of king Josiah.

17 And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.

18 And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

19 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept.

20 ¶ After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.

21 But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? [I come] not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from [meddling with] God, who [is] with me, that he destroy thee not.

22 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.

23 And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.

24 His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in [one of] the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

25 And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they [are] written in the lamentations.

26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, according to [that which was] written in the law of the LORD,

27 And his deeds, first and last, behold, they [are] written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

1 And Josiah kept the passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem, and slew the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

2 And he put the priests in their charge, and strengthened them for their service in the house of the LORD.

3 And he spake unto the Levites, which taught all Israel, and were sanctified unto the LORD: Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built. Ye shall not bear it upon your shoulders. Serve therefore the LORD your God, and his people Israel.

4 And, Set the house of your fathers in your order, as it was described by David king of Israel, and by Solomon his son.

5 And stand in the sanctuary after the order of the fathers' houses among your brethren, born of the people, even the order of the fathers' houses among the Levites.

6 And kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and send your brethren to do according to the word of the LORD by Moses.

7 And Josiah gave for an offering to the common man lambs and kids of the goats, all for the passover, for all that were present, thirty thousand in number, and three thousand oxen, and all of the king's substance.

8 And his princes gave freely for the people, and for the priests, and for the Levites (Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the princes of the house of God among the priests), for the passover, two thousand and six hundred lambs and goats, and three hundred oxen.

9 And Hananiah, and Shemaiah, and Nethaneel, and his brethren, Hashabiah, and Jeiel, and Jozabad, the chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for the passover five thousand lambs and goats, and five hundred oxen.

10 So the service was appointed; and the priests sat in their place, and the Levites in their order, according to the king's commandment.

11 And they slew the passover; and the priests took of their hands, and sprinkled, and the Levites skinned them.

12 And they offered the burnt offerings thereof, that they might offer them among the parts of the fathers' houses in their common multitude unto the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses. And so they did with the oxen.

13 And they cooked the passover by the fire, as it was meet. And that which was hallowed they cooked in pots, and in kettles, and in pans. And they made it in haste for the common multitude.

14 And afterward they prepared also for themselves, and for the priests. For the priests, the sons of Aaron, prepared the burnt offering and the fat until night. Therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron.

15 And they, the singers, the children of Asaph, sat in their place according to the commandment of David, and of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jedithun, the king's porter, and the porters of all the gates: and they departed not from their service: for the Levites their brethren prepared for them,

16 So all the service of the LORD that day was ordained," that they kept the passover, and offered burnt offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of king Josiah.

17 So the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.

18 And there was no passover kept in Israel like unto this from the time of Samuel the prophet, neither had there been a king in Israel that kept such a passover as Josiah kept, and the Levites the priests, all Judah, and all that were present of Israel, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

19 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept.

20 And it came to pass after this, when Josiah had made ready the house, that Necho king of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish at Phrath. And Josiah went out to meet him.

21 But he sent messengers unto him, saying, What have I to do with thee, O king Judas? I come not now against thee, but I contend against a house, and God hath told me to haste. Hear of God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not.

22 But Josiah turned not his face from him, but stood to contend with him, and hearkened not to the words of Necho out of the mouth of God; and came to contend with him in the plain at Megiddo.

23 But they that shot the king Josiah. And the king said unto his servants: Lead me over, for I am very sore.

24 And his servants took him out of the chariot, and led him in his other chariot, and brought him to Jerusalem: and he died, and was buried among the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

25 And Jeremiah lamented Josiah; and all the singers and singers spake their lamentations over Josiah unto this day, and made it a custom in Israel. Behold, it is written among the lamentations.

26 But the more that is to be said of Josiah, and his mercy according to the scriptures in the law of the LORD.

27 And the acts thereof, both the first and the last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.