2 Chronicles 35
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
Celebration of the Passover
35 Josiah kept a passover to the Lord in Jerusalem; they slaughtered the passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 He appointed the priests to their offices and encouraged them in the service of the house of the Lord. 3 He said to the Levites who taught all Israel and who were holy to the Lord, ‘Put the holy ark in the house that Solomon son of David, king of Israel, built; you need no longer carry it on your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and his people Israel. 4 Make preparations by your ancestral houses by your divisions, following the written directions of King David of Israel and the written directions of his son Solomon. 5 Take position in the holy place according to the groupings of the ancestral houses of your kindred the people, and let there be Levites for each division of an ancestral house.[a] 6 Slaughter the passover lamb, sanctify yourselves, and on behalf of your kindred make preparations, acting according to the word of the Lord by Moses.’
7 Then Josiah contributed to the people, as passover offerings for all that were present, lambs and kids from the flock to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bulls; these were from the king’s possessions. 8 His officials contributed willingly to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the chief officers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the passover offerings two thousand six hundred lambs and kids and three hundred bulls. 9 Conaniah also, and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave to the Levites for the passover offerings five thousand lambs and kids and five hundred bulls.
10 When the service had been prepared for, the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their divisions according to the king’s command. 11 They slaughtered the passover lamb, and the priests dashed the blood that they received[b] from them, while the Levites did the skinning. 12 They set aside the burnt-offerings so that they might distribute them according to the groupings of the ancestral houses 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 lamb with fire according to the ordinance; and they boiled the holy offerings in pots, in cauldrons, and in pans, and carried them quickly to all the people. 14 Afterwards they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, because the priests the descendants of Aaron were occupied in offering the burnt-offerings and the fat parts until night; so the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron. 15 The singers, the descendants of Asaph, were in their place according to the command of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and the king’s seer Jeduthun. The gatekeepers were at each gate; they did not need to interrupt their service, for their kindred the Levites made preparations for them.
16 So all the service of the Lord was prepared that day, to keep the passover and to offer burnt-offerings on the altar of the Lord, according to the command of King Josiah. 17 The people of Israel who were present kept the passover at that time, and the festival of unleavened bread for seven days. 18 No passover like it had been kept in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel; none of the kings of Israel had kept such a passover as was kept by Josiah, by the priests and the Levites, by all Judah and Israel who were present, and by the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this passover was kept.
Defeat by Pharaoh Neco and Death of Josiah
20 After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, King Neco of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him. 21 But Neco[c] sent envoys to him, saying, ‘What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I am not coming against you today, but against the house with which I am at war; and God has commanded me to hurry. Cease opposing God, who is with me, so that he will not destroy you.’ 22 But Josiah would not turn away from him, but disguised himself in order to fight with him. He did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but joined battle in the plain of Megiddo. 23 The archers shot King Josiah; and the king said to his servants, ‘Take me away, for I am badly wounded.’ 24 So his servants took him out of the chariot and carried him in his second chariot[d] and brought him to Jerusalem. There he died, and was buried in the tombs of his ancestors. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. 25 Jeremiah also uttered a lament for Josiah, and all the singing-men and singing-women have spoken of Josiah in their laments to this day. They made these a custom in Israel; they are recorded in the Laments. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his faithful deeds in accordance with what is written in the law of the Lord, 27 and his acts, first and last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 35:5 Meaning of Heb uncertain
- 2 Chronicles 35:11 Heb lacks that they received
- 2 Chronicles 35:21 Heb he
- 2 Chronicles 35:24 Or the chariot of his deputy
2 Chronicles 35
1599 Geneva Bible
35 1 Josiah keepeth the Passover. 2 He setteth forth God’s service. 20 He fighteth against the king of Egypt, and dieth. 24 The people bewail him.
1 Moreover, (A)Josiah kept a Passover unto the Lord in Jerusalem, and they slew the [a]Passover in the fourteenth day of the first month.
2 And he appointed the Priests to their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the Lord,
3 And he said unto the Levites that [b]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 did build: it shall be no more a [c]burden upon your shoulders: serve now the Lord your God, and his people Israel,
4 And prepare yourselves by the houses of your fathers according to your courses, as (B)David the king of Israel hath written, and according to the writing of Solomon his son,
5 And stand in the Sanctuary according to the division of the families of your brethren [d]the children of the people, and after the division of the family of the Levites:
6 So kill the Passover, and sanctify yourselves, and [e]prepare your brethren that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
7 Josiah also gave to the [f]people sheep, lambs and kids, all for the Passover, even to 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 offered 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, even two thousand and six hundred sheep, and three hundred bullocks.
