2 Chronicles 35:10-27 ▼

10 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood at their stations and the Levites by their divisions according to the king’s commandment.

11 And they slaughtered the Passover animals, and while the priests splashed the blood received from their hand, the Levites skinned them.

12 Then they took away the portions for the burnt offerings that they might give them to the sections of the fathers’ households of the lay people to bring near to Yahweh, as it is written in the book of Moses. They did this also with the bulls.

13 So they roasted the Passover animals on the fire according to the legal judgment, and they boiled the holy things in pots, in kettles, in pans, and carried them speedily to all the lay people.

14 Afterwards they prepared for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were offering the burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron.

15 The singers, the sons of Asaph, were also at their stations according to the commandment of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer; and the gatekeepers at each gate did not have to turn aside from their service, because the Levites their brothers prepared for them.

16 So all the service of Yahweh was prepared on that day to celebrate the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of Yahweh according to the commandment of King Josiah.

17 Thus the sons of Israel who were present celebrated the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days.

18 And there had not been celebrated a Passover like it in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; nor had any of the kings of Israel celebrated such a Passover as Josiah celebrated with the priests, the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

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

20 After all this, when Josiah had set the house in order, Neco king of Egypt went up to make war at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to meet him.

21 But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, “What have I to do with you, O King of Judah? I am not coming against you today but against the house with which I am at war, and God has said for me to hurry. Stop for your own sake from interfering with God who is with me, so that He will not bring you to ruin.”

22 However, Josiah would not turn away from him, but disguised himself in order to make war with him; nor did he listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to make war on the plain of Megiddo.

23 Then 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 drove him in the second chariot which he had, and brought him to Jerusalem where he died, and he was buried in the tombs of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

25 Then Jeremiah chanted a lament for Josiah. And all the male and female singers speak about Josiah in their lamentations to this day. And they made them a statute in Israel; behold, they are also written in the lamentations.

26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his deeds of lovingkindness according to what was written in the law of Yahweh,

27 and his acts, first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.