1 J osiah kept the Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem; they killed the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the first month.

Now Josiah kept a Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month.

2 H e appointed the priests to their positions and encouraged them in the service of the house of the Lord.

And he set the priests in their duties and encouraged them for the service of the house of the Lord.

3 T o the Levites who taught all Israel and were holy to the Lord he said: Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon son of David king of Israel, built; it shall no longer be a burden carried on your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and His people Israel.

Then he said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to the Lord: “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. It shall no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve the Lord your God and His people Israel.

4 P repare yourselves according to your fathers’ houses by your divisions, after the directions of David king of Israel and of Solomon his son.

Prepare yourselves according to your fathers’ houses, according to your divisions, following the written instruction of David king of Israel and the written instruction of Solomon his son.

5 A nd stand in the holy court of the priests according to the sections of the fathers’ families of your kinsmen, the common people, and let there be a section of the Levites to each division of the families of the people.

And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of your brethren the lay people, and according to the division of the father’s house of the Levites.

6 K ill the Passover lambs and sanctify yourselves and prepare for your brethren to do according to the word of the Lord by Moses.

So slaughter the Passover offerings, consecrate yourselves, and prepare them for your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.”

7 T hen Josiah contributed to the lay people lambs and kids of the flock as Passover offerings for all who were present, to the number of 30, 000, and 3, 000 young bulls—all from the king’s possessions.

Then Josiah gave the lay people lambs and young goats from the flock, all for Passover offerings for all who were present, to the number of thirty thousand, as well as three thousand cattle; these were from the king’s possessions.

8 A nd his princes gave for a freewill offering to the people, to the priests, and the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, chief officers of God’s house, gave the priests for the Passover offerings 2, 600 and 300 bulls.

And his leaders gave willingly to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings two thousand six hundred from the flock, and three hundred cattle.

9 C onaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel his brothers, and Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, chiefs of the Levites, gave to the Levites for Passover offerings 5, 000 and 500 bulls.

Also Conaniah, his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave to the Levites for Passover offerings five thousand from the flock and five hundred cattle.

10 W hen the service was ready, the priests stood in their place and the Levites in their divisions as the king commanded.

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

11 T hey killed the Passover lambs, and the priests sprinkled the blood they received from the Levites who skinned the animals.

And they slaughtered the Passover offerings; and the priests sprinkled the blood with their hands, while the Levites skinned the animals.

12 T hen they removed the burnt offerings, that they might distribute them according to the divisions of the lay families to offer to the Lord, as directed in the Book of Moses. And so they did with the bulls.

Then they removed the burnt offerings that they might give them to the divisions of the fathers’ houses of the lay people, to offer to the Lord, as it is written in the Book of Moses. And so they did with the cattle.

13 A nd they roasted the Passover lambs with fire according to the ordinance; and they cooked the holy offerings in pots, in caldrons, and in pans and carried them quickly to all the people.

Also they roasted the Passover offerings with fire according to the ordinance; but the other holy offerings they boiled in pots, in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them quickly among all the lay people.

14 A fterward prepared for themselves and the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were busy in offering the burnt offerings and the fat until night; so the Levites prepared for themselves and also for the priests, the sons of Aaron.

Then afterward they prepared portions for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were busy in offering burnt offerings and fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared portions for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron.

15 T he singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their places according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer. And the gatekeepers were at every gate; they did not need to leave their service, for their brethren the Levites prepared for them.

And the singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their places, according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer. Also the gatekeepers were at each gate; they did not have to leave their position, because their brethren the Levites prepared portions for them.

16 S o all the Lord’s service was prepared the same day to keep the Passover and to offer burnt offerings upon the Lord’s altar, as King Josiah commanded.

So all the service of the Lord was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord, according to the command of King Josiah.

17 A nd the Israelites who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days.

And the children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days.

18 N o Passover like it had been kept in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet, even by any of the kings of Israel, as was kept by Josiah and the priests, the Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

There had been no Passover kept in Israel like that since the days of Samuel the prophet; and none of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as Josiah kept, with the priests and the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

19 I n the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this Passover was kept.

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this Passover was kept. Josiah Dies in Battle

20 A fter all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went out to fight against Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him.

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

21 B ut sent ambassadors to, saying, What have I to do with you, you king of Judah? I come not against you this day, but against the house with which I am at war; and God has commanded me to make haste. Refrain from opposing God, Who is with me, lest He destroy you.

But he sent messengers to him, saying, “What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I have not come against you this day, but against the house with which I have war; for God commanded me to make haste. Refrain from meddling with God, who is with me, lest He destroy you.”

22 Y et Josiah would not turn away from him, but disguised himself in order to fight with him. He did not heed the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to fight with him in the valley of Megiddo.

Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself so that he might fight with him, and did not heed the words of Necho from the mouth of God. So he came to fight in the Valley of Megiddo.

23 A nd the archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his servants, Take me away, for I am severely wounded.

And the archers shot King Josiah; and the king said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am severely wounded.”

24 S o his servants took him out of the chariot and put him in his second chariot and brought him to Jerusalem. And he died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

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. So he died, and was buried in one of the tombs of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

25 J eremiah gave a lament for Josiah, and all the singing men and women have spoken of Josiah in their laments to this day. They made them an ordinance in Israel; behold, they are written in the Laments.

Jeremiah also lamented for Josiah. And to this day all the singing men and the singing women speak of Josiah in their lamentations. They made it a custom in Israel; and indeed they are written in the Laments.

26 N ow the rest of the acts of Josiah and his deeds, according to what is written in the Law of the Lord,

Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his goodness, according to what was written in the Law of the Lord,

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

and his deeds from first to last, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.