9 [g]Conaniah also and Shemaiah and Nethanel his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel, and Jozabad, chief of the Levites gave unto the Levites for the Passover, five thousand sheep, and five hundred bullocks.
10 Thus the service was prepared, and the Priests stood in their places, also the Levites in their orders, according to the king’s commandment:
11 And they slew the Passover, and the Priests [h]sprinkled the blood with their hands, and the Levites flayed them.
12 And they took away from the [i]burnt offering to give it according to the divisions of the families of the children of the people, to offer unto the Lord, as it is written in the book of Moses, and so of the bullocks.
13 And (C)they roasted the Passover with fire, according to the custom, but the sanctified things they sod in pots, pans, and cauldrons, and distributed them quickly to all the people.
14 Afterward also they prepared for themselves and for the Priests: for the Priests the sons of Aaron were occupied 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 stood in their standing (D)according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s [j]Seer: and the porters at every gate, who might not depart from their service: therefore 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 the same time, and the feast of the unleavened bread seven days.
18 And there was no Passover kept like that 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 [k]present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
19 This Passover was kept in [l]the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah.
20 ¶ (E)After all this, when Josiah had prepared the Temple Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against [m]Carchemish by [n]Perath and Josiah went out against him.
21 But he sent messengers 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 [o]of mine enemy, and God commanded me to make haste: leave off to come against God, which is with me, lest he destroy thee.
22 But Josiah would not turn his face from him, but [p]changed his apparel to fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho, which were of the mouth of God, but came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
23 And the shooters shot at king Josiah: then the king said to his servants, Carry me away, for I am very sick.
24 So his servants took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot which he had, and when they had brought him to Jerusalem, he died, and was buried in the sepulchers of his fathers: and all Judah and Jerusalem [q]mourned for Josiah.
25 And Jeremiah lamented Josiah, and all singing men and singing women mourned for Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made the same for an ordinance unto Israel: and behold, they be written in the [r]Lamentations.
26 Concerning the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, doing as it 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.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 35:1 The Scripture useth in sundry places to call the lamb the Passover, which was but the sign of the Passover, because in all sacraments the signs have the names of the things which are signified.
- 2 Chronicles 35:3 So that the Levite’s charge was not only to minister in the Temple, but also to instruct the people in the word of God.
- 2 Chronicles 35:3 As it was before the Temple was built: therefore your office only is now to teach the people, and to praise God.
- 2 Chronicles 35:5 Or, the people.
- 2 Chronicles 35:6 Exhort everyone to examine themselves, that they be not unmeet to eat of the Passover.
- 2 Chronicles 35:7 Hebrew, sons of the people.
- 2 Chronicles 35:9 So that everyone and of all sorts gave of that they had, a liberal portion to the service of God.
- 2 Chronicles 35:11 Meaning, of the Lamb, which was called the Passover: for only the Priests might sprinkle, and in necessity the Levites might kill the sacrifice.
- 2 Chronicles 35:12 They reserved for the people that which was not expedient to be offered, that every man might offer peace offerings, and so have his portion.
- 2 Chronicles 35:15 Meaning hereby his Prophet, because he appointed the Psalms and prophecies which were to be sung.
- 2 Chronicles 35:18 Hebrew, found.
- 2 Chronicles 35:19 Which was in his six and twentieth year of his age.
- 2 Chronicles 35:20 Which was a city of the Assyrians, and Josiah fearing lest he passing through Judah, would have taken his kingdom, made war against him, and consulted not with the Lord.
- 2 Chronicles 35:20 Or, Euphrates.
- 2 Chronicles 35:21 Hebrew, of my battle.
- 2 Chronicles 35:22 That is, armed himself, or disguised himself, because he might not be known.
- 2 Chronicles 35:24 The people so much lamented the loss of this good king, that after when there was any great lamentation this was spoken of as a proverb, read Zech. 12:11.
- 2 Chronicles 35:25 Which some think Jeremiah made, wherein he lamenteth the state of the Church after this king’s death.
